> Is there a *benefit* to distributing null messages?  I could see some
> application where you use a Listserv list to send information to automated
> clients that get everything they need from the From: Date: and Subject:
> fields - but why couldn't you just add a "Please ignore this line" to the
> mail to keep Listserv happy?

We ran into one situation where we wanted to allow it.  We have a
product called MailCheck that monitors email systems by periodically
sending messages and watching for a response.  We wanted to send the
messages through LISTSERV (instead of just sendmail) in order to verify
that it is operating, but could not because MailCheck sends its probe
messages with empty bodies.

Obviously the MailCheck people could fix it, but it wasn't a high
priority for them.