Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site dciem.UUCP
Path: utzoo!dciem!msb
From: msb@dciem.UUCP (Mark Brader)
Newsgroups: comp.mail.uucp
Subject: Re: cancelling mail messages
Message-ID: <2020@dciem.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 27-Nov-86 13:01:53 EST
Article-I.D.: dciem.2020
Posted: Thu Nov 27 13:01:53 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 27-Nov-86 15:22:25 EST
References: <40@dcl-csvax.comp.lancs.ac.uk> <119@devon.UUCP> <1337@munnari.oz>
Reply-To: msb@dciem.UUCP (Mark Brader)
Organization: NTT Systems Inc., c/o DCIEM, Toronto
Lines: 23
Summary: 

> As readers of the Australian aus.mail newsgroup know, I very much
> like to make analogs between paper mail and e-mail whenever a
> question of how e-mail should behave arises.
> 
> So, ask the same question about paper mail?  Can you cancel paper
> mail after you have sent it?

You can if, as may be the case with office internal mail, it was you
who delivered it and you did so by putting it in an open tray with the
recipient's name on it.  Now maybe you consider it improper to retrieve
a memo delivered in this way, but I don't.

I have used a mailer which kept track of read and unread mail, and allowed
the sender to retract any unread mail.  I think this is entirely reasonable,
by the above analogy.  (Many people on that system had their mailbox files
readable to everybody, suggesting that the analogy was appropriate there.)

HOWEVER, I would NOT advocate such a thing being put onto the UUCP net.
Its communication links are much too insecure!  The possibilities of
messages being accidentally -- or maliciously -- canceled are just too
unpleasant for mail cancellation to be a feasible idea.

Mark Brader