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RE: The utilitiy of IP is at stake here

2003-05-29 17:21:37
David Morris wrote:
their customers about the opportunity to use a new app. The larger 
providers (AOL, MSN, Yahoo, ...) can drive media attention and might

The providers you have listed all have what I'd call closed 
applications. Yahoo is (largely) browser based working from a 
MUA coded in their server. AOL is client-server, again the 
MUA is in their server and, I believe but have never 
observed, MSN is similar to AOL. Other examples as well.

In one incarnation, MSN mail is simple SMTP/POP3, in another it is web
based. That is less the point than the fact they collectively cover a
very substantial number of clients. Cover those, and provide the
enterprise mail administrator with an equivalent tool, and the rest of
the world will follow, including the spammers. It will take external
action to push back and stop the spam.


Once a new/updated mail protocol is available, then each of 
the above must implement updates to their servers.  Then 
deploy the changes. The new revised system will just happen 
to the average user of those services.

The slower process will be the millions of smaller mail 
infrastructures,

They feel the pain of spam as much (or more on a percentage basis) as
anyone else. Why wouldn't they be motiveted to deploy a spam reduction
tool?


As long as the new protocols provide a migration plan and 
support, upgrade over a year or two is a reasonable 
expectation. A key requirement on the providers of the server 
and client software is to NOT include dependancies on related 
system software versions which would force the prospective 
upgradee to encounter the upgrade domino chain which ends up 
in substantial costs for unrelated software or hardware.

I agree completely with the point about dependencies, but there should
be absolutely no interoperability between the old and new. The migration
plan should simply be to let the existing infrastructure and set of apps
die for lack of use.

Tony