>>LISTSERV in effect already provides such a "solution"
>>
>>SET listname SHORT822 FOR *@fqdn
 
>Hmm, I didn't get it ... could you offer a line or two more explanation?
>And what does "fqdn" stand for anyway--I've seen it often, but only in
>Listserv-speak.
 
LISTSERV offers the subscriber various distribution options.  A
"distribution option" is the method used by LISTSERV to generate
RFC821 and RFC822 e-mail headers (and perhaps effects routing
through the various maze of LISTSERVs and MAILERs) when expanding
the posting from the LIST to the SUBSCRIBER.  These options are
detailed in the REFERENCE Card.  They have changed syntax over
time e.g., Version 1.8b are not the same as 1.8a (or perhaps it
was 1.7f).
 
SHORT822, though less efficient in distribution compared to
SHORT, allows for _individual _identification in the RFC822 TO:
field.  It is less efficient because more network resources are
used.  Nevertheless this may help with future "bouncing" e-mail,
including the LISTSERV notification that the distribution option
has been changed by you, on the users' behalf.
 
Say that I had a list called TEST-L that had some bouncing
subscriber from the many at MIT, and I could not identify the
userid.  I might issue the following LISTSERV commands (as owner)
 
SET TEST-L SHORT822 FOR *@MIT*
SET TEST-L SHORT822 FOR *@*MIT.EDU
 
Once the next bounce occurred (due to a NEW posting to TEST-L),
hopefully it would indicate the real userid associated with it.
If so, I could DEL the userid and return distribution options
to SHORT.
 
In this case, neither MIT* nor *MIT.EDU are FQDNs -- Fully
Qualified Domain Names.  An FQDN would be MIT.EDU.  To simplify,
it is the "thing" to the right of the "@" that is the e-mailable
host.
 
/Pete Weiss -- Penn State