strathspey@strathspey.org:44082

Anselm Lingnau

Re: curious

Feb. 3, 2006, 12:13 p.m. (Message 44082, in reply to message 44081)

Sophie Rickebusch wrote:

> I think it's nothing to be worried about, but no doubt Anselm or one of the
> numerous other "computer people" (as opposed to dabblers like myself) on
> this list will give a more accurate explanation.

This is really very simple: If a message allegedly comes from Strathspey but 
has an attachment of whatever kind, it can't be from Strathspey. Repeat after 
me:

  THE STRATHSPEY LIST DOES NOT DO ATTACHMENTS.

The messages you're seeing probably result from other folks' computers which 
are running certain kinds of viruses/worms. These programs pick a random 
address out of the host's address book to use for camouflage when they're 
sending messages to everybody else in the address book. Since Strathspey is 
fairly popular (I'm glad to say) it does turn up in rather a lot of address 
books, so the chances of it being used as cover for worms are pretty fair.

As far as »postmaster messages« are concerned: All the postmaster messages to 
do with Strathspey mail distributions should go to myself (or, rather, my 
mailing list software, which takes care of most of them automatically). 
Everything else is either a sign of severe breakage on the part of the 
receiving mail server, or something else entirely. There are, again, 
viruses/worms who send out messages that pretend to be postmaster »bounces«, 
in the hope that these will be looked at more thoroughly than garden-variety 
spam.

If you are in doubt about anything in your mailbox that looks as if it might 
have come from Strathspey, feel free to forward me a copy privately so I can 
have a look at it.

Anselm
-- 
Anselm Lingnau, Frankfurt, Germany ..................... xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx
But the fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who
are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton,
they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.
                                                                 -- Carl Sagan