Re: [Exim] What do you want in a book?

On Tue, 15 Aug 2000, Phil Pennock wrote:

PP> Subject: Re: [Exim] What do you want in a book?
PP>
PP> On 2000-08-15 at 12:44 +0100, Philip Hazel gifted us with:
PP> > 2. Is it an in-depth book that does contain tutorial and example material,
PP> > but aims to cover absolutely everything?

Yes please :)

PP> For a start, be prepared to have the full specs in the appendices. If
PP> nothing else, a few hundred extra pages will make the prospective
PP> publisher's eyes gleam at the thought of the price they can charge. ;^)

NoNoNo! That's what spec.{txt,ps,etc} is for ! I never feel quite so cheated
as when I've bought a book, half of which contains the reference docs which I
could print out anyway (so why buy the book ? for the half that _isn't_ the
reference docs...)

PP> I'd suggest using the good O'Reilly books as a guide. See if you can
PP> get hold of Aileen Frisch's Essential Systems Administration (2nd Ed).
PP> That's the nearest equivalent (aside from the sendmail book) which comes
PP> to mind. It assumes some competence, but leads the reader through the
PP> various topics, getting more involved as more ground is covered. That
PP> book remains one of my "ideal books" which I recommend, so is perhaps a
PP> good starting point.

Yes, that's a pretty good book.

In a previous message, ph10 wrote ``"I think your missing background material
is "SMTP and How Internet Mail Works", a document that, as far as I know, does
not exist as a publication.'' Well, there's chaper one :)

After that, examples of how to use the various features of Exim, starting with
examples of common situations to help newcomers, through to use of the more
arcane options to whet the appetite of the more seasoned user. One
suggestion, though, would be to organize the subject matter by *function*
rather than by the *technical specification*, e.g. "anti-relaying", "virtual
domains", "dispesning with passwd files lookups", etc. drawing together all
the relevant config. options for that function.

DHS
-- David Sheryn <D.H.Sheryn@???> Computing Services
-- City University, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB
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