[pmmail-list] HTML mail was New betas worth it?

[Kenneth Porter]

On Sat, 17 Mar 2001 14:40:40 -0800 (PST), Kris Sorem Sr wrote:

>Only when that HTML mail
>included JavaScript did PMMail crash. Java is best left for browsers. I
>don't want my email automatically executing scripting of any type.

Agreed, but note that Java and JavaScript are two completely different
animals.

Java can only be transmitted as an attachment (like an EXE). A link to
Java could be transmitted in an HTML message and one would hope that
the usual browser sandbox rules would then apply, or the link would not
be chased at all.

BTW, does PMMail attempt to follow IMG links in HTML messages? In
particular, is it subject to "web bugs", sometimes called "e-wiretaps"?
These are 1x1 pixel images on a web site referenced by an email. They
are really CGI web server programs in disguise. When fetched, the
remote CGI program runs, logs your identity (to the extent that a web
server can, eg. by your IP address and any data sent in the URL like
your email address), and then sends the image, so you can't tell
visually that anything has happened. A brief experiment suggests not,
using one of the email receipt confirmation services.

For more on web bugs, look here:

http://www.privacyfoundation.org/education/webbug.html

Ken
mailto:shiva@well.com
http://www.sewingwitch.com/ken/
[If answering a mailing list posting, please don't cc me your reply. I'll take my answer on the list.]



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