Re: Mail reflector

Oliver Xymoron (oxymoron@waste.org)
Wed, 5 Mar 1997 15:33:21 -0600 (CST)


On Wed, 5 Mar 1997, Peter Benie wrote:

> Richard Gooch writes ("Re: Mail reflector"):
> > Werner Fink writes:
> > >
> > > Some one reflects mails of <linux-kernel@vger.rutgers.edu>.
> > > ... could one break this mail loop?
...
> > Drop messages sent to the list if they are not from subscribers on the
> > list.
>
> That stops rather too many gateways. The problems you describe are due
> specifically to mail<->news (ie. bidirectional) gateways. I'm using a
> mail->news (unidirectional) gateway so my address won't match any
> subscriber's address. I'm not causing your problems however (since the
> software isn't there that could cause a mail loop) so why should I be
> banned from the list? Besides, if you try and enforce a rule like the
> one that you suggest, the chances are that start getting gateways that
> rewrite From lines to be the subscriber's address. This is a recipe
> for disaster.

Perhaps what's needed is a filter on messages coming into Vger that
removes duplicates before they hit Majordomo's resend. The filter could
look for duplicate message IDs or even better, a header added by resend or
Zmailer to outbound messages (Sender:, X-Loop:, etc.). Pretty easy to do
with Procmail/formail or some small modifications to resend. Majordomo's
taboo regexps could do the trick, but they'd result in a bounce to the
list owner.

--
 "Love the dolphins," she advised him. "Write by W.A.S.T.E.."