> And if so, why don't they auto-register the From: address as well, to REALLY
> cause it to explode and grow the file? ;)
 
I think they do, for replies.
 
> But seriously, anybody know why this product feels a need to do this
> bletcherous thing?
>
> /Valdis
 
Softswitch Central, the original product that runs on an IBM mainframe,
maps all addresses into SNADS (SNA Distribution Services) DEN and DGN.
A DEN is a Distribution Entity Name, essentially a userid, and a DGN is
a Distribution Group Name, essentially a node name.  Both are limited
to 8 characters.  So for Internet addresses, some form of mapping is
needed, since the userid and host can be too long.  There are some
options on how that mapping is done, but it can't be avoided.
 
Their newer Unix-based product, whose name escapes me at the moment, is
supposed to be less restrictive.  I think it maps to X.400.  :-(
 
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which NIH is a part
of, has a Softswitch Central gateway that NIH connects to.  I worry
about our connection, but fortunately have nothing to do with running
Softswitch Central itself.  At present we connect with SMTP, although
it hasn't always been that way.  We do have Softswitch subscribers on
our LISTSERV lists and it works most of the time, but there are some
glitches.  They are primarily related to which header Softswitch should
use for registration.
 
Roger Fajman                                   Telephone:  +1 301 402 4265
National Institutes of Health                  BITNET:     RAF@NIHCU
Bethesda, Maryland, USA                        Internet:   [log in to unmask]
Postmaster for CU.NIH.GOV/NIHCU, LIST.NIH.GOV/NIHLIST, WEB.NIH.GOV, NIH3PLUS
List owner for LANMAN-L, PCIP, SNSTCP-L, and TN3270E, all @LIST.NIH.GOV