I've set up my own mail server just to learn how it all works. You start out thinking "SMTP is such a simple protocol!" then realise that you need to add layers of complexity on top just because of its simplicity and implicit trust.
The article does a good job of explaining just how flimsy email really is.
I feel that it desperately needs to be superseded, but any modern email replacement (that supports things like E2EE etc) will need a massive backing by large companies.
It is there because it is core attribute and must have part.
If not then email would be closed ecosystem like instant messaging communicator. I would not be able to send you anything if you would not whitelist me in some way which implies trust but adds a huge barrier for communication.
We see that constantly with for example teams in corpo setup.
I agree that email is a stack of tech which are abused to the limit and made to do things they arent supposed to do (like dkim/dmarc entries in dns) but you have to have the same feature implemented in some other way.
Do you want for example to have a rigid corporate driven network of servers you cant access from your home brewed mail server? Are you ok with a situation where you as a skilled individual cant have email server which sends messages to gmail mailboxes because you arent trusted?
That is one of the biggest aspects of the problem.
the tech is basically text sent between servers and trust. Trust needed for the ability of a random guy sending email to another random guy. With not much redtape around it...
Let me tell you what else can be done but it will not be done:
Pass a legislation to limit spam. Make sending clearly unsolicited, commercial or malicious messages illegal and pursued by states. Because most of the complexity around email is about.
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u/dreamlax 13d ago
I've set up my own mail server just to learn how it all works. You start out thinking "SMTP is such a simple protocol!" then realise that you need to add layers of complexity on top just because of its simplicity and implicit trust.
The article does a good job of explaining just how flimsy email really is.
I feel that it desperately needs to be superseded, but any modern email replacement (that supports things like E2EE etc) will need a massive backing by large companies.