Date: Sat, 08 Jun 1996 23:34:07 -1000
From: "Dr.Tony Helman" <helmant@ozemail.com.au>
In trying to construct a filter to prevent vicious loops, I am interesting
in knowing what form and wording are seen when a list member who has gone on
holidays has all messages replied to with a message that they are away.
Has anyone seen these messages and what common characteristics do they have
that could be looked for in a filter?
This reply only applies to vacation messages generated on UNIX systems.
Tony, I use vacation messages frequently (if you mail to me, you'll see
mine :). I have to when I fall behind on my mail. I'm way behind now
because my mom died in April and ... well, the whys should be obvious.
I've also used them when travelling and moving. I have it set up to send
out to anyone sending mail to cnorman@ucsd.edu or
immune-request@weber.ucsd.edu. I use them as an instant "help" message for
my list too (very very useful and keeps nasty user messages way way
down--also keeps away those "why aren't you a machine that responds
immediately 24 hours a day?" letters for those of you who run manual lists
like me).
There is a standard format provided when one sets up the vacation message.
But, Joe is right, the user can edit it, so there will be no keywords that
will always work. Though searching for "vacation" will catch most of them.
Here's the header of mine:
From: cnorman@weber.ucsd.edu (Cyndi Norman)
Subject: Responses from Cyndi are delayed
Delivered-By-The-Graces-Of: The Vacation Program
Precedence: bulk
Of course, the from and subject lines are customized. I left the other two
lines as is. Maybe bulk messges are a good thing to screen out anyway, but
don't quote me.
But I wonder why your'e having the problem in the first place. I have
never ever seen a vacation message get posted to a list. Nor have I heard
of one sending to the poster when the vacation user is on the list. My
vacation program, and all those I've seen, only return to people who mail
directly to the user (or in my case, my address or my immune-request alias,
but only because I set it that way on purpose).
I hope this is helpful.
Cyndi
__________________________________________________________________________
"There's nothing wrong with me. Maybe there's Cyndi Norman
something wrong with the universe." (ST:TNG) cnorman@ucsd.edu
___________________________________________ http://weber.ucsd.edu/~cnorman
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