A warning to everyone, I just discovered yesterday that all email sent to me using thesession was being dumped into the bit bucket. This is because the email is set to look like it came from <member>@thesession (no doubt so that you can't reply directly to the mail). Since thesession is not a valid DNS address, some rules in my mail setup were cheerfully throwing the mail away. I've since modified the ruleset to remove the valid dns requirement and should, hopefully, from now on, receive any further messages. My appologies to everyone who wrote me and never received a response.
Maybe I shouldn't post this as a discussion, but, based on a conversation I had with another member, I suspect that there may be other cases like this - either that, or a lot of people have just failed to respond to our messages.
I just emailed Jeremy alerting him about this discussion and suggesting a couple of solutions. We'll probably hear from him shortly, there's no need to email him any further.
Oh yipes! I'll have to go check my rules! Sorry anyone who's tried to reach me through the e-mail function, then! I thought things had been awfully quiet...
By the by, I suspect that you'll find that we generally don't have to e-mail Jeremy on something that's being discussed, especially when it's tabbed with a request for his attention -- he may be quiet most often, but I have a feeling he's usually keeping tabs on stuff in general. It probably doesn't hurt to do so, but I think our Benevolent Dictator is around most times. Am I right, Jeremy?
Let's see... what Glauber suggested was using the same address as the "To:" field for the "From:" field. That way it would look like you were getting an email from yourself but at least you'd certainly catch it if you accidentally hit "reply" instead of logging on to the site to reply.
Jeremy, Glauber's suggestion may not completely cure the problem. My server quarantines junk mail, including messages that come "from" my own email address. I don't know how that works (being cyberstupid myself), but I just went in today and cleaned out the trash, including an email from myself trying to sell me bulk rate panythose So apparently some filters may still block self-addressed messages.
Sorry about that, Will, but I can't think of any other way of doing it.
Your spam filter is probably going to block any email sent through The Session anyway. Because the email headers are generated by a script here at the website, they will appear to be "faked".
There's not much more I can do about it, I'm afraid. Sorry
Sigh. Once again the frenzy of free-market bottom feeders ends up infringing on person freedoms. I turn the ringer off on my phone some days for the same reason we filter spam. Held hostage by the tele/cyber marketers....
What I *really* hate is when I get messages from daemons saying that a spam message that *I* sent can't be delivered. AAARGH. How dare they use my e-mail!
Brad, you mean *you're* the one trying to sell me all these pantyhose?!
GRIN!!!
Seriously, I haven't seen any emails from any Session friends in ages, so my server's filter must be swallowing them whole. I never knew you were writing, Brad, and it'd be great to stay in touch. You (all you ITM friends included) can reach me at wharmon then the symbol we all know and love, then lowercase roman numeral nine, then the ninth letter of the alphabet dot net. If that's too cryptic, I'll post it encoded in a tune
Jeremy,
What if you set the reply address to be a bogus user - maybe bogouser@thesession.org? If anyone accidentally replied (and with your warning in the mail that says not to do that, it would hopefully be fairly rare) the mail would bounce back to them with the error that there was no user called 'bogouser' at thesession.org. I haven't looked at all the common spam filters and have turned off all the default ones in my MTA (moving them all to customized ones in my personal mail filter which solves all of these problems for me), so I don't know if this would work. Defintely, it is not a great solution, but it might get around the spam filter issues (of course, it means there cannot be a real bogouser).
So what am I, chopped liver, Will? Heh. Honestly, the only reason I just don't give you all my e-mail outright is that I already get soooo much spam....
Of course not, Zina, you're the genetically modified snorting chopped liver....
I didn't mean I wasn't getting any email, just none through the Session pipeline. A few of you have my regular email address and it's great to have these side conversations to the ones going on here. I too would broadcast my email address (well, in simpler form than I just did), but I'm already on every western hemisphere spammer's list and I'd rather not start hearing from the other half.
I'm no expert on cyber matters but surely the emails that "members" send to other members through the session could be sent as coming from Jeremy or muso@the session.org
And if you give your own email address in the text of the email, ask people to respond directly to that if they are happy that this is a bona fide email and relates to a topic they want to follow up.
Surely this gets around the Spam filters.
Cheers
Donough
PS: I check my emails on the web via my server (ISP) before using my email program (Eudora) to download the emails -- after deleting the rubbish that comes in. Don't know if other ISP's give you that luxury.
Email through the session
Email through the session
A warning to everyone, I just discovered yesterday that all email sent to me using thesession was being dumped into the bit bucket. This is because the email is set to look like it came from <member>@thesession (no doubt so that you can't reply directly to the mail). Since thesession is not a valid DNS address, some rules in my mail setup were cheerfully throwing the mail away. I've since modified the ruleset to remove the valid dns requirement and should, hopefully, from now on, receive any further messages. My appologies to everyone who wrote me and never received a response.
Maybe I shouldn't post this as a discussion, but, based on a conversation I had with another member, I suspect that there may be other cases like this - either that, or a lot of people have just failed to respond to our messages.
# Posted on September 20th 2002 by chicagofiddler
Re: Email through the session
Probably the best would be to send an email to Jeremy. I'll do so.
glauber
# Posted on September 20th 2002 by glauber
Re: Email through the session
I just emailed Jeremy alerting him about this discussion and suggesting a couple of solutions. We'll probably hear from him shortly, there's no need to email him any further.
