[Pkg-exim4-users] Installation problem

[Ross Boylan]

On Sat, 2006-04-01 at 16:06 +0000, drz at speakeasy.net wrote:
> Jeremiah wrote:
> 
> > More information on how you are installing debian, which version of
> > debian, what you are going to use it for (i.e. home machine, web server,
> > etc.) would be helpful.
> 
> I downloaded the file: debian-31r1a-i386-netinstall from the debian site.
> I think this is version 3.1 revision 1
> 
> I have been running a linux system for some time, but I have always had help in the installation and I still need it.  I am running a server for a non-profit providning services to persons with disabilities.  The current system is still running: www.enabling.org and it provides free web hosting, mailboxes, and mailman lists for non-commercial purposes.  When that system was installed for me, exim was also installed and I assume I need to continue this for mail and mailman services.
It sounds as if your site may have basically been set up for you, and
now you are trying to do a major version upgrade.  If so, you probably
need to get more familiar with running a mail server, web server, list
server, etc, as well as the installation procedures.  Or you need to get
someone else to handle it.

I don't want to discourage you, but you may be getting into a bigger
project than you anticipated (aren't they all?).

As for exim, I think using Debian packages in general, and the exim
package in particular, is substantially easier than trying to build your
own stuff.  People on this list are pretty helpful, if sometimes a bit
short with those who haven't read the fine docs/manual.

It's always good to check /usr/share/doc/xxx/Readme.Debian where xxx is
a package name. For xxx = exim4-base, or any of the exim4 packages, I
think that's a pretty good place to start.  But if you aren't familiar
with mail servers, you might want to do some background reading first.
I wasn't, and found the exim book by Philip Hazel quite helpful.  The
first few chapters (at least in the old edition I have) give you the
basics of how internet mail works and what MTA's (Mail Transfer Agents,
of which exim is one) do.

But I'm really speculating about your knowledge level.