Backup Mail Server Questions

[Doug Hardie]

On Sep 27, 2004, at 11:39, Nico Meijer wrote:

> Regular folks don't understand how mail works. They have no clue
> whatsoever. They don't _want_ to have a clue either. They are just
> behaving like consumers, again. Do you *really* want to know what's on 
> your plate at dinner? ;-) I do, maybe you too, but most people don't.
>
> If I had a dime for every time I have had to discuss how mail delivery
> actually works to Joe Average or his Windows NT/2000 systems
> administrator... boy.
>
>> Again, I have many _very_ strong opinions on how email should be
>> managed, this is one of them.
>
> I happen to have a very strong opinion on the grim state of humanity
> in general and regular, everyday, Joe Average computer users in 
> particular. I am therefore strongly biased. ;-)

When Joe Average computer user sends an order to Jane Trader to sell 
his stock in xxx because its the highest its ever been and that email 
sits in your secondary MX until after xxx falls to penny stock status, 
then Joe Average computer user will have plenty of world class lawyers 
on his doorstep with big dollar signs in their eyes.  They will have no 
problem convincing Joe Sub-Average juror (of which there will be more 
than enough to go around) that you were the cause of Joe Average 
computer users' loss of his entire retirement savings.  After all, you 
accepted the email and acknowledged it and failed to deliver it to Jane 
in a timely fashion.  Any technical arguments you make about the server 
down etc., will not faze the judge (who couldn't care less - he gets 
paid the same no matter who wins) or Joe Sub-Average juror who is only 
interested in who is putting on the better entertainment (you or the 
soap opera he is missing at home).