Newsletter: sendmail vs smtp

Performance/ speed issues

[fenimor]

Hi,

I have a newsletter script with ~9,000 subscribes. Each subscriber gets personalized email (so I cannot use Bcc field when sendind).

When I send it in a loop from php script should I use mail() function or socket connection directly to smtp server? What will be preferable form standpoint of server load vs delivery speed?

Thanks.

[barns101]

Definitely a direct connection to the SMTP server if possible (none of my hosts allow me to connect directly to sendmail :( )