From: "Paul Ranson" 

It's quite permissable to produce a 5xx error after the completion of the
data. In the case of an attempt to send spam or a virus I think it would be
a 550 for policy reasons.

(Knowing way too much about this stuff. Expect something soon.)

Paul

"Geo."  wrote in message
news:3f9a9051$1{at}w3.nls.net...
> You can do the latter, many email servers accept the email, scan it, then
> bounce an error email back saying it contained a virus and was deleted. I
> don't know if that's in the RFC's but it's a pretty common practice.
>
> I missed the part where you were talking strictly about AOL, I was talking
> in a more general sense where email content is being scanned by the
filters.
> In the case of AOL you are correct, because they are depending on who you
> are they should reject at the MAIL command.
>
> In NTmail there is an option to reject a connection (based on RBLs) at the
> initial connect or at the mail clause, some of the spammer servers have
been
> programmed to ignore mail clause errors so sometimes it's best if you just
> drop the connection as quickly as possible to keep resources free. I've
seen
> AOL doing that and it's not the correct way but sometimes it's the only
way
> to keep the servers functioning.
>
> Geo.
>
>
> "Paul Ranson"  wrote in message
news:3f9a74d4{at}w3.nls.net...
> > You're not allowed to do the latter. Otherwise I think I agree. But the
> AOL
> > stuff that was posted earlier should appear at the lastest to the 'MAIL'
> > command since AOL are deciding whether to accept the mail or not
depending
> > on who you are.
> >
> > Paul
> >
> > "Geo."  wrote in message
news:3f99c9e5$1{at}w3.nls.net...
> > > That works for a check like a blacklist, or unknown user, or mailbox
> full.
> > > But for things like content/virus filters you need the content before
> you
> > > can check it so the end of the DATA process is where you have to
return
> > the
> > > error. The only other choice would be to accept the mail knowing you
are
> > not
> > > going to deliver it.
> > >
> > > Geo.
> > >
> > > "Paul Ranson"  wrote in message
> > news:3f992838{at}w3.nls.net...
> > > > This error should be way earlier than that, at the latest at the
> 'MAIL'
> > > > command. AOL isn't going to accept the mail, so it
shouldn't let you
> get
> > > > started.
> > > >
> > > > But I agree the error message should be displayed to the user.
Useless
> > > > otherwise.
> > > >
> > > > Paul
> > > >
> > > > "Geo."  wrote in message
news:3f986084{at}w3.nls.net...
> > > > > When the server issues OK to the DATA statement
the email program
> > starts
> > > > > sending data, if that data completes and the email
program issues
> the
> > .
> > > on
> > > > a
> > > > > line by itself and then receives an error message
instead of OK it
> > > should
> > > > > show that message to the user.
> > > > >
> > > > > Geo.
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>

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