G. Pape

qconfirm - request delivery confirmation for mail

The qconfirm-check program
The qconfirm-check-mid program
The qconfirm-accept program
The qconfirm-notice program
The qconfirm-control program

The qconfirm-cdb-check program
The qconfirm-cdb-update program
The qconfirm-return program

qconfirm is an implementation of a delivery confirmation process for a mailing list or mail address. It is invoked by qmail-local through a dot-qmail file, and can reduce the amount of junk mail hitting a mailbox or the mailboxes of mailing list subscribers. qconfirm performs this delivery confirmation process either sender based or message based.

When used for a public mail address, not a mailing list, qconfirm is capable of detecting follow-ups on mail messages originated from this mail address, and doesn't request delivery confirmation is this case. qconfirm also is able to identify delivery confirmation requests from recipients of mail messages, and automatically confirms the delivery if desired.

qconfirm is discussed on the <misc@list.smarden.org> mailing list. To subscribe send an empty email to <misc-subscribe@list.smarden.org>. Send an empty email to <misc-help@list.smarden.org> for more information about this list.

~~A mailing list archive is available at gmane.~~

Sender-based delivery confirmation

If qconfirm-check runs in sender mode, messages from known envelope senders are accepted without a confirmation, and immediately allowed to be processed further in the .qmail file.

qconfirm-check defers messages from unknown envelope senders temporarily, and sends a confirmation request message to the sender. The original message and all newer messages from the same sender will be deferred temporarily until a reply to the confirmation request is received. The messages bounce if queuelifetime has expired. New messages from the same sender do not result in new confirmation requests.

Once an envelope sender has confirmed a delivery, qconfirm-check permanently treats this envelope sender as known.

Message-based delivery confirmation

If qconfirm-check runs in message mode (option -m is set), each single message needs to be confirmed to be allowed to be processed further in the .qmail file.

The messages bounce if queuelifetime has expired.

qconfirm is available as Debian GNU/Linux package, just add

  deb http://smarden.org/pape/Debian sarge unofficial
  deb-src http://smarden.org/pape/Debian sarge unofficial

to /etc/apt/sources.list on Debian GNU/Linux sarge, or

  deb http://smarden.org/pape/Debian woody unofficial
  deb-src http://smarden.org/pape/Debian woody unofficial

to /etc/apt/sources.list on Debian GNU/Linux woody and run

  # apt-get update

Then install the package qconfirm as usual with apt-get, dpkg or dselect, e.g.:

  # apt-get install qconfirm

qconfirm is available through the FreeBSD Ports Collection

Refer to the documentation on how to use the Ports Collection.

See INSTALL on how to install qconfirm from source, and Configuration for setting up qconfirm in a .qmail file.

See http://smarden.org/qconfirm/ for recent informations.