None of the Above (was Re: Sendmail still default?)

[Les Mikesell]

Patrice Dumas wrote:
> On Tue, Oct 21, 2008 at 10:33:43AM -0400, Alan Cox wrote:
>> Actually that I question somewhat. Both POSIX and the LSB require local mail
>> delivery services. A suprising number of applications that don't currently
>> specify sendmail dependancies appear to use it. Have a grep...
> 
> Every package with application that calls /usr/sbin/sendmail should 
> require that file. Isn't it the case? If you know about cases like that,
> tell, I'll file bugs.

If POSIX requires it, it should be a safe assumption on any system that 
claims compliance.

> Now this is only part of the story since currently programs that don't
> do local delivery, or are not configured for local delivery out-of-the-box 
> provides /usr/sbin/sendmail. I think that is is right, but maybe a
> virtual dependency, like mail(local) is needed somewhere to force
> installation of an app that does local delivery, either as a dependency,
> or as part of the default install, though there is no agreement on that
> currently.

Apps that send mail don't and shouldn't know where delivery is going to 
happen.  That is entirely up to the transport.

-- 
   Les Mikesell
    lesmikesell at gmail.com