[Evolution] user+subject host address format, was Re: how to edit 'from' line when composing

[W Randolph Franklin <wrf+evolution ecse rpi edu>]

Hi,

Based on a few replies to my posting, this useful techique appears to be 
not widely enough known, so here's a description and motivation.


1. What is it?

When many mailers have no match for an address of the form 'user+subject', 
they will strip it to 'user' and try again.


2. Why is it useful?

This lets you embed a code into your address, in order to track who uses 
that address in the future.  E.g., where did a spammer get your address?
You may also automatically sort incoming mail into separate files.

Indeed, if I had
the tools, I'd generate a separate address for each piece of mail that I
sent, and record that.  That address would include a check digit to
prevent people from forging them.


3. Why not use a filter to "sort" replies? 

What's the invariant that I would sort on?   The sender and the subject
may change, say if the sender passes my address on to someone else.
However my address can't if the mail is to reach me.  


4. If I can't edit the 'from' line, why not put this into the 'reply-to' line?

Many programs ignore that.    One example is the list handler for this evolution 
list.   It validates mail, such as this message, based on the 'from' line.  Note 
that it's from wrf+evolution, not from wrf.



-- 
W. Randolph Franklin
wrf+evolution ecse rpi edu  or mail wrfranklin org (Plaintext preferred; attachments deprecated)
http://wrfranklin.org/