[kwlug-disc] postfix pain

[Mikalai Birukou]

> The was a big, apparently sendmail. And it then was fixed, with what we
> call postfix.
>
> And a system was fixed, not a program, so use incus (lxd fork) to make
> and kill messed up systems.
>
>> If you have trouble of setting simple authenticated mail sending
>> postfix, are you demoted to windows admins ? 😭
> main and master are different config files in post fix. git broke this
> cognitive distinction between these two words.
>
> Right, it was a fix as of 1998. The more modern habits/expectations I am
> turning off in my brain, the easier fix becomes.

And then it occurs to you: 1998 -- authentication makes you same as 
someone on a localhost, or "post's network".

You have been authenticated by construction. Nothing else is needed in 
postfix itself. In places with loose firewalls this is an open relay. 
Who knew that average household isn't proficient in setting up 
firewalls? And all those tls' are an after thought.

Original perspective also brings postfix name in a new light: post is 
fine, fix the surrounding world! Fix firewalls. Cleanup, no, don't have 
other process in postfix system. With DNS tell everyone what to trust 
and how (keys, etc.).

Meanwhile, process of relaying -- "I send this on your behalf, no one 
should blame me" -- does need all those headers for blame protection, of 
course.

It seems that relay-based mail is repeating transport layer 
functionality. What is a high level difference between "hey postfix, 
send this there" and "hey gateway, send this there"?

May be back then, like 30-40 years ago, you press ctrl+d after typing 
into mail, and logout to go home. And some system attempts to send that 
which you've typed, while you walk somewhere, may be with a mechanical 
watch on your wrist. While today, your modern watch can figure out 
precise ip of a destination in moments between your completing 
typing(dictating) recipient address and your starting of 
typing(dictating) content.