Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: notesfiles Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!lll-crg!dual!qantel!hplabs!hp-pcd!hpfcla!jad From: jad@hpfcla.UUCP (jad) Newsgroups: net.mail Subject: Re: Orphaned Response Message-ID: <47300004@hpfclo.UUCP> Date: Tue, 6-Aug-85 18:41:00 EDT Article-I.D.: hpfclo.47300004 Posted: Tue Aug 6 18:41:00 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 13-Aug-85 01:57:42 EDT References: <3018@nsc.UUCP> Organization: Hewlett-Packard - Fort Collins, CO Lines: 59 Nf-ID: #R:nsc:3018:hpfclo:47300004:37777777600:2602 Nf-From: hpfclo!jad Aug 6 14:41:00 1985 > /***** hpfclo:net.mail / nsc!chuqui / 7:03 pm Jul 22, 1985*/ > I'm starting to see problems that look like smart mailers messing up > addresses. I **think** it may have something to do with some of the > assumptions in the gatech sendmail configuration files -- I'm hacking on > them now and some things don't look quite right. Thanks, by the way, for starting a religious debate. ;-) Seriously -- crossing domains is a severe problem. I got mail from John Quarterman in response to a posting. Let me share with you part of the header. My question is "how can I reply to this?" ... pretend I am a beginner. > Date: Tue, 6 Aug 85 11:02:34 cdt > From: ihnp4!purdue!jsq%im4u.UTEXAS@ut-sally.ARPA (John Quarterman) The system I am on does not talk to the ARPAnet, but the mailer I use (MH) gives '@' the highest precedence. In trying to reply I try to send to ut-sally.ARPA. Ugh. The actual return addr. generated by MH looks like this: To: ut-sally.ARPA!ihnp4!purdue!jsq%im4u.UTEXAS (John Quarterman) Could be that MH is damaged, but it should NOT be this tough to figure out how to reply to someone! How was this problem caused? He sent mail to my Purdue account, via the ARPAnet, which forwarded to me, via UUCP. Hence, the ihnp4!purdue tacked on. Mailers should leave the sender's address the hell alone. I would see something like jsq@im4u.UTEXAS.ARPA ... now, my machine does not know im4u (perhaps it came into existance since my database was last generated -- the inherent problem with databases is that they always seem to be out of date). But I do know the ARPA domain (well, OK, this should be the .EDU domain); and I may even know UTEXAS, so I don't go home hungry. When I reply to this mail (consider me a novice), my user-agent constructs the reply address, which (SHOCK!) just happens to be the exact same thing as is in his mail (ie. NO MUNGING EVER!). When I ship off my mail with the address jsq@im4u.UTEXAS.EDU (if I may), my mail delivery agent notices the mail is non-local, and sends it off. Okay, easier said than done. There's a big difference between ut-sally.UTEXAS.EDU in the UUCP network (which it is) and the same ut-sally.UTEXAS.EDU in the ARPA network ... for one thing the UUCP mail will get there a hell of a lot slower and for another the ARPA mail will get there for sure (nearly). Perhaps network information should be encoded in the domain? -- jad -- John A. Dilley, FSD Fort Collins, CO ARPA: terrapin@Purdue.EDU UUCP: {ihnp4}! hpfcla!jad PHONE: (303)226-3800 x4166