[comp.mail.misc] LIKE H--l it doesn't work

ahd@clutx.clarkson.edu (Drew Derbyshire,,,6176413739) (09/25/90)

Before I start nicpicking, I remember my original comment ... go through
the system admin, not around him, and ask *why* mail is down.  

From article <1990Sep23.144419.9520@mp.cs.niu.edu>, by rickert@mp.cs.niu.edu (Neil Rickert):
>>For those who live to beat the Sysadmin, however, try:
>>
>>	ln -s /usr/lib/sendmail mail
>>	./mail
>>
>   Please don't try this, folks.  It won't work, and will only frustrate you
> and you system administrator.

I beg to differ.  It doesn't generate the proper RFC-822 headers, but
then again, half the uucp mailers on the planet don't.  (Remind me to tell
you about the SUNY Binghamton VMS system someday as well.)  As for the
delivery failing, I TESTED IT ... as follows.  :-)


From ahd Tue Sep 25 08:06:15 1990
Received: by clutx.clarkson.edu (5.54/5.17)
	id AA15768; Tue, 25 Sep 90 08:06:04 EDT
Date: Tue, 25 Sep 90 08:06:04 EDT
From: ahd (Drew Derbyshire)
Message-Id: <9009251206.AA15768@clutx.clarkson.edu>
Apparently-To: ahd@clutx.clarkson.edu
Apparently-To: ahd@kendra.kew.com
Status: R

Testing 1 2 3 

>   For those who are still confused, 'mail' (whether /usr/ucb/Mail or
> /bin/mail) is a user mail agent.  'sendmail' is a mail transfer agent.  What
> 'Mail' does is add necessary headers, then invoke 'sendmail' to transfer the
> mail.  There is nothing that 'Mail' does which cannot be done with a simple
> text editor, perhaps followed by file indirection to get the mail to 'sendmail'.

Having just spent the last two weeks breaking a MTA out of an MUA, I know the
difference.  I don't mind you clarifying this point, but next time, pay
attention.  :-)

Again ... go tell to the sysadmin first.  

-ahd-