[Bug 857] New: The logic of ACL acl_smtp_rcpt is unintuitive

------- You are receiving this mail because: -------
You are on the CC list for the bug.

http://bugs.exim.org/show_bug.cgi?id=857
           Summary: The logic of ACL acl_smtp_rcpt  is unintuitive
           Product: Exim
           Version: N/A
          Platform: Other
        OS/Version: Linux
            Status: NEW
          Severity: bug
          Priority: low
         Component: ACLs
        AssignedTo: nigel@...
        ReportedBy: postmaster@...
                CC: exim-dev@...


Hi,

Yesterday, I moved my main acl checks from acl_smtp_rcpt to acl_smtp_connect.
To my great surprise, it turned out that after this change EXIM did not want to
accept emails :-(

The cause is that, since all acls are evaluated as true if they are not
specified (or commented) in the config file, I assumed that it would be the
same for acl_smtp_rcpt. But it's not the case!

This is unintuitive. Even if this logic is documented (in sec 7.1), it's always
better to provide an intuitive and "natural" configuration.

Thanks for this great tool,

Martin


--
Configure bugmail: http://bugs.exim.org/userprefs.cgi?tab=email

--
## List details at http://lists.exim.org/mailman/listinfo/exim-dev Exim details at http://www.exim.org/ ##

On Fri, 26 Jun 2009, ST admin wrote:

> The cause is that, since all acls are evaluated as true if they are not
> specified (or commented) in the config file, I assumed that it would be the
> same for acl_smtp_rcpt. But it's not the case!
>
> This is unintuitive. Even if this logic is documented (in sec 7.1), it's always
> better to provide an intuitive and "natural" configuration.

However, it is also important to provide a "safe" default. Also,
people's intuitions differ. :-) It is deliberate that Exim will not
accept any recipients by default. You have to tell it which ones to
accept. Now, I'm no longer working on Exim, so the current maintainers
may choose to change if they want to, but I suspect they won't because
it would be a huge incompatible change. And, personally, I still think
the current default is correct.

--
Philip Hazel

--
## List details at http://lists.exim.org/mailman/listinfo/exim-dev Exim details at http://www.exim.org/ ##

------- You are receiving this mail because: -------
You are on the CC list for the bug.

http://bugs.exim.org/show_bug.cgi?id=857




--- Comment #1 from Philip Hazel <ph10@...>  2009-06-27 11:19:33 ---
On Fri, 26 Jun 2009, ST admin wrote:

> The cause is that, since all acls are evaluated as true if they are not
> specified (or commented) in the config file, I assumed that it would be the
> same for acl_smtp_rcpt. But it's not the case!
>
> This is unintuitive. Even if this logic is documented (in sec 7.1), it's always
> better to provide an intuitive and "natural" configuration.

However, it is also important to provide a "safe" default. Also,
people's intuitions differ. :-) It is deliberate that Exim will not
accept any recipients by default. You have to tell it which ones to
accept. Now, I'm no longer working on Exim, so the current maintainers
may choose to change if they want to, but I suspect they won't because
it would be a huge incompatible change. And, personally, I still think
the current default is correct.


--
Configure bugmail: http://bugs.exim.org/userprefs.cgi?tab=email

--
## List details at http://lists.exim.org/mailman/listinfo/exim-dev Exim details at http://www.exim.org/ ##

------- You are receiving this mail because: -------
You are on the CC list for the bug.

http://bugs.exim.org/show_bug.cgi?id=857

Nigel Metheringham <nigel@...> changed:

           What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Status|NEW                         |RESOLVED
         Resolution|                            |WONTFIX




--- Comment #2 from Nigel Metheringham <nigel@...>  2009-07-02 12:41:06 ---
Agree that changing this could open up a real can of worms when
upgrading, and arguments over the right solution could go on for
years.  Therefore am keeping the status quo and closing this WONTFIX


--
Configure bugmail: http://bugs.exim.org/userprefs.cgi?tab=email

--
## List details at http://lists.exim.org/mailman/listinfo/exim-dev Exim details at http://www.exim.org/ ##