Re: Why did Debian bundle exim instead of postfix or sendmail as the Default MTA?
On Sun, Dec 04, 2005 at 03:24:31AM -0500, Edward Shornock wrote:
> On Sun, Dec 04, 2005 at 11:02:03AM +0530, TAC Forums wrote:
> > Hi
> >
> > Does anyone know why Debian bundled EXIM instead of Postfix or
> > Sendmail as the default MTA?
>
> I don't know for sure but it could be because:
> * Exim is easy to configure
> * Postfix' license may be too restrictive for some
> * Many people consider sendmail to be too complex to set up, and don't
> use it because of all of the security problems that it used to have.
>
>
In order, it's been: smail (small, Sendmail alike).
exim (a.k.a. exim3)
exim4
I can't remember what was before smail, if any. Exim is relatively easy
to configure: exim4 harder to understand for me. Exim is only widely used in
the Debian Project and University of Cambridge AFAIK - but it's well
written and well maintained and there is now good documentation.
I'm not sure that postfix does have license issues: I tend to apt-get
install postfix && apt-get remove exim as one of my configuration steps
- you don't want to remove all MTA's at a stroke :) - but that's
personal preference. Certainly the author is well respected and knows
how to write good code.
Sendmail - the story goes that compiling the proper syntax for a .cf
file requires a lot of hitting your head on the keyboard in frustration
at the complexity - glances at a well configured .cf file reveal that this
may have been the most efficient configuration method :)
In the end, MTA choice can lead to religious wars - but there is at
least a good choice in Debian :)
All IMHO
Andy
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