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Apache Rejects Sender ID

Posted by michael on from the poison-pill dept.

hexene writes "In an open letter to the IETF MARID Working Group, the Apache Software Foundation has rejected the patent-encumbered Sender ID specification. This means no Sender ID support for SpamAssassin, Apache JAMES, etc. They state that the current license is generally incompatible with open source, and contrary to the practice of open Internet standards."

7 of 351 comments (clear)

  1. Hoody Hoo! by CountBrass · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Well done Apache! Surely this must be a big stake in the heart of MS email domination plans ?

    --
    Bad analogies are like waxing a monkey with a rainbow.
    1. Re:Hoody Hoo! by Tracy+Reed · · Score: 5, Insightful

      No, it does not hinder SPF. Sender ID is SPF+MS's hacks. You are still free to use SPF by itself.

    2. Re:Hoody Hoo! by Abcd1234 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yup, you're absolutely right! Despite what the ASF said, they're rejecting SenderID because it's *Microsoft*! Yeah! Sure, they *claimed* it was because it was patent encumbered, but you have efficiently seen through their veil of deception.

      Don't be a tool. The ASF doesn't gives a damn who created the freakin' standard. The fact is, it's patent encumbered. Period. And, as a result, they refuse to implement it. This shouldn't be at all surprising. Frankly, I think it's down right ridiculous that the IETF is willing to consider a standard that's patent encumbered. But, hey, who wants a free, open Internet?

  2. Good start... by keiferb · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Hopefully this is just the start of a string of rejections. If lots of big names in the OSS community and some of the e-mail superpowers (yahoo, gmail, etc...) jump on the bandwagon, maybe it'll get pushed aside.

    Wishful thinking? Probably, but a boy can dream...

  3. Re:Good for them, but not far enough. by athakur999 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In the scenario you mentioned, it forces the spammer to use machines that's within the ISP's control. If the spam bearing your domain is originating from some random computer in China, there's not a whole lot you can do. But if the spam has to originate from one of your customer's computers and has to be sent via one of your SMTP servers, then you can look at the logs on your SMTP server, figure out the infected customer, and take appropriate action.

    --
    "People that quote themselves in their signatures bother me" - athakur999
  4. Encumbered Standards by Secrity · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I find it pretty amazing that the IETF accepts encumbered "standards". Protocols should either be industry standards or propietary. It could become interesting if an RFC calls for the use of an encumbered standard and half of the Internet chooses to ignore the standard.

  5. Re:MSFT doesn't care about Apache. by trifster · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Your logic doesn't flow. If that were the case then everyone would have stopped using sendmail and switched to exchange so everyone can send meeting appointments and tasks in addition to email. no, apache is on the right track. open standards (truely open) and protocols will win over closed source solutions. the reason is simple...the desires of the many will trump those of the few or only. so the majority will move on to the open technologies.