Re: Email address VERP problems (was RE: Does a call to a language handler provide a context/session, and somewhere to keep session data?

David Bennett wrote:
> > owner(at)postgresql(dot)org] On Behalf Of Alvaro Herrera
>
> > On that subject. I noticed that Outlook seems to add the "return
> > path"
> > addresses (sometimes called bounce address or envelope sender) to the
> > CC header, which sets a new record in the stupidity scale. Since we
> > use VERP, each message gets a different return path address, so with
> > each reply you make, Outlook adds a new address to the CC.
>
> Interesting. I use a lot of mailing lists and I've not run across one
> actually using VERP before. Is it becoming more frequent?

Not sure if it's becoming more frequent -- I only manage *this* list
server and we enabled VERP several years ago. I thought it was common
practice ... the idea of manually managing addresses that bounce seems
completely outdated now.

> I checked the headers. It seems this list is using a VERP address for both
> the Return-path and the Reply-To, and only the Sender identifies the list
> directly.

I'm pretty sure our list server is not setting the VERP address in
Reply-To. That would be insane, wouldn't it. We don't touch the
Reply-To header at all. Maybe some other program along the way modifies
the email before Outlook gets it?

> I rather think the problem is that the list software is not pruning VERP
> addresses from the emails it sends out. I don't know exactly what is causing
> them, but it certainly seems to me something that the list software could
> handle effortlessly.

Well, since the VERP addresses are not supposed to appear in those
headers, the list software doesn't try to prune -- that would be useless
99.95% of the time. You see, this is the first time that I have seen
any mail chain do this (I've been here for several years.)

> Sorry, but there is nothing to tweak. It all seems to be working just fine
> at this end. But I will keep any eye out for extra VERPs and delete them (as
> I have on this message).

Thanks. I think it will be better for your continued mental health to
ensure that nothing adds such addresses to Reply-To, if that is indeed
what is happening.

--
Álvaro Herrera http://www.2ndQuadrant.com/
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