Quoting Lloyd Zusman <ljz(_at_)asfast(_dot_)com>:
Well, of course that hypothetical case is possible. But it is extremely
unlikely that each and every connectivity provider would do this.
All it takes to be important to me is one major one, one for a client for whom
it's inconvenient to change, or one for a client who lives in a monopolistic
area so they have no choice.
For the same competitive, profit-motive-driven reasons that some
providers would have for locking in their customers by blocking most
ports, other conectivity providers would want make money offering their
customers a way to do SMTP AUTH to other SMTP servers via a port like
587. These other providers would take business away from the more
restrictive providers by offering a service for which there will
definitely be a demand.
As a non-profit, it's not my job or desire to enhance the competitive position
of any profit-making entity over any other. A good deal of my work is about
freeing people from the pressures of monopoly providers and free-market
priorities alike.
My hypothetical, dreamed-up scenario is no less likely than your own
dreamed-up scenario about a world where all connectivity providers
prevent this kind of access.
Choice is not always available. Plus it's a pain in the ass. "Find another
ISP" is never an acceptable answer.
In fact, if it ever comes to pass that a large number of connectivity
providers try to lock their customers in like that, I myself will start
a service which allows SMTP AUTH to be passed through to other services.
I'll probably get rich.
...After which we will put up a donation-supported free one.
God bless you.
Who?