Bug#421860: exim4-config: confusing wording of configuration question

[Hans G. Ehrbar]

   Envelope-to: ehrbar at marx.econ.utah.edu
   Delivery-date: Sat, 26 May 2007 05:09:52 -0600
   Date: Sat, 26 May 2007 13:13:10 +0200
   From: Marc Haber <mh+debian-packages at zugschlus.de>
   Content-Disposition: inline

   On Wed, May 02, 2007 at 12:30:59AM -0600, Hans G. Ehrbar wrote:
   > when running dpkg-reconfigure exim4-config, the 5th question is:
   > 
   >  Please enter a semicolon-separated list of
   >  recipient domains for which this machine should consider itself the
   >  final destination, apart from the local hostname
   >  (xxx.xxx.xxx) and "localhost". These domains are commonly
   >  called "local domains".
   > 
   > This sounds like xxx.xxx.xxx and localhost should not be in this list,

   It is not intended to sound this way. If you want local delivery of
   mail to addresses in "xxx.xxx.xxx" and localhost, the two names need
   to be in this list.

Then I would recommend changing the wording.  "Apart from" means:
"with the exception of".  The reader confronted with the 5th question
must think he or she is asked to enter all domains *other than*
the local hostname which should be considered local domains.


   > and indeed the sarge version of this question said that the entry
   > may be left blank. But the etch version of the text continues:
   > 
   > Leaving this list blank will have Exim do no local deliveries.
   > 
   > This does not tell the user what to do if you do want
   > local deliveries but have only one local domain

   Isn't it clear that in this case the local domain needs to be the only
   entry in there?

It wasn't clear to me.  I do not understand much about email therefore
things which may be obvious to an expert are not clear to me.

   > Perhaps say the following:
   > 
   >  Please enter a semicolon-separated list of
   >  recipient domains for which this machine should consider itself the
   >  final destination, apart from "localhost". These domains are commonly
   >  called "local domains".
   > 
   >  and pre-insert the mailname xxx.xxx.xxx into the field, then saying
   > 
   >  Leaving this list blank will have Exim do no local deliveries.

   Actually, xxx.xxx.xxx is pre-inserted into the field on initial
   installation. 

   I do not see how your suggestion can improve the understandability.





   > Here is an unrelated thing about question (4):
   > 
   > IP address to listen to for incoming SMTP connections:
   > 
   > 
   > Here it would be useful to remark that this should usually be left
   > blank if a mailing list is run on the same computer.

   What's so special about a mailing list that it needs special
   mentioning _HERE_?

Just for idiots like I who run mailman on Debian boxes and do not
understand that the mail sent out by mailman are for exim
"incoming SMTP connections" which do not come in through eth0


   Greetings
   Marc

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Thank you for your attention

Hans G. Ehrbar

(I was born in Heidelberg)


-- 
Hans G. Ehrbar   http://www.econ.utah.edu/~ehrbar ehrbar at economics.utah.edu
Economics Department, University of Utah     (801) 581 7797 (my office)
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