* * * * *
                                        
                      Funny, but only if you know RFC-822
                                        
I'm trying to reach some people at a particular ISP (Internet Service
Provider), and since I haven't heard from them in some time, sent email to
noc@XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, postmaster@XXXXXXXXXXXXXX and root@XXXXXXXXXXXXXX just to
make sure that maybe, just maybe, someone there would notice. 

I just got this back: 



> 
>    ----- The following addresses had permanent fatal errors -----
> postmaster@XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
> 
>    ----- Transcript of session follows -----
> ... while talking to mail.XXXXXXXXXXXXXX.:
> >>> RCPT To:<postmaster@XXXXXXXXXXXXXX>
> <<< 550 <postmaster@XXXXXXXXXXXXXX>... User unknown
> 550 postmaster@XXXXXXXXXXXXXX... User unknown
> 
> 

Um … RFC-822 [1] has this to say about postmaster: 

> 
>      6.3.  RESERVED ADDRESS
> 
>           It often is necessary to send mail to a site, without  know-
>      ing  any  of its valid addresses.  For example, there may be mail
>      system dysfunctions, or a user may wish to find  out  a  person's
>      correct address, at that site.
> 
>           This standard specifies a single, reserved  mailbox  address
>      (local-part)  which  is  to  be valid at each site.  Mail sent to
>      that address is to be routed to  a  person  responsible  for  the
>      site's mail system or to a person with responsibility for general
>      site operation.  The name of the reserved local-part address is:
> 
>                                 Postmaster
> 
>      so that "Postmaster@domain" is required to be valid.
> 
>      Note:  This reserved local-part must be  matched  without  sensi-
>             tivity to alphabetic case, so that "POSTMASTER", "postmas-
>             ter", and even "poStmASteR" is to be accepted.
> 
> 
> 

§6.3 of RFC-822 [2] 

It's a requirement that postamster exist as a valid email address for any
domain accepting email. So the ISP in question is violating an RFC (Request
for Comment). Tsk tsk tsk. 

[1] http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/cgi-bin/rfc/rfc0822.html
[2] http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/cgi-bin/rfc/rfc0822.html

Email author at sean@conman.org

.