Hi Roelof, On Mon, 1 Jul 2002 01:14:36 +0200, you wrote: > But what server should send it? Messages pass several servers. How > does a server know that it's the last one in the line? If it sent the > message further by smtp, it's not likely the last server, but it > happens that messages pass multiple pop3-boxes before arriving at the > the client of the addressee. (It's not common, but it'd be a severe > breach of privacy if all pop3 servers in such a chain responded to a > delivery confirmation request.)
A server would know it is the last server in the line when the domain it is accepting mail for is in it's setup, and accepted domain list. Even in the case where there are .forward files (that most mail server software respect) the mail server would respect the forward file, and not send a confirmation of it's delivery, as it realises it has to forward it on further. If have numerous aliases set on numerous accounts, that end up forwarding the mail via several servers, then (normally) a forward file is used, or some method in which the SMTP server knows it is forwarding it to another location, and this isn't the final stop. > When should a server respond? When it stores the message in a pop3 box > or when the message gets collected? A confirmation is rather useless > when you receive it before the recipient got his copy. You might think > that your message reached me (you got your confirmation), but I'm on > holiday and receive your message three weeks later. Maybe respond when > it gets collected? That's the problem messages get scanned when > they're received, not when they're downloaded from the server. The server should respond to a 'delivery confirmation' when it has delivered it to a mail box file. The confirmation you are referencing about you not getting it because you are on holiday is more of a reading confirmation which is spawned by the recipients mail client, at which point you 'know' that the recipient has read it, providing they confirm it. Delivery and reading confirmation are two different things. > Apart from the obvious privacy matters it's clear that a server should > never respond to a receipt confirmation request. So it should be done > by the client and that should never be done without permission of the > user. What privacy matters? It reads a header, or a tag that says "let me know when it hit the final server". I see no privacy issues. Seeing as it is reading all the lines in the email to send it on anyway... and more headers etc, what difference does it make? -- Jonathan Angliss ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) ________________________________________________________ Current Ver: 1.60q FAQ : http://faq.thebat.dutaint.com Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archives : http://tbudl.thebat.dutaint.com Moderators : mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] TBTech List: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Bug Reports: https://www.ritlabs.com/bt/
