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Re: 551: Do MTAs try forward-path???

2004-03-31 07:00:07

In general I would never forward messages based on such a reply code.

The problem is that as the MTA you don't know the purpose of the
message, only the actual user does.  There are many reasons in business
and personal communications why you might not want a message forwarded
if the "recipient" is giving the sender the option.  This scenario is
quite different from a recipient that sets up an auto-forward.

Even for mailing list technologies that automatically process failed
mail messages, and even though there are DSNs with similar information,
I would never auto-update a subscriber list.  In this case only the list
owner knows if the new address is authorized.

Of course, the reply code is useful information and I wouldn't change
that.

It occurs to me that the MTA authorization work going on in MARID is
another reason for not forwarding the message.

Jim






On Wed, 31 Mar 2004, Martin R. Garcia wrote:

    Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 04:33:05 -0800 (PST)
    From: Martin R. Garcia <martindhx(_at_)yahoo(_dot_)com>
    To: ietf-smtp(_at_)imc(_dot_)org
    Subject: 551: Do MTAs try forward-path???


    HELO list!

    About the 551 reply code:

    "...The receiver refuses to accept mail for this user,
    and the sender must either redirect the mail according
    to the information provided or return an error
    response to the originating user..." (rfc821)

    Which should be the correct action to take as a
    sender???

    Whats happening "today" on the Internet??? Is there a
    "general behaviour"??? Do MTAs go for a redirection of
    they choose to return an error response???

    Thanks in advance.
    Martìn.

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