Re: looping

[Miles Fidelman <mfidelman @ civicnet . org>]

On Fri, 2 Apr 1999, Darrell Schulte wrote:

> I've got a closed list with a restriction on posting (just me).  What I
> believe is happening: 1) original message to list goes out, 2) hits an
> address/server that sez no way, and 3) bounces the message back to the list
> as me.

It looks like the mailer at the far end is putting erroneous information
in the header of the returned message.  You'll always find a few mailers
that do the wrong thing.  You can minimize loops by setting the errors-to:
header to owner-<your list>

re. the specific headers you sent:

> Header information for the first message:
> Return-Path: owner-sbtn@news2.news.wisc.edu
<snip>
> To: sbtn@news2.news.wisc.edu
> From: Darrell Schulte <dschulte@facstaff.wisc.edu>
> Subject: The Why Files: oceanblues
> Sender: owner-sbtn@news2.news.wisc.edu

I don't see an errors-to or reply-to header

> Header information from the subsequent responses:
> Return-Path: owner-sbtn@news2.news.wisc.edu
<snip>
> Subject: The Why Files: oceanblues
> To: sbtn@news2.news.wisc.edu
> From: dschulte@facstaff.wisc.edu (dschulte@facstaff.wisc.edu)
> Sender: owner-sbtn@news2.news.wisc.edu

this looks very wierd:
- a bounced message would include an error indications in the header
- a bounced message would usually go to the errors-to or Sender address,
but this has gone to the To: address

it looks like this recipient is trying to remail your message internally -
e.g. to another account or to an internal list that forwards your messages
to more people

I'd kill the address from the list and contact the person or his/her
postmaster.

Miles

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