Re: Bug#275685: ITP: msmtp -- smtp client which can be used as a smtp plugin with mutt

[Loïc Minier <lool+debian@via.ecp.fr>]

Christian Surchi <csurchi@debian.org> - Sun, Oct 10, 2004:

> Deep difference. Our mail-transport-agents are able to behave as daemon,
> listening on 25 port. msmtp doesn't, and it's the same for nail. Do you
> think that nail could be an MTA? Do you think that any evolution of
> mail(1) could be seen as an MTA, only because is able to "speak" smtp?
> :o

 I think -- but I may be wrong -- that the mail-transport-agent virtual
 package was created to help programs using /usr/sbin/sendmail to have a
 depends, and programs providing /usr/sbin/sendmail to have a
 conflicts/replaces.  If msmtp provides a compatible /usr/sbin/sendmail,
 it would be nice that it would also provide mail-transport-agent.
   What I don't think is that programs are relying on something
 listening on :25 when they depend on mail-transport-agent.  I don't
 think this is the case because exim and postfix both offer a
 configuration where nothing listens on :25.
   Is there a text describing the contract of packages providing
 mail-transport-agent?

   Regards,

-- 
Loïc Minier <lool@dooz.org>