> > > On the whole, I think MailCheck and LISTSERV aren't going to be
> > > functionally compatible.
> >
> > Why?
> >
> Well, if you wanted to check that LISTSERV was processing things
> correctly (i.e. doing more than just receiving mail, but acting on
> commands, forwarding to lists, etc), you'd have to do one of the
> following, as far as I can see:
>
> 1) write a program that runs 'beside' LISTSERV and, when prompted by
> MailCheck, examines the logs and archives to determine if everything
> still seems to be OK (possibly even checking that the LISTSERV
> daemon was still running).  If things weren't OK, it would generate
> an error message that MailCheck could handle.
>
> 2) write a script that receives the MailCheck mail and, in turn,
> generates a variety of messages to LISTSERV; a 'thanks' message, a
> trial subscribe and unsubscribe, a test post to a special list, and
> so forth.  On receipt of the appropriate responses from LISTSERV,
> the script would inform MailCheck appropriately.
>
> You see, I'm working on the assumption that MailCheck simply tests
> that mail can be delivered; I would hate to be the victim of useless
> blank messages every once in a while - it would be like constantly
> PINGing a server that you had a FTP session to: the failure of one
> would indicate the failure of the other, but when that happens you
> simply have two systems that are broken not one; and there's no
> guarantee that the correct operation of one system is indicative of
> the correct operation of the other.
>
> To check LISTSERV's correct functioning requires a bit more than
> just the receipt of a blank message.  LISTSERV's purpose, if you
> like, is far more than just a simple mail forwarder.  For that
> reason MailCheck and LISTSERV are not functionally compatible.
>
> Hope this clarifies my obnubilated position,
>
> Paul

MailCheck sends out messages and listens for a response.  So what
we did for LISTSERV is to set up a special list that the MailCheck
Poller sends to.  The Poller is subscribed to that list, so it gets
the response that it is expecting.  So it checks that LISTSERV is
functioning well enough to receive a message and distribute it to
a list.