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From: isaac@mungunni.OZ (Isaac Balbin)
Newsgroups: net.mail
Subject: Standardising the "postmaster" concept
Message-ID: <426@mungunni.OZ>
Date: Thu, 5-Sep-85 04:29:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: mungunni.426
Posted: Thu Sep  5 04:29:18 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 7-Sep-85 13:52:00 EDT
Reply-To: isaac@mungunni.UUCP (Isaac Balbin)
Organization: Machine Intelligence Proj, CompSci, Melbourne Uni
Lines: 27

I wonder if there is sufficient support for organising a standard user
like the existing "postmaster" on some Unix Systems, which will enable people 
to find out the login id of others. I have often sighed when asked "how can I 
find out so ans so's login id when he is on an (for example) IBM machine on
the BITNET". This is especially hard when you are not on such a network
directly. Is there already a special user for VMS, MVS, VM systems?
Who are they? Does *everyone* use them? If not, and we all agree that such
a concept is desirable (given that many sites don't even return invalid mail)
How can we effectively enforce such a standard? 

On another point, how often have you wished there was a way to find out that
your mail actually got to where you wanted it too - this is especially 
desirable when trying out a new path initially. Can such a "notification"
option exist so that one realises that the only reason no reply has been 
received is that the receipient is away or uninterested or trying to avoid
answering you! 
PS Many smart sendmails wont let you put in specific loops - whatsmore this
isn't always possible anyway.

Any thoughts? ( I apologise if these have been discussed before - I have
not seen it.)
				Isaac Balbin
				{seismo,mcvax,ukc,ubc-vision}!munnari!isaac
				munnari!isaac@seismo.ARPA
				isaac@munnari.oz.CSNET

"If I knew him, I would be him"