On Mon, 2 Feb 2004 11:56, Paul Hoffman / IMC wrote:
The next-generation protocol might allow
multiple names to all refer to a single mailbox.
The *existing* protocol allows that ("aliases"), and its converse, where one
mail address maps to many mailboxes ("mailing list"). The concepts of "email
address" and "mailbox" are somewhat separate already. SMTP, as a protocol,
only deals with email addresses and message transfer. Mailboxes, being the
repositories into which messages are commonly stashed, are in the domain of
message delivery, not message transfer.
In passing, I would say that this model ought to be kept for mail-ng. That is
to say, that the "endpoints" of mail-ng will still be email addresses, and
these may map to mailboxes and other mail-accepting agents in an arbitrary
N:M sort of manner. In fact, I don't see how it could be any other way.
Regards,
TFBW