Subj : NNTP and To: field
To : Accession
From : Digital Man
Date : Wed Nov 05 2025 06:03 pm
Re: NNTP and To: field
By: Accession to Digital Man on Wed Nov 05 2025 05:08 pm
> Hey Digital!
>
> On Tue, 04 Nov 2025 14:01:02 -0800, you wrote:
>
> >> Replies in echomail areas through Synchronet's NNTP server include
> >> "All" in the To: field. I had assumed this was standard behavior for
> >> SBBS, similar to the old NNTP-FTN gateways. (However, the REPLY
> >> kludge appears to be functioning correctly, allowing messages to be
> >> properly threaded.)
> >>
> >> After reviewing the source code of nntpservice.js, I discovered a
> >> function named getReferenceTo. If I'm not mistaken, this function
> >> should return the recipient's name, but it defaults to "All" when a
> >> recipient isn't found.
> >>
> >> Could it be that this function isn't working as intended?
>
> > If a recipient isn't found, "All" seems like a sensible default. Are you
> > saying the failure to find a recipient is a bug? Feel free to play with
> > it and offer up a patch if you have one.
>
> I think what he was saying, is that even when there /is/ a recipient
> (doesn't just about every 'reply' message have a recipient?), it still uses
> "All" (and I don't disagree that is indeed how NNTP has always worked).
No, not all USENET replies have a recipient. X-Comment-to is not a requirement or universally used.
--
digital man (rob)
Synchronet "Real Fact" #31:
The Synchronet IRC server (ircd) was written in JS by Randy Sommerfeld (Cyan)
Norco, CