RE: [ADMIN] some list related topics ..

From: Alexander Viro (viro@math.psu.edu)
Date: Fri Oct 20 2000 - 14:21:19 EST


On Thu, 19 Oct 2000, Marty Fouts wrote:

> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Matti Aarnio [mailto:matti.aarnio@zmailer.org]
> > Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2000 1:26 PM
> > To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
> > Subject: [ADMIN] some list related topics ..
>
> [snip]
>
> >
> > 3) some ISP systems yield 500 series errors with text:
> > "system is temporarily busy"
> > or something of that effect. Now THAT is really offensive
> > stupidity by the ISP software folks...
> >
>
> <sigh> There is nothing in the SMTP RFCs that require any to be able to
> accept all email at all times. SMTP is *not* designed to be a reliable
> delivery mechanism, let alone a first-time reliable delivery mechanism.
> Refusal to accept email because the receiving system is under high load is
> well understood, commonly accepted, and even codified in implementation
> practice.

RTFRFC. 821, Appendix E, that is. Quote:

         There are five values for the first digit of the reply code:
        .......
            4yz Transient Negative Completion reply

               The command was not accepted and the requested action did
               not occur. However, the error condition is temporary and
               the action may be requested again. .......
        .......
            5yz Permanent Negative Completion reply

               The command was not accepted and the requested action did
               not occur. The sender-SMTP is discouraged from repeating
               the exact request (in the same sequence). .......

> In my opinion, you are doing a GoodThing(tm) by trying to weed broken
> addresses from the mailing list. But please don't demand from the internet
> behavior it wasn't designed to provide.

Like following the RFCs with Status: STANDARD? Last time I've checked
RFC821 was STD0010 and other parts of said beast (1869, 1870) follow the
rules set in 821,App.E when they describe the possible error codes and
their interpretation.

-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Oct 23 2000 - 21:00:17 EST