On Sat, 2003-03-01 at 16:34, Lusercop wrote: <snip>
> True, but we were talking about commenting specifically in the message I > replied to. > > > a lot of the constants aren't that unobvious in context since most > > people looking at MTA source are likely to know how many seconds there > > are in an hour etc. > > I ignored those in my count. I'd be very interested if you can explain > to the group the *precise* meaning of the following constants with > reference to the algorithm that DJB is using. > > (datetime.c: line 24): 4 > (datetime.c: line 27): 11017 > (datetime.c: line 29): 5 > (datetime.c: line 29): 146097 > (datetime.c: line 33): 146096 (-1 % 146097 -- why -1?) > (datetime.c: line 35): 25 > (datetime.c: line 36): 1461 (146097/100 but why?) > (datetime.c: line 39): 306 > (datetime.c: line 45): 5 > (datetime.c: line 48): 10 > (datetime.c: line 49): 59 > (datetime.c: line 49): 2 > > I await your explanation with great interest. There are three values that > you should not need to comment in computer science, 0, 1 and \infty. > Anything else should be commented. That function is utterly ridiculous. <snip> I am afraid that you have completely missed the point here. DJB does not expect and (AFAIK) positively *loathes* people modifying his code. He does not believe that other people can write (even) reasonably secure code. If poked, he will give many (good) examples. I gave up using his code because he has his point of view and will not *ever* be deflected from it. His point of view differs (only slightly) from mine. I therefore (now) use exim. If qmail does what you want, in the way that you are prepared to accept, then that is just fine. Personally I wouldn't give it house room, particularly if you have anything like a decent sized mailing list (eg the original MS Exchange mailing list [when DJB was first trialing qmail in production environments] 400+ message/day to > 5000 users). Exim won hands down (esp. if you managed to persuade BT to do the major mail exploding [<sigh> those were the days...]). Dirk -- Please Note: Some Quantum Physics Theories Suggest That When the Consumer Is Not Directly Observing This Product, It May Cease to Exist or Will Exist Only in a Vague and Undetermined State.
