From: Richard Webb 
Subject: mailer software run amok (etiquette for mailing lists)
Hello everyone,
As those of you who read Blindtlk mailing list know, I seem to be on a
soapbox about improperly flagged messages to mailing lists.  As a
kindness to bandwidth conservation, as well as other users, one should
not place such things as return receipt requests and the like on
messages destined for a listserv.  They just clutter up the list, and
may cause other cute looping problems, but I saw something on another
listserv recently which illustrates that how if we dumb down too much,
we can generate Kaos.
A fellow receives the mailing list I"m referring to at his office.
The software he uses there is Novell groupwise.  This software has a
"nice" feature that lets you inform those who correspond with you that
you're unavailable, (on vacation or something similar.)
This guy went on vacation, and decided to have his software alert the
world that "Matt is on vacation.  If you need help contact...."
So, this software dutifully told the listserv it was on vacation.  The
listserv did what it does, and dutifully regenerated these to the list.
Then, the software starts replying to itself, letting it know that
"Matt is on vacation..."
 The moral of the story, beware your software.  It might do things
even at your bidding which have consequences unforeseen by you at the
time.
some good rules of thumb:
1.  Don't generate return request receipts and their like to messages
destined for mailing lists.
2.  If you plan to have your software alert folks that you're
unavailable, unsubscribe yourself from listservs before you do this
and leave town.  I'm sure the flame mail Matt received was a shocker,
as his little automated messenger generated about  100 messages
before the list owner bumped him from the list.
3.  REad your mail softwaree's doccumentation, and most importantly,
use a little thought when setting it up.
Sorry about the rant, guys, but it's cross topical to just about any
listserv, so I thought it appropriate.  My apologies to any moderators
I may have offended in advance.
Regards,
Richard Webb
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