I've been noticing a problem lately with messages from AOL. It only
happens with messages an AOL user replies to.
When there is a word enclosed by angle brackets, AOL is adding a period
inbetween the open angle bracket and the first character within the
brackets.
The annoying example is when someone from AOL replies to a message on my
mailing list. I have it set up so that all subjects start with <Immune>
AOL turns this into <.Immune>
This wouldn't be so bad except that the server software doesn't recognize
<.Immune> so it goes ahead and adds another <Immune>
Here is an example of an actual subject header where this has happened:
Subject: <Immune> Re: <.Immune> Question about testing for mercury
But now it's going beyond annoying into disruptive. I require
authentication of new subscriptions and the server software uses angle
brackets in the subject header that must be returned for the subscription
to go through. This means I'm getting a bunch of AOLers complaining that
they can't subscribe.
For a reason I can't figure out, the error message they get back is: "The
message you are authenticated has already been processed or has timed out"
But this software is specific to best.com so who knows why or how.
The potential subscriber gets a subject like this:
Subject: List Auth Request ID=<x39696ef9.279.jP4ESsKC> REJECT
In order to subscribe they reply and change REJECT to ACCEPT. So they
should end up with a subject similar to this:
Subject: Re: List Auth Request ID=<x39696ef9.279.jP4ESsKC> ACCEPT
AOL changes the outgoing subject to:
Subject: Re: List Auth Request ID=<.x39696ef9.279.jP4ESsKC> REJECT
The AOL user then changes REJECT to ACCEPT but leaves in the dot and the
authentication fails.
Hotmail also mangles angle brackets. In replies it will change <> to [].
This also causes authentication to fail. I have to have special
instructions for Hotmail users (ones that many other list owners at
best.com have links to).
Can anyone else confirm this bug at AOL and is there any way that AOL will
be willing to fix it?
Thank you,
Cyndi
--
_______________________________________________________________________________
"There's nothing wrong with me. Maybe there's Cyndi Norman
something wrong with the universe." (ST:TNG) [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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