Prompting users for "Cc:" in mailx after message composed is confusing
Guy Harris
guy at auspex.auspex.com
Thu Nov 15 09:16:36 AEST 1990
Description:
If the "askcc" flag is set, "mailx" will, after you've finished
composing the body of a message and typed "." or ^D, prompt you
for a list of carbon-copy recipients.
A lot of users unfamiliar with this behavior will think that if
they type "." at this point, "mailx" will send their message off.
Well, they're right, in a sense, *but* it will also attempt to
send a carbon copy to user ".", and probably fail.
Either "askcc" should ask at a more opportune point, such as
after "mailx" asks for a subject and *before* you compose the
message, or a new option that does that should be provided.
The same applies to the "askbcc" option.
Repeat-By:
Arrange that "askcc" is set on a lot of accounts used by
people not familiar with this quirk, and watch the bounce
messages pile up in the postmaster's mailbox(es).
Fix:
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