No programming rant today. The DSL modem mysteriously started working this afternoon, so I've been migrating the home network. DirecTV (how I hate the missing 't') doesn't care if you run servers, so we're back to running our own mail server. But this time it's Postfix, not Sendmail.

Postfix is such a lovely program. Its configuration file was meant to be read by humans. Rather than the huge monolithic ogre of a program, it's composed of a bunch of specialized gnomes who work together... and best of all, it's written by a nice Dutch guy. I may convert the Stanford systems I administer over to it. (This is a big, big, win over the previous system, were mail destined for gritter.dsg.stanford.edu travelled through at least three machines, two protocols, and four software packages.)

Best of all, the switch away from ATT's cable modem (and their impending sale of our cable to Comcast) means that we're free at last from the Death Star!