David MacQuigg wrote:
At 09:02 PM 4/12/2005 -0400, Radu Hociung wrote:
Incidentally, I also think someone should start working on MTP, as a
descendent of SMTP. Really all we are doing currently is patching a
system which is broken by design. Maybe it will take 20 years for MTP
to become the accepted standard. I see no problem there.
I don't see what is broken in SMTP. It is missing a piece, and we are
now adding that piece. The piece was not necessary in 1982, and if it
had been added, it probably would have been ignored at the time, and
very difficult to use 20 years later.
It seems like what we are adding now could be much better than something
that was added in 1982 without really knowing what the problems would be
like 20 years later. It's like starting with a fresh slate.
Fundamentally, what we need is a means for the sender to declare a
reputable identity, and a means for the receiver to check that identity,
independent of what is in the declaration. I can't imagine a checking
system better than DNS, and that wasn't around in 1982.
If you could go back to 1982, what would you change about SMTP?
Interestinq question....
I think DomainKeys at MAIL-FROM time would have been a good start.
Also, giving each person a license to email (like a driving license).
Using the license (private key), you sign all your outgoing mail. If you
bother someone, they will just disregard all mail that you sign, and all
unsigned mail.
A credit-rating agency may still necessary.
I think being able to associate one person with one email license would
have been helpful. Even for companies, it would the business owner's
personal ID that is used for any marketing campains. The employees use
their own personal ID (just like driver licenses, even though you're
working for the man, it's your responsibility to keep your license in
good standing).
I admit that this could be an overly-simplistic view, maybe someone else
has pondered this topic more than I have.
Greetings,
Radu.