Re: [exim] Default config in distributions.

David Woodhouse wrote:
> On Fri, 2006-09-22 at 13:35 +0100, Mark Kubrick wrote:
>
>> It seems nigh on the impossible to find a straightforward explaination of
>> installing MailMan and having it work with Exim (OS is Fedora). Can anybody
>> help? I am do sick of reading about UID/GIDs, transports and directors and
>> getting nowhere. All I want is a mailing list!
>>
>
> Hm, perhaps I should be shipping an example of how to use mailman in the
> default Fedora config.
>
> Then again, I don't really want to diverge _too_ far from the standard
> config. I don't want to end up with something as baroque as Debian's
> setup.
>
> Perhaps I should ship the exim package with its existing fairly basic
> config (perhaps with some mailman stuff ifdeffed out), and then ship a
> _separate_ all-singing, all-dancing exim config package which is capable
> of just about everything? And perhaps that package could be based on the
> Debian configuration stuff?
>
> Opinions?
>
>
Over the last 18 months I've been working on 7 basic configs aimed at
new users or converters from other MTAs. I pushed quite hard to get
simpler configs or custom configs for new users and soon found that a
massive majority of exim users think that the defualt config is
excellent and shouldn't be changed/modified for a small percentage of
newer and less experienced users.

I came to the conclusion that the majority of exim users are very
proficient, but the small percentage of new users find it very hard to
find simple documentation and howtos (please lets not start another war
over this, it's just my opinion which could be completely wrong).

I decided to write a few simple (but safe) configs and guides that could
literally just be followed from start to finish to get somebody started
instead of expecting them to be able to "fly solo" from day one. I'm
still working on this after 18 months but hope to have completed them by
the end of the year.

My suggestion for your mailman configs would be to:

- Include the mailman configs in the core exim distribution so every
platform has access to the same configs and documentation.

- Include them in an "examples" subdirectory to make them available to
everyone without compromising or changing the existing config which
everybody seems to like. This examples subdirectory could be part of the
main installation (preferably) or downloaded separately.

- If we do agree on an examples subdirectory then we also agree a
structure for it to allow people to produce their own sets of examples
with documentation independently of the main exim binaries, and
preferably create a way for them to be reviewed by others before release.

I think this would help pool together all of the exim config examples in
an ordered manner. It allows flexibility and it doesn't impact the
existing way exim is distributed (It would actually complement it).

I posted something along these lines earlier in the year but did not get
a decision one way or another.

--- snip ---
I would really like to see an examples directory that could be
distributed along with exim (or downloaded separately if that suggestion
is not popular, maybe in time for v4.7x)

I would be happy to work with Nigel on this if nobody has any objections
to me "championing" some extra documentation for new users and
converters (without dumbing down or altering the current exim-users)
--- snip ---


Thanks
Jason Meers