[pmmail-list] A better explaination of the bug with PMMAIL attachments

[Kris Sorem Sr]

My reply to message from Paul Hodges sent on
Fri, 21 Sep 2001 14:01:24 +0100. You wrote:

>Is it "clueless" to expect a message not to be changed if you forward
>it?  With 45 years computing experience and 20 years of active email
>usage I don't count myself as a naive user, but I would certainly
>call this behaviour a bug - as I did when it first caught me out.

No! It is "clueless", IMO, to not review the information you are sending
to someone else. It is under this circumstance that information
(attachment) MAY not WILL change.  I expect anyone who "forwards" a
message to me to KNOW what they are sending to me. That's not
unreasonable.

I didn't say it wasn't a bug but it has never "caught me out". I have an
equal amount of active mail usage as you. I had to purposely recreate the
circumstances to verify it. It is an extremely isolated case that can be
easily avoided. It was created, I believe, because the designers
anticipated the user would review the information he/she was forwarding to
someone else as I advocate. If the message and its attachments are viewed
(opened) and then forwarded, there is no problem even if there is a 
filename conflict. PMMail SHOULD treat forwarding from RMB (or not opening
attachments) the same as reviewing it since it is coded to detach then
reattach attachments. Apparently this is done to permit quoting the body
and adding comments to the NEWLY formed message. Even this is no problem
unless a filename conflict exists. When this condition exists, PMMail
SHOULD replace the file or give conflict notification to the user. PMMail
does not and that's the problem.

>
>I don't expect (or want!) a parcel courier to open and check the
>contents of a package every time it is passed to a different driver,
>as a silly example of what you are advocating.

Your "silly example" DOESN'T project what I'm "advocating". Using your
"silly example": I don't expect (or want!) a parcel courier (the internet)
to open and check the contents of a package (email) every time it is
passed to a different driver (mail server). I do expect that WHEN the
package (email) addressed to YOU arrives at its destination ( your inbox)
that you open and examine the contents of the package (message and
attachments) BEFORE readdressing the package (email) and sending it to ME.

--
JMO, 
/s/~Kris
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