Mail server recommendations?

[Jeremy C. Reed]

> I'm beginning the process of learning about MTAs, MUAs, and whatever all
> those other acronyms are.  I have never had the need to set one up, and still
> don't really have a need but I thought I would add to my knowledge.
> 
> What are some good packages I should be looking at?  I did a quick install of
> qmail on Gentoo, but it doesn't seem to want to start up, it's looking for a
> whole bunch of files in /var/qmail/control that don't exist.  I'm not
> knocking qmail for this, at least yet.  I still have to look over the
> documentation more thoroughly, probably something I didn't do.

Out of the popular MTAs, qmail is often considered the most difficult to 
initially setup (and for some the most difficult to configure and 
maintain). Choosing qmail is a good learning exercise :)

If you need help with qmail, visit the lifewithqmail website and look at 
"netqmail". Also post your details here and maybe someone will help.

If you want to try a new mail server, have a look at Sendmail's sm-X (or 
smX aka sendmailX). http://www.sendmail.org/sm-X/

Postfix and exim are the two mail servers that I actively use and suggest 
(but some of my customers use real sendmail and qmail).

For MRA (mail retrieval agent -- I have been using that acronym for 
several years), I use my vm-pop3d or dovecot.

Have fun!