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Re: What are MUA, MTA, MDA?




David wrote (replying from a digest... damn)...
-----
> Subject: What are MUA, MTA, MDA? (Was Re: Linux Mail Client)
> 
> I differentiate between MUAs, MDAs, and MTAs; examples are:
>   MUA:  mutt
>   MDA:  procmail
>   MTA:  exim
>
> John,
>
> 1) What do MTA, MUA, MDA stand for?
>
>I know that mutt is a mailer, not unlike exim and smail, but has
>other functionality. procmail filters mail, but what else? exim
>seems to be a drop in for smail and sendmail, so has similar
>functionality.

Mail Transfer Agent	(Like sendmail, exim etc)
Mail User Agent		(Pine, Elm, Outlook)
Mail Delivery Agent...	(Procmail, ... )

>
> 2) What are the words for these acronyms? I have a bit of the
> answer:
>
> MTA is probably Mail Transport Agent (guess).  MDA is Mail Delivery
> Agent. (from procmail man page, I can guess it delivers mail)
>
> man mutt doesn't tell much and there no exim man page on my system.
>
> What is MUA?

See above..

> 3) What is the function of these?

It's your mail reading client (pine, elm, outlook etc...)

> 4) Where would I look this up? What is TFM  I should R?
>
>--David
>David Teague, dbt@cs.wcu.edu
>Debian GNU/Linux Because software support is free, timely,
>                 useful, technically accurate, and friendly.

These originate from the X400/X500 world... IRRC
There should also be some mention of these in your Sendmail book...



Mark Janssen                                  Unix Consultant
Unix Support Nederland / PSInet Netherlands
E-mail: mark@markjanssen.homeip.net    GnuPG Key Id: 357D2178
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