Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!decvax!harpo!seismo!hao!kpno!arizona!budd
From: budd@arizona.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: postmasters
Message-ID: <2724@arizona.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 21-Jun-83 23:38:42 EDT
Article-I.D.: arizona.2724
Posted: Tue Jun 21 23:38:42 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 22-Jun-83 20:56:02 EDT
Lines: 20

Here is a problem I have had several times lately, and a proposed solution.

Suppose out of the blue you decide to send a message to someone you know
works at R, and you know R is on the net.  You search around in Hortons
index for a while, perhaps use the findpath program, and eventually
somehow discover you can reach R by going through A!B!P!Q!R.
NOW - to whom do you send it to at R?  good bets are the persons first
name, or their last, or their initials.  You try all those.  Next you
try "root" (every site has a root).  Perhaps you have a few other guesses
(their college nickname, or somesuch).  Phone bills mount.  Your CC line
becomes longer.

Anyway, you see the problem.  (How many people could have guessed Lady
   Arwins login?  Where is the lady lately, anyway?)

How about every site establishing an account (or alais, for those sites that
support mail alaises) that is fixed from site to site - say "postmaster".
That way, if you had no other contact at a site, you could send a message
to A!B!P!Q!R!postmaster, with a request to respond with the correct login
name, or with instructions to forward to the appropriate individual.