Remote email access

Tue Feb 4 18:39:31 UTC 2003

Unnamed Administration sources reported that Al Rowland said:
> 
> 
> Don't even need that. I can telnet into the appropriate server/port from
> a command prompt but, like your solution below, that is not non-geek
> friendly. We need a solution that is AOL user friendly, not NANOG user
> friendly if we ever expect to make money with this thing called the
> Internet. This will always be tragedy-of-the-commons; the very things
> that make service attractive for Joe PayingCustomer also make it easy
> for Joe Spammer/Hax0r. 

I'm not disagreeing re: a Jill Winecooler solution being needed.
And I really wish mail over TLS/SSL/XYZ was straightforward;
I'm finding it anything but.

Here is a pipedream I'd like you gurus to grade. Could there be
a cgi-script on a page that would test all|selected POP/IMAP/SMTP
ISP mailer ports for secure compatablility, and report back?

I think this could all be done pre-login, i.e. without a password
being exposed. True? 

Could it probe and report back as to success/failure of modes?
For example, some installations will NOT work with Eudora until
you force it into V3 with "SSLSendVersion=6" in the ini. If told
so, most customers could use their:

	<x-eudora-option:SSLReceiveVersion=6>
	<x-eudora-option:SSLSendVersion=6>

pseudo-URL to set same.

What say you all? Would this work, and thus help grease the secure
mail skids?

[Remember, I'm a hardware-type whose favorite language is
solder. I'm sure this is obvious/trivial/noise to many of you....]

-- 
A host is a host from coast to coast.................wb8foz at nrk.com
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433