# Posted on September 20th 2002 by glauber
Re: Email through the session
Oh yipes! I'll have to go check my rules! Sorry anyone who's tried to reach me through the e-mail function, then! I thought things had been awfully quiet...
By the by, I suspect that you'll find that we generally don't have to e-mail Jeremy on something that's being discussed, especially when it's tabbed with a request for his attention -- he may be quiet most often, but I have a feeling he's usually keeping tabs on stuff in general. It probably doesn't hurt to do so, but I think our Benevolent Dictator is around most times. Am I right, Jeremy?
Zina
# Posted on September 20th 2002 by Zina Lee
Re: Email through the session
Sure you are, Zina.
Let's see... what Glauber suggested was using the same address as the "To:" field for the "From:" field. That way it would look like you were getting an email from yourself but at least you'd certainly catch it if you accidentally hit "reply" instead of logging on to the site to reply.
I'll try that and see how it goes.
# Posted on September 20th 2002 by Jeremy
Re: Email through the session
Jeremy, Glauber's suggestion may not completely cure the problem. My server quarantines junk mail, including messages that come "from" my own email address. I don't know how that works (being cyberstupid myself), but I just went in today and cleaned out the trash, including an email from myself trying to sell me bulk rate panythose
So apparently some filters may still block self-addressed messages.
# Posted on September 20th 2002 by Miss Lonelyhearts
Re: Email through the session
Sorry about that, Will, but I can't think of any other way of doing it.
Your spam filter is probably going to block any email sent through The Session anyway. Because the email headers are generated by a script here at the website, they will appear to be "faked".
There's not much more I can do about it, I'm afraid. Sorry
# Posted on September 20th 2002 by Jeremy
Re: Email through the session
Sigh. Once again the frenzy of free-market bottom feeders ends up infringing on person freedoms. I turn the ringer off on my phone some days for the same reason we filter spam. Held hostage by the tele/cyber marketers....
# Posted on September 20th 2002 by Miss Lonelyhearts
Re: Email through the session
I understand that, Will, but why were you trying to sell bulk rate pantyhose to yourself?
# Posted on September 20th 2002 by glauber
Re: Email through the session
What I *really* hate is when I get messages from daemons saying that a spam message that *I* sent can't be delivered. AAARGH. How dare they use my e-mail!
Zina
# Posted on September 20th 2002 by Zina Lee
Re: Email through the session
Glauber, that's what *I* wanted to know, too. I mean, I have much more expensive taste than that.
# Posted on September 20th 2002 by Miss Lonelyhearts
Re: Email through the session
Will, is this why you've never answered any of my emails? Zina did you get the complete teenager with the banjo story?
# Posted on September 20th 2002 by Brad Maloney
Re: Email through the session
The...what, Brad? No! e-mail it again!
I'll send you my e-mail again...
Zina
# Posted on September 20th 2002 by Zina Lee
Re: Email through the session
Brad, you mean *you're* the one trying to sell me all these pantyhose?!
GRIN!!!
Seriously, I haven't seen any emails from any Session friends in ages, so my server's filter must be swallowing them whole. I never knew you were writing, Brad, and it'd be great to stay in touch. You (all you ITM friends included) can reach me at wharmon then the symbol we all know and love, then lowercase roman numeral nine, then the ninth letter of the alphabet dot net. If that's too cryptic, I'll post it encoded in a tune
# Posted on September 20th 2002 by Miss Lonelyhearts
Re: Email through the session
Jeremy,
What if you set the reply address to be a bogus user - maybe bogouser@thesession.org? If anyone accidentally replied (and with your warning in the mail that says not to do that, it would hopefully be fairly rare) the mail would bounce back to them with the error that there was no user called 'bogouser' at thesession.org. I haven't looked at all the common spam filters and have turned off all the default ones in my MTA (moving them all to customized ones in my personal mail filter which solves all of these problems for me), so I don't know if this would work. Defintely, it is not a great solution, but it might get around the spam filter issues (of course, it means there cannot be a real bogouser).
# Posted on September 20th 2002 by chicagofiddler
Re: Email through the session
So what am I, chopped liver, Will? Heh. Honestly, the only reason I just don't give you all my e-mail outright is that I already get soooo much spam....
Zina
# Posted on September 20th 2002 by Zina Lee
Re: Email through the session
Of course not, Zina, you're the genetically modified snorting chopped liver....
I didn't mean I wasn't getting any email, just none through the Session pipeline. A few of you have my regular email address and it's great to have these side conversations to the ones going on here. I too would broadcast my email address (well, in simpler form than I just did), but I'm already on every western hemisphere spammer's list and I'd rather not start hearing from the other half.
# Posted on September 21st 2002 by Miss Lonelyhearts
Re: Email through the session
I'm no expert on cyber matters but surely the emails that "members" send to other members through the session could be sent as coming from Jeremy or muso@the session.org
And if you give your own email address in the text of the email, ask people to respond directly to that if they are happy that this is a bona fide email and relates to a topic they want to follow up.
Surely this gets around the Spam filters.
Cheers
Donough
PS: I check my emails on the web via my server (ISP) before using my email program (Eudora) to download the emails -- after deleting the rubbish that comes in. Don't know if other ISP's give you that luxury.
# Posted on September 22nd 2002 by Donough