On Tue, 10 Oct 2000 13:31:04 +1100, Michael Shannon <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >I know it's a fortnight late but I still have a question about this. Why >would an error be generated back to LISTSERV by a forwarding address? >Wouldn't it be more likely to send an error back to the originating mail >server and stop there? [log in to unmask] is subscribed to the list. USA.Net is a well know mail forwarder service. All mail to that address actually is forwarded to [log in to unmask] Mail posted to your list goes out with RFC822 From: Michael Shannon <[log in to unmask]> RFC822 To: [log in to unmask] RFC822 Sender: [log in to unmask] RFC821 Return_path: <[log in to unmask]> RFC821 RCPT TO:<[log in to unmask]> Only one of these headers is changed when the mail gets to usa.net and is forwarded on to [log in to unmask] and that is the RFC821 RCPT TO:<[log in to unmask]>. All other address lines remain the same. If, when mail gets to aol.com, the account [log in to unmask] is a)mailbox full, or b)not receiving mail from internet or c)closed/inactive then a Non-Delivery error will occur. RFC821 says that error must be reported back to the Return_path address. The error message will come From: [log in to unmask] and be addressed To: [log in to unmask] and will say (in short) 550 no such user Address: [log in to unmask] Notice that nowhere is [log in to unmask] referenced in this error report. As happens, because an error is reported, this address will show up on the Daily Monitoring Report, whether or not the address [log in to unmask] is subscribed to your list (it is not in fact).