Wearing my "Council Member" hat...
At this point, I fear Microsoft will yet again take over what is a very
important area of the internet and I would really hate for that to
happen.
I repeat: I don't see this happening. These are the facts: Microsoft is
using SPFv1 records for Sender-ID. This is technically wrong, but they
are doing it nonetheless. And they even have the bigger public relations
machinery. But all that does not change the slightest bit of the fact
that there exist virtually _no_ "Sender-ID" records (whatever those
records are supposed to look like). Practically all those IP-based sender
authentication records out there are SPFv1 records.
Of course this might change in the future if Microsoft lobbies the
industry hard enough, but that is going to be a hell of a job for them,
especially as far as open-source software vendors are concerned. Remember
that Sender-ID is patented. Remember also that nearly all MTAs with a
significant installed base are open-source. Also, if you enter "v=spf1"
records into your DNS configuration, which specification are you going to
follow, "SPF v1" or "Sender-ID"?
Look, people, we have to accept that Microsoft _does_ have the bigger PR
machinery. Our only chance to win this "war" is to stay open, sincere,
consistent, and technically sound. Then people, especially mail admins,
are going to listen to us.
What else are we supposed to do?
Please try to do more to promote SPF. Please... a website. Please,
something that lets the general public know that SPF was just sleeping
in the coffin over at pobox, but is alive and well, before it never
wakes up again.
We are working on it, believe me.
This is a somewhat difficult situation for us (the council), as Meng --
the father of SPF, a known quantity in the e-mail industry, and a member
of the SPF Council -- only rarely takes part in the council meetings, and
appears to be generally unreceptive with regard to the Sender-ID issue.
It is hard to tell whether this is due to him being very busy, him having
lost interest, or him still trying to cooperate with Microsoft. If he
gave regular reports on his sender-authentication-related work, we
wouldn't have to speculate.
Julian Mehnle,
SPF Council Member.