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RE: Agenda item: SenderID Position Statement

2004-12-07 12:14:22
Why tilt at wind mills?

The only part of the spec that needs to be a standard is the record that
describes the config of the outgoing mail servers. We have agreement on that
issue from all the stakeholders including Microsoft.

Folk can and will interpret the information in the SPF record any which way
that works. Mail FROM, PRA, even against HELO/EHLO if they choose to. Same
way that they will use any other data that they have available. They will do
so regardless of what advice or opinions they get from other quarters,
particularly now that there is no MARID group.

Folk have to choose between conducting a jihad against Microsoft and getting
the job of work done to deploy an email authentication infrastructure to
allow spam to be defeated.

One of the things about standards processes is that people spend a lot of
time worrying about what might happen and not enough about what is likely to
happen. PRA is not a paradigmatic patent, it is not even close to being one.
The very worst that could happen is that people interpreting SPF records are
forced to use MAIL From or HELO instead. 

There is a complete, entirely unencumbered spec on the table, SPF + Mail
From verification. There is also an enhancement that is available under
royalty free, reasonable & non-discriminatory terms. 

I do not see why this situation creates a need to tell the world that there
is a standards war on with all the off-message issues that that will
ineviatbly create. Remember that it takes two to make an argument and not
all of the journalists who report on the subject will be as OSS friendly as
the industry papers. There is a major downside risk.



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