"John R. Levine" <johnl@esegue.segue.boston.ma.us> (01/31/90)
In article <3342@accuvax.nwu.edu> you write: >In fact, you don't even have to use to the MCI ID (mailbox number). >You can use the Formal Name or Username as long as it's unique. > >[Moderator's Note: But that only works provided you are *certain* the >user name is unique. Unlike actually being on MCI Mail, internetters >don't get the option of making a selection from a menu of John Smiths. If you send a message to a name that isn't unique, the gateway will bounce it back to you, showing you in the bounce message all of the names and IDs that match the address that you gave. It's true, the only guaranteed way to send a message is to the seven digit user number (beats me why they pad it with zeros, maybe they're planning area codes) but user names are also reasonable, particularly for those of use whose user names are not the default first initial and last name. The implementation of the gateway is really excellent, my congratulations to whoever did it. Regards, John Levine, johnl@esegue.segue.boston.ma.us, {spdcc|ima|lotus}!esegue!johnl also johnl@mcimail.com
John Cowan <cowan@marob.masa.com> (01/31/90)
The Telecom Digest moderator writes: >[Using the full name when sending to mcimail.com] >only works provided you are *certain* the >user name is unique. Unlike actually being on MCI Mail, internetters >don't get the option of making a selection from a menu of John Smiths. >That's why the numerical address method is preferred. Take no chances, >and insure your mail gets to the right party. Actually, you do get this menu, in a funny kind of way. I sent mail to Steve_Manes@mcimail.com and got the following bounce message: From hombre!nri.reston.va.us!mmdf Wed Jan 24 08:22:38 1990 Return-Path: <hombre!nri.reston.va.us!mmdf> Received: by marob.masa.com (/\=-/\ Smail3.1.18.1 #18.7) id <m0gqmxJ-0002TMC@marob.masa.com>; Wed, 24 Jan 90 08:22 EST Received: by hombre.MASA.COM (smail2.5) id AA00389; 24 Jan 90 08:19:48 EST (Wed) Received: from NRI.RESTON.VA.US by rutgers.edu (5.59/SMI4.0/RU1.3/3.05) id AA22079; Tue, 23 Jan 90 16:52:24 EST Date: Tue, 23 Jan 90 16:37:13 EST From: nri.reston.va.us!Postmaster Sender: nri.reston.va.us!mmdf Subject: MCI Mail rejected a message. To: marob.masa.com!cowan Message-Id: <9001231637.aa11701@NRI.NRI.Reston.VA.US> Status: R The following mail message could not be forwarded to MCI Mail for the following Recipients: To: Steve Manes <Steve Manes@mcimail.com> MCI Mail stated the message could not be sent because: At least one problem with envelope 608 More than 1 MCI Mail user matches recipient information MCI ID Name Organization Location 258-3059 Steve Manes Magpie New York, NY 360-8470 Steve Manes PC Mag Column Seattle WA TO: Steve Manes EMS: MCI Mail MBX: Steve Manes 615 Message must include at least one TO: recipient Your message follows: [My message appeared here.] I then resent to the appropriate Steve Manes using the MCI ID, and all was well. BTW, the message took about three days to make it through the Internet side to MCI Mail. I don't have the details, unfortunately; does anybody know the response time of the gateway itself? How often does it poll MCI Mail? [Moderator's Note: There are about a dozen readers of TELECOM Digest who receive their copies through MCI Mail, and one with who I am personally acquainted (we've known each other for years) says his copies are always there in the morning, a few hours after they leave here each day. PT]