[csw-maintainers] A couple of sendmail issues

[Jeffery Small]

I just though I would share a couple of issues that I had when upgrading to
the latest version of sendmail (8.14.5).

Besides the obvious problems due to the relocation of the etc and var files,
there were changes made to the cf configuration files for solaris that cause
a number of things to break on my system.

In the previous version of sendmail, the following .mc configuration files
we referenced:

	OSTYPE(`solaris8')dnl
	DOMAIN(`solaris-generic')dnl

The new configuration wants to reference OSTYPE(`solaris9csw') in order to
pick up the new paths, but this file also eliminates the lines:

	ifdef(`UUCP_MAILER_ARGS',, `define(`UUCP_MAILER_ARGS', `uux \
					- -r -a$g $h!rmail ($u)')')
	FEATURE(`local_lmtp')dnl

I can understand removing the obsolete uucp line, but why the second?  For
people relying upon that feature, it causes problems and requires the creation
of a custom ostype file when one was not required previously.

More problematic was the complete elimination of the "domain/solaris-generic"
file and change to DOMAIN(`generic') which eliminates:

	FEATURE(`use_ct_file')dnl
	FEATURE(`accept_unqualified_senders')dnl
	FEATURE(`accept_unresolvable_domains')dnl
	FEATURE(`relay_entire_domain')dnl

This caused me all sorts of problems until I tracked down the situation and
created my own customized domain file.

I'm curious why configuration changes which alter program behavior are
being made to packages that so many people rely upon?  And there is no
documentation of these changes.  In my case, I configure a program like
sendmail and then I don't look at it again for years.  When I upgrade a
package, I expect it to go smoothly.  When some critical component like
this breaks, despite the notes I keep on the setup for these programs,
it is still a lot of work to bring myself back up to speed on all of the
configuration issues.  And when I do a large update involving hundreds of
packages, the issues are immense.

I mention this, using the example of sendmail, in order raise the subject
and to see if these sorts of things are being considered as part of the CSW
release strategy.  However, please don't get me wrong.  I'm still extremely
appreciative of all the work everyone is doing to keep this project moving
forward.  I wish I had more free time these days to be involved myself.

Regards,
-- 
Jeff

C. Jeffery Small           CJSA LLC                       206-232-3338
jeff at cjsa.com              7000 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island, WA  98040