RFC: Sendmail deprecation ?

[Conrad Meyer]

On Mon, Dec 11, 2017 at 3:44 PM, Daniel Eischen <deischen at freebsd.org> wrote:
> I do tend to agree with rgrimes, when -base is pkg-ized, folks will have a chance to 'pkg install' or 'pkg remove' sendmail or anything else regardless of whether it is in -base or -ports.

pkg-base is totally orthogonal to the selection of what components we
want to have in base.  Base is really about defaults, and "what makes
a FreeBSD system."  There's no reason to block this change on pkgbase,
or vice versa.  People can remove the sendmail component on their
system today, but it isn't the default.

>  The question should be, where do we want to maintain it?  (There's also the history that exists in base that gets disconnected when it's in ports.)
>
> -base is a set of packages that we deem more important than ports.  Does sendmail, as it is exists and configured in -base, pass muster for being something that we consider important enough to warrant being in base?  I think this is more of the question to ask than "why can't they install it from ports?"  Consensus seems to indicate no, but that we need some mail delivery agent.
>
> I also think it should be incumbent on whomever removes something from -base to make a port of it.

I disagree with that idea in general.  The burden lands on people who
actually want to maintain the component, which may or may not overlap
with the person removing it from base.  Removing a component is not
volunteering to maintain a port of that component, and shouldn't be.
(Also, having people who are willing to maintain a component is not by
itself sufficient justification for a component to remain in base.)

>  I don't think we should just throw it over the fence and expect the ports team to do the work, unless they volunteer for it.

mail/sendmail has been available as a port since 2000.

Best,
Conrad