Mail security

[P. Tucker Withington]

The mention of user-specifiable delivery programs and the particular idea of
notifying senders of the receiver's temporary absence brings to mind an early
experience on the ARPAnet...

Supposedly two prof.'s both went on summer sabbaticle, setting their mailers
to respond to all mail with a "I'll be back in a couple of months" message.
Just to be sure, they also sent the message out immediately to all their
colleagues they communicated with frequently.

A few days later, the whole net slowly ground to a halt as it filled with:

      +------------------------------
      | Re your message: "I'll be back in a couple of months...
      |
	*I'll* be back in a couple of months.

				       --Tucker (ptw at vaxine.UUCP)
					(I'm still here)