

Move over HTTP it's SMTP's Turn to Shine - BenjaminCoe
http://www.benjamincoe.com/post/12753680108/writing-a-secure-smtp-server-in-python

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AngryParsley
The SMTP standard is complicated and crazy. RJBS from Pobox does a good job of
scaring anyone thinking of writing an SMTP client or server:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JENdgiAPD6c>

~~~
BenjaminCoe
I'm not going to argue against the fact that email is complicated and scary, I
think this relates to the fact that it's been here forever. RFC821 and RFC822
dating from, what, the late 70s?

It's these same facts:

* The protocols have been around forever.

* The protocols have been so widely adopted (2.9 billion, BILLION, email accounts worldwide).

* It's not going anywhere.

That I think make it worth the pain.

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pan69
Interesting article. However, I would have liked if the author would have gone
more in-depth on what type of applications could be build on top of SMTP by
giving some examples and why SMTP would be more beneficial than e.g. HTTP for
those applications.

~~~
BenjaminCoe
Hey, I don't mind going into some more detail here:

With attachments.me, we've been looking at using special ephemeral email
addresses for categorization:

* You can post to an email address with your company name and a folder in it, and the attachment will automatically be categorized within that folder.

Here's some other ideas:

* Email an image to an email address, with dimensions in the body, the email is stored with an image resized to the given dimensions as an attachment.

* Email an to an email address and have the data show directly on your Tumblr account.

Email is a big part of a lot of people's workflow, and I love the idea of
building hooks on top of it -- a good email client is pretty much a given
regardless of whether someone is on their smart phone, computer, or whatever.

I still see HTTP as a big part of the equation, but with SMTP services
performing more and more interesting actions behind the scenes.

