Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!AWIIMC11!REICHETZ From: REICHETZ@AWIIMC11.BITNET (Christian J. Reichetzeder) Newsgroups: bit.listserv.mailbook Subject: Re: BSMTP header Message-ID: <900207.130505.SET.REICHETZ@AWIIMC11> Date: 8 Feb 90 01:38:40 GMT Sender: MAIL/MAILBOOK subscription list Reply-To: MAIL/MAILBOOK subscription list Lines: 40 Approved: NETNEWS@PSUVM Gateway In-Reply-To: Message of Wed, 7 Feb 90 03:30:57 +0100 from On Wed, 7 Feb 90 03:30:57 +0100 Thomas Habernoll said: > ..... As the world is not perfect we need tools that allow >us to fix it. For postmasters it is often much easier to change >the header instead of writing long explanations to a user why this >header should be changed. > ........ > cryptO02731Id%unspellable.host.some.where%huh.whats.that%broken.gate.way >becomes: > cryptO02731Id@unspellable.host.some.where > First, do YOU - as postmaster - change the header? Or do you tell the users to do it? In cases like the above I simply tell the user to make an entry in the names file. It's slightly more effort than overtyping the header - but only one time. And then it works "forever" ;-). While we are at it (speaking of broken addresses ...): 1) I'd like to see a "full power REPLY", i.e. I'd like to be able to pick up whatever field is in the original header if it contains a usable address (I've seen cases where the X-Original-From: contains a good, valid address while the From: is next to unuseable). 2) For cases where mail comes in with unusable addresses but a valid address is known an aliasing/replacement feature would be nice. Ever got mail from VNET? The *BM-N*T* or PR*FS header contains the VNET address but I have to reply to nickname@VNET. A special tag in the names file could help, one could do it even without this. Without a special tag I would do it as follows: * Look if the original address is in the NAMES file * If it is found look if LIST OF NAMES is specified * Use the first address of List-Of-Names for the reply otherwise take the original address As additional precaution you could check for a certain value for the name like ALIAS-OF-nickname. like: Nick: JUNKNICK Userid: VNETGuy Node: VNETHost Name: ALIAS-OF-JOEVNET List of Names: JOEVNET Nick: JOEVNET Userid: JOE0815 Node: VNET Name: Joe F. DeVnet How about ... ? Christian P.S.: Richard - the fixed MAILINDX is ok