FM> This fails in only one case which I can think of - a netmail message,
FM> which therefore doesn't have an area line, but in which the user has
FM> written AREA: at the start of the very first line in his text.

db> What about a test - if the "area" after "AREA:"
db> is not a known valid area name, then assume it's
db> normal message text and therefore a netmail message.

PE> And if it was netmail from a user via Sydney PCUG, then
PE> it suddenly has the potential to get into ZONE3_SYSOP,
PE> something the user otherwise didn't have access to.

You've just done a massive foot shot on this one. You claim that BBSs
guarantee that users cant fuck up like that, by protecting themselves
from the users. In fact OLRs can and do do that themselves when the message
areas are renumbered etc between an outgoing QWK and the returning REP.

And that DOES NOT result in an instant PC and excommunication for
the BBS. Everyone has the sense to realise that its just one of
those inevitable gotchas thats happened in systems which have grown
massively over time. You try PCing one of those and see how far you get.
@EOT:

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