Author: Ian Eiloart Date: To: Jethro R Binks, exim-users Subject: Re: [exim] Is it possible to modify my Exim config file so that
singlequote pairs in address headers?
--On 6 February 2009 17:27:33 +0000 Jethro R Binks
<jethro.binks@???> wrote:
> On Fri, 6 Feb 2009, Ian Eiloart wrote:
>
>> --On 6 February 2009 14:50:19 +0000 Jethro R Binks
>> <jethro.binks@???> wrote:
>>
>> > (Although, the same argument is useable here as against greylisting
>> > and other techniques: once a critical mass of receiving servers
>> > implement these techniques, it will be worth the while of spammers to
>> > accomodate them, play by the rules, design better SMTP engines, in
>> > order to get their mail past the techniques. But I think we're a long
>> > way to go yet, and there's probably a huge legacy of crap spammy SMTP
>> > clients out there that are easily defeatable.).
>>
>> Yes, but this isn't just about spam. It's also about not accepting
>> emails with malformed address headers. Those addresses aren't just there
>> to look pretty, they're used by MUAs and even MTAs to address replies.
>> If the From:, To: or Cc: header is malformed, then the replies may also
>> be malformed, or misdirected.
>
> You and I know that it's not just about spam, but sometimes you have to
> stretch the truth a little in order to get the point across.
>
> Fact is, I fundamentally believe that we should absolutely not accept any
> mail that absolutely does not conform to the required standards. No
> point having standards if you don't stand up for them. Unfortunately,
> that belief is a bit too fundamental for most of my user's tastes. So I
> grant a little bit of slack and leeway, and don't act quite so strictly
> (while reserving my right to do so at another time), and for the
> remaining fundamentalism, I have to present it in ways that end users
> find easier to understand -- it has to be applied rather than
> theoretical fundamentalism. Easiest way to do that is to use concepts
> like "protection", and the easiest 'bad guys' to explain about, that all
> end users understand, are the spammers. Then they can relate to my
> actions better.
>
> So, yes, sometimes I am a little loose in the language I use or the
> explanations I give, but deliberately so. Sometimes, anyway. Sometimes
> I just can't help but tell them the ugly truth: that the expensive email
> product they are using is just plain downright broken, and they should
> return it to the vendor as unfit for purpose :)
I prefer to be honest with my users. Mostly because I find it hard enough
to remember one version of the truth, never mind several!
> Jethro.
>
> --
> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
> Jethro R Binks
> Computing Officer, IT Services, University Of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
--
Ian Eiloart
IT Services, University of Sussex
x3148
