bstempleton (07/03/82)
To stop use of net.test, all people need do is include the following line in their sys files: idiots:net.test:B:testmail where testmail is a shell script of the form ----------------------- read from who rest mail $who <<NASTY You just submitted a message to 'net.test'. There is normally no need to submit an article to this group, unless you are testing the entire net of hundreds of sites. Please use the group 'test' on your own machine or a test group in some subnet NASTY ---------------------- This way anybody who posts to net.test will get one hundred automatic angry mail messages back telling him not to do so. If the sender really DID want to test the net, this gives that person and indication that the message reached the various sites that replied, so it is a positive feature.
jj (07/04/82)
I think that the idea of an automatic mailed reply to the user of net.test is a great idea. It lets anyone map out the whole net by sending a test message. It lets them know where they can mail, where they cannot (by omission) and if their system works at all. The sheer mail volume will also drive off flaming, because people will have to deal with the whole mess. The only problem that I can see is that it will cause a massive surge in net traffic until people get their wisdom up to 3. Re: net.jokes.q shafting someone It's a shame that the people on the same system as stupid jokers don't take the matter into their own hands, complain to the system administrator, and so on. The problem of attracting management attention has been ignored by most of the net. It is about time that the point came home that the net spends someone else's money, and they will, all foolish and irrevelant complaints about censorship aside, take the matter into their own hands and stop the net. Remember: Management doesn't care how much good something does, they only care that they have exersized their power (In most cases, that is, don't even bother to mail me.) James D. Johnston Bell Labs, Murray Hill rabbit!jj P.S. I have no qualms about using the d and q keys in my mailer, so don't bother, it won't help.