Sendmail is a type of SMTP used for email delivery, with messages queued until delivery is possible. It focuses on mail routing and works with other components to allow users to send and receive emails. It has a history dating back to the 1970s and has been incorporated into various email programs. Its popularity has decreased, but it remains a popular alternative and continues to release newer versions.
Sendmail is a form or type of implementation of Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, or SMTP, which is common with the use of email services today. Mail servers use the sendmail feature by attempting to deliver email messages in real time. In the event that the recipient is not readily available to receive incoming mail, messages are queued until delivery can be completed. While sendmail is a generic term used to describe this type of interface, there is also a commercial product known as Sendmail that incorporates this and other features into the general functionality.
It is important to note that sendmail focuses on the delivery component of mail routing between networks. The server works in tandem with several other components to allow the end user to enjoy full access to mail delivery along with the ability to send original emails or reply to received emails. This means that a mailbox must be designated as the termination point for e-mail transmission and that the mailbox must also be identified with a POP3 or IMAP server in order to send e-mail messages. Providers of both free and paid email services provide their customers with the information they need to provide the full range of services to end users, enabling them to send and receive emails with ease.
While it’s not the only means of transmitting email, sendmail has a history that dates back to before the advent of widespread Internet access. The strategy is considered a direct descendant of the deliverymail program developed in the latter part of the 1970s and later released as open source software. Over time, deliverymail has been incorporated into both free software and various types of proprietary e-mail programs. As with most other types of email-related software, sendmail has occasionally been updated to newer versions that seek to fix flaws discovered in previous versions.
The number of users of sendmail as a mail delivery agent has decreased since the beginning of the 21st century. While continuing to be one of the most popular alternatives, other agents have regularly come into use as consumers continue to search for the most efficient and most secure means of setting up email networks. As a commercial product, Sendmail continues to release newer versions that will allow this particular approach to compete with other Internet messaging platforms for years to come, and possibly recapture a larger portion of the market.
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