On Fri, 18 Oct 1996 22:53:36 -0400, Jeff Kell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
 
>> if you are using 1.8c making use of the new PROBE feature.
>
> Can someone please elaborate on just what
>PROBE is and how to deploy it?
 
From the List Owners Manual (Beta Version 1.8c):
 
"4.6.2. Automatic address probing (New Feature in 1.8c!)
 
"(Please note that this feature is disabled in LISTSERV Lite.)
 
"Renewal= ...,Probe" activates a new bounce processing feature, whereby
the users are probed regularly using the PROBE1 mail template. The
desired response from the user is to discard the message and do nothing,
so even a certified idiot can manage. The messages have a special
signature in the return address that allows LISTSERV to uniquely identify
the bouncing address, without having to understand the bounce itself. If
the probe bounces, LISTSERV first sends the PROBE2 template with a copy
of the bounce, to show the user (if the account actually works in spite
of the bounce) what garbage his mail system is sending people. LISTSERV
then schedules a new probe for the next day, or deletes the user
immediately, depending on the auto-delete policy. Every failure triggers
a new daily probe until the user gets deleted or the problem gets fixed.
The user can also save his subscription manually by sending a CONFIRM
listname command (this is explained in PROBE2). This doesn't solve the
underlying problem, so eventually the user should get tired of confirming
in an emergency and notify his system administrators that the system is
generating bounces saying (for instance) "Your message was registered at
the MORONICUS mail gateway. Press F1 for more information" that cause the
problem in the first place.
 
"When used together with "Auto-Delete= ...,Full-Auto", the probe option
deletes all delivery errors that LISTSERV can't understand. This means
THE LIST OWNER NEVER EVER HAS TO SEE A SINGLE BOUNCE! Hurray! :-) The
list, however, is kept clean because bad addresses are always detected.
In fact, the biggest risk is that the users of the MORONICUS mail gateway
will be deleted even though they do get their mail.
 
"Note that errors bounced by non-compliant mail hosts to the wrong
address will still show up in your error queue. Since the bounce goes to
the wrong address, LISTSERV never sees it and cannot probe it. However,
the author saw an error queue of 1300 errors/day shrink to under 50
errors/day by applying the ",Probe" parameter to seven high-volume lists,
which in his opinion was much more acceptable.
 
[Note the above info applies ONLY to Ver 1.8c of LISTSERV,
For Professional use only, do not attempt this at home...]
 
--
 ________________________________________________________________________
 Ben Parker ............ (Oak Park IL) .......... [log in to unmask]