From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Oct 5 19:50:42 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id BB1561065676 for ; Mon, 5 Oct 2009 19:50:42 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from kline@thought.org) Received: from aristotle.thought.org (aristotle.thought.org [209.180.213.210]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 5B9208FC19 for ; Mon, 5 Oct 2009 19:50:42 +0000 (UTC) Received: from thought.org (tao.thought.org [10.47.0.250]) (authenticated bits=0) by aristotle.thought.org (8.14.2/8.14.2) with ESMTP id n95Jmrdg047761; Mon, 5 Oct 2009 12:48:54 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from kline@thought.org) Received: by thought.org (nbSMTP-1.00) for uid 1002 kline@thought.org; Mon, 5 Oct 2009 12:50:37 -0700 (PDT) Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2009 12:50:36 -0700 From: Gary Kline To: Bill Moran Message-ID: <20091005195036.GC44739@thought.org> References: <20091005173717.GA44563@thought.org> <20091005135924.be749247.wmoran@potentialtech.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <20091005135924.be749247.wmoran@potentialtech.com> User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2.3i X-Organization: Thought Unlimited. Public service Unix since 1986. X-Of_Interest: With 23 years of service to the Unix community. X-Spam-Status: No, score=-4.4 required=3.6 tests=ALL_TRUSTED,BAYES_00 autolearn=ham version=3.2.3 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.2.3 (2007-08-08) on aristotle.thought.org Cc: FreeBSD Mailing List Subject: Re: way to check an email without sending it?? X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:50:42 -0000 On Mon, Oct 05, 2009 at 01:59:24PM -0400, Bill Moran wrote: > In response to Gary Kline : > > > > Hey Guys, > > > > Is there a way I can tell that an email address, say > > > > joe@foo.com > > > > is still valid without joe knowing that I am curious? --And, > > yes, this isn't a FBSD-specific question... . > > > > thanks for any insights, > > Sure. Telnet to the service and start a SMTP transaction, but then abort it: > > $ telnet mail.potentialtech.com 25 > Trying 66.167.251.6... > Connected to mail.potentialtech.com. > Escape character is '^]'. > 220 mail.potentialtech.com ESMTP If you spam me I will bounce you > helo mail.potentialtech.com > 250 mail.potentialtech.com > mail from: > 250 2.1.0 Ok > rcpt to: > 450 5.7.0 : Recipient address rejected: User unknown in local recipient table > quit > 221 2.0.0 Bye > Connection closed by foreign host. > > If you don't get a rejection after the "rcpt to:" line, then you know the > server will accept the mail and you can close the connection without > completing the transaction. > > Note, that this is no guarantee. Some spam catching nonsense may accept > the mail right up to end, then throw it away without delivering it. telnet couldn't connect for unknown reason but thabks for the tip. I usually just write and say HI, Howzit hanging... or whatever. Anyway, the sendmail -bv ploy indicates that this person is still at the address i have. no big deal; i was just wondering. thanks, people, gary > > -- > Bill Moran > http://www.potentialtech.com > http://people.collaborativefusion.com/~wmoran/ -- Gary Kline kline@thought.org http://www.thought.org Public Service Unix http://jottings.thought.org http://transfinite.thought.org The 5.67a release of Jottings: http://jottings.thought.org/index.php