[svlug] text mode mail questions

[Todd Lyons]

When one uses the mail command to send mail (i.e. echo "Testing this
crap" | mail user at domain.com -s Testing), it automatically calls
/usr/sbin/sendmail to send it.  I'm guessing that it uses the -U command
to actually send it.  Another user successfully was able to break this
behavior on his system by removing the symbolic link /usr/sbin/sendmail
which pointed to exim.  

First question is, is there any way to specify (to mail) which MTA you
want to use?  It seems that /usr/sbin/sendmail is hardcoded in to the
mail binary.  So the answer is probably as simple as create a link
/usr/sbin/sendmail and whichever MTA you use should support the exact
same parameters as sendmail does.

Second question is, during this time frame that sendmail is called is
there a guarantee that it is only sending and that it is not listening
for incoming mail and not processing the queue?

And by the way, unless it's specifically forbidden, I'm going to forward
useful replies back to the original mailing list from which these
questions have sprung.

Blue skies...		Todd
-- 
Most traditional Pee-Cee user groups, I've noticed, function mainly as
commiseration societies for people who've bought lousy hardware, are
struggling and wasting time trying to deal with it, and want to exchange
coping-strategy tips with others in the same boat.  --  Rick Moen