nmh-workers
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Re: [Nmh-workers] File upload frustration

2004-02-02 18:30:07
| Hm.  I did some research, and I'm going to have to side with kre on this
| one.  RFC 2822 clearly states:
| 
|    A message-originating SMTP system SHOULD NOT send a message that
|    already contains a Return-path header. 

That's actually 2821, I think.

It doesn't apply because nmh is not a message originating SMTP system,
it's just a mail user agent. 

Even if it did apply, a subsequent sentence in the RFC says:

   SMTP servers making final delivery MAY remove Return-path headers
   before adding their own.

So it's harmless if there is a return-path header present before
final delivery.  That's why it's SHOULD NOT rather than MUST NOT.
So it is allowed.

| I guess what nmh should be doing depends on whether or not it's using
| SMTP or "pipe to the local MTA".  If it's the former, it definately
| shouldn't allow Return-Path;

The RFC says SHOULD, not MUST.  

| (although I personally think it's a bit bogus - clearly Return-Path was
| never meant to be used this way, and supporting a wacky qmail feature
| just doesn't strike me as a good justification).
 
On the contrary, the RFC says:

   The primary purpose of the Return-path is to designate the address to
   which messages indicating non-delivery or other mail system failures
   are to be sent.

There you have it.  The PRIMARY purpose is to do just what qmail
is using it for.

And since there's no other way to do it, what better justification could
there be?  Especially in a world where wacky mail user agents like to
go around changing things behind your back.

| It seems like a knob that lets you adjust the SMTP envelope From
| address is really what you want, rather than using Return-Path
| particularly.  I'm open to suggestions as to the best way to implement
| such a knob.  I think the functionality is valuable, certainly.
 
The way qmail does it is beautifully simple.  I suppose users of other
MTAs might want this ability too, so for them I suggest that nmh parse
the return path header and use it to set the envelope sender.

| Is that why I have to approve every mail to nmh-workers from you? :-/

Yep.  We just got some new linux boxes and debian comes with mh, but
not with my fixes.  So you get to share my pain. :)



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