Re: "proving" a user received an email (good gosh)

From: Doug Freyburger (dfreybur@yahoo.com)
Date: 06/26/02 

From: dfreybur@yahoo.com (Doug Freyburger)
Date: 26 Jun 2002 09:17:13 -0700

bill davidsen wrote:
> gaius.petronius wrote:
>
> | "proving" a user received an email (good gosh)
>
> | boss calls me in
> | manager X is a liar, says he never received this damn email.
>
> | i check the logs
>
> Which don't seem to indicate he did. They prove an email was sent, and
> if the sender kept a copy he can show what was in it. But unless it was
> sent "return receipt requested" that's where it ends.

Not if you are instructed by management to read the mailbox file, ugh.

A previous place I worked had corrupt mailbox issues because many users
used IMAP at their desk, POP at home, and we ran downrev server programs to
maintain compatibility with some old Macs or whatever. I was instructed to
scan people's mailboxes for corruption often enough that I wrote a script
that showed me only the headers so I could avoid the text. Headers are
easy to programmatically recognize if you're willing to accept the occasional
inserted one that would confuse "from" anyways: A line starting with "From "
starts a header, preferably preceeded by a blank line except on the first
message. Headers end at the first blank line.

The headers will give certain very useful information: The last time Manager
X read his mail. If he doesn't check his e-mail, that's his problem.
Whether he ever saw the subject line or text of the message in the Status
header line. If he saw either, that's his problem. If he has delegated
someone else to read his e-mail, same comment. If the message is missing
from his mailbox, same status. To me it's irrelevant if he has filters
to deliver messages to folders or to automatically delete them. If it hit
his filters, he received it period. All you need is proof that it arrived
in his mailbox in the first place, and the headers of the messages currently
there will tell the tale.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: "proving" a user received an email (good gosh)
    ... Not if you are instructed by management to read the mailbox file, ... that showed me only the headers so I could avoid the text. ... The headers will give certain very useful information: The last time Manager ... To me it's irrelevant if he has filters ...
    (comp.security.unix)
  • RE: Policies unpredictable
    ... to remove items in mailbox older than 6 months. ... I am wondering how many Recipient Policy exists in Exchange System ... A description of the Mailbox Manager recipient ...
    (microsoft.public.exchange.admin)
  • Re: How can a secretary answer email for her manager?
    ... Do *not* make her the owner of the mailbox. ... Normally when the manager send an email the receiver sees ... > But when Susan send an email from the emailbox of her manager the receiver ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • Semi-OT: Lusers
    ... I just got a phone call from the AR manager. ... To set up a mailbox as default ... Janet can use her username and password when she ... are you saying that everyone has the same username and password? ...
    (microsoft.public.cert.exam.mcse)
  • Re: All emails delivered to either account
    ... by no documentation and hiding the status of their mailbox)? ... Note that the "do not download" action cannot even be triggered unless ... the headers that it already downloaded. ... know that they need to employ some other e-mail client or interface to ...
    (microsoft.public.outlook.general)