Author: Alan J. Flavell Date: To: Exim users list Subject: Re: [Exim] Re: OT: Outlook don't support multilines 550 return codes
?!?
On Sat, 8 Nov 2003, Suresh Ramasubramanian wrote:
> Bernard Massot writes on 11/8/2003 7:19 AM:
>
> > I've tested it and got the same result as you. It seems it's just one
> > more bug of outlook. Sometimes I wonder if microsoft developpers have
> > read at least once the RFCs...
> > Just tell your clients to use good MUAs.
>
> Or stop generating multiline error messages
We implemented verbose error messages as a courtesy to bona-fide
senders who were previously getting "Administrative prohibition" and
nothing more.
We considered the risk that saying more might be handing out free
hints to spammers, but we concluded that spammers haven't got the time
or effort to pay attention to the responses anyway, and so we went
ahead and implemented more-informative and helpful responses.
I really don't want to go back on that merely for the benefit of some
brain-dead software that isn't fit to communicate with the Internet.
Users of that grotware will still get told that it failed, right?
Just that their software will refuse to tell them why. Well, too bad:
they need to ask their supplier for something better.
> "Be conservative in what you send and generous in what you accept" still
> holds good.
It's a fine principle, but, judging from our error log, it doesn't
much matter _what_ response one sends: users almost always try the
same wrong thing exactly three times - get the same result every time,
and then give up without seeking help. Later, one may overhear them
complaining bitterly to a third party about the mailer being buggy.
Users - bah!!! But I still try to do the right thing for them, within
reasonable limits.
Meantime, I sure don't intend to be "generous in what I accept" from
spammers.
