++----------------------+
+| DATABASE DEFINITIONS |
++----------------------+
+
+There are several database formats that can be used for the alias files
+and for general maps. When used for alias files they interact in an
+attempt to be back compatible.
+
+The three options are NEWDB (the new Berkeley DB package), NDBM (the
+older DBM implementation -- the very old V7 implementation is no
+longer supported), and NIS (Network Information Services). Used alone
+these just include the support they indicate.
+
+If NEWDB and NDBM are defined (but not NIS), then sendmail will read
+NDBM format alias files, but the next time a newaliases is run the
+format will be converted to NEWDB; that format will be used forever
+more. This is intended as a transition feature. [Note however that
+the NEWDB library also catches and maps NDBM calls; you will have to
+back out this feature to get this to work. See ``Quirks'' section
+below for details.]
+
+If all three are defined, sendmail operates as described above, and also
+looks for the file /var/yp/Makefile. If it exists, newaliases will
+build BOTH the NEWDB and NDBM format alias files. However, it will
+only use the NEWDB file; the NDBM format file is used only by the
+NIS subsystem.
+
+If NDBM and NIS are defined (regardless of the definition of NEWDB
+or the existance of /var/yp/Makefile), sendmail adds the special
+tokens "YP_LAST_MODIFIED" and "YP_MASTER_NAME", both of which are
+required if the NDBM file is to be used as an NIS map.
+
+All of -DNEWDB, -DNDBM, and -DNIS are normally defined in the DBMDEF
+line in the Makefile.
+
+