From: "Geo." 

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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