v.wales@UCLA-LOCUS.ARPA (Rich Wales) (03/05/84)
Instead of using an empty "MAIL FROM:" address if the original return
path is rejected for some reason by the receiving site, I would suggest
trying a "Postmaster" address, as in the following scenario:
220 FOO.ARPA SMTP Server ready
HELO BLAH.ARPA
250 FOO.ARPA
MAIL FROM:<"Fred Flintstone"@BLAH.ARPA>
501 Yecch! I don't like <"Fred Flintstone"@BLAH.ARPA>
MAIL FROM:<Postmaster@BLAH.ARPA>
250 OK
. . .
This way, at least, the delivery-error message (if any) will go some-
where and can be dealt with by a (probably already overworked) wizard.
If, for some inscrutable reason, the receiving site rejects a "Postmas-
ter" return address, THEN go ahead and use an empty address.
Whenever a receiving site rejects a valid "MAIL FROM:" address and the
mailer has to resort to using "Postmaster", of course, the gurus at the
sending site should be notified in some way (e.g., by a note in a log
file). This is doubly true in cases where a receiving site rejects a
"Postmaster" address -- something that should never, ever happen!
-- Rich <v.wales@UCLA-LOCUS.ARPA>