[kwlug-disc] Secure email alternative

[Paul Nijjar]

On Tue, Jun 28, 2016 at 08:41:15PM -0400, B.S. wrote:
> On 06/28/2016 05:54 PM, Paul Nijjar via kwlug-disc wrote:

> >of the process by making potential applicants do sysadminny things as
> >part of the job application process? Configuring a mail client is not
> >proof that someone will make a good sysadmin, but being unable to do
> >so is evidence that maybe they shouldn't be applying.
> 
> Interesting. Thanks. No way I could have come up with this.
> 
> Not being able to configure a mail client from the command line,
> given the sheer number of them, shouldn't negate anyone. Depends
> upon how much or frequently one has done so. More telling would be
> given a 'template', doing so. Or more telling, adding 20 new users,
> having an example of the first, by coding a script to do the rest.

One reason I like this approach is precisely because we would not be
forcing anybody to set up a particular email client. They just need to
be able to communicate with the server we set up. If they want to use
a command line client, then fine. If they want to use a graphical one,
then also fine. They could even use a webmail client, but one
constraint would be that we should not be able to identify the
applicant's "real" email from this connection. (Yes, it is hard to
obscure one's identity completely, especially without TOR.) 

I don't care too much that applicants know specific technologies,
because technologies are always changing and because our environment
is weird. But in my job I am asked to learn new things and
troubleshoot unfamiliar environments all the time. That is what I
would like to screen for when looking to hire sysadmins.

- Paul