* * * * *
                                        
                            I won't route 500 miles
                                        
> I was working in a job running the campus email system some years ago when
> I got a call from the chairman of the statistics department. 
> 
> “We're having a problem sending email out of the department.” 
> 
> “What's the problem?” I asked. 
> 
> “We can't send mail more than 500 miles,” the chairman explained. 
> 
> I choked on my latte. “Come again?” 
> 
> “We can't send mail farther than 500 miles from here,” he repeated. “A
> little bit more, actually. Call it 520 miles. But no farther.” … 
> 
> “Okay, let me take a look, and I'll call you back,” I said, scarcely
> believing that I was playing along. It wasn't April Fool's Day. I tried to
> remember if someone owed me a practical joke. 
> 

Via MrBarrett.com [1], The case of the 500-mile email [2] 

I can't say that I've had a problem this wierd to track down, but I can
sympathize with the fellow—email just shouldn't fail due to geographical
distances. Hops, yes, but miles? 

No way. 

But actually, way. Turns out to be a problem dealing with geographical
distance, oddly enough. 

[1] http://www.mrbarrett.com/mt/archives/2002_12_09.html#000514
[2] http://seanm.ca:70/0/nerd/500mileemail.txt

Email Sean Conner at sean@conman.org

.