[ALUG] Silly question No. 1 (Mail servers)

My ADSL comes with a fixed IP address and I gather that, among other things, it would enable me to run my own mail server. After reading my ISP's instructions about running an SMTP mail server, in double-dutch of course ("A" records ???), it all sounds a little daunting. I already run Postfix locally if that has any bearing on the subject and I don't, as far as I know, run a DNS server locally. What advantages would this give? Barry Samuels http://www.beenthere-donethat.org.uk The Unofficial Guide to Great Britain