[Mimedefang] Can't stop mimedefang from stripping HTML!

BEYZAIE Shamim shamim.beyzaie at environment.wa.gov.au
Thu Jan 8 23:50:50 EST 2004


I'd like to thank everyone who replied to my original message.

I've traced the problem step by step looking through the /var/log/maillog
and have discovered that for some reason the HTML emails I was sending to
the test system were being stripped of HTML before actually arriving at the
system. This is a bit strange as they were going out through an exchange
server directly to the test system! However I have found a Microsoft
Knowledge Base Article - 183668 saying that under some circumstances HTML
formatting is not retained under Exchange 5.5. I'll have to look further
into this.

So the problem was not with MIMEDefang at all!

It seems that the whole issue of HTML email is a rather touchy one. I guess
I try to maintain and objective attitude. I too work in an environment where
HTML is a must and any argument against it, no matter how technically
accurate, would fail to convince the 95% of average 'non-technical' users
that it should be any other way. 

I could go on but I'll leave it there :) Thanks again for the replies.
Shamim.





> > Of course, everyone who has responsibility for the system must make his
> > own choices but does kowtowing to Redmond defaults have to be one?
> 
> <rant>
> I, for example, am responsible for the smtp gateway systems at this site.
I
> answer to my employer, and to my customer.  It's not "my" option or
choice,
> whether we allow HTML or not.  It instead, is my responsibility to support
> the system, configured with the options my customer wants, using the
> resources and tools available to me.  If my customer wants HTML mail, they
> get it.  Our other defenses (greylisting, subject blocking, etc), have
done
> an admirable job of blocking the "crap", HTML-ized, or not.  We
effectively
> block by other logic, that which you would block outright, simply because
it
> is HTML-based.  I kowtow to no one, and I expect there are others on this
> list who are responsible employees, have to answer to management, and just
> try to do what they can, with what they have.
> 
> Whether spoken in jest or not, we don't kowtow.  I think the position of
the
> admin who posted the initial problem with HTML mail is valid.  There was
no
> need to suggest he is kowtowing.
> 
> For whatever reason, or by whomever else's preference (or predilection for
> kowtowing), there are some times when "NO HTML" is just not an option for
> the admin responsible for the system.
> 
> My appologies, to the list.  I just felt urked by the kowtowing thang.
> </rant>

> Ken


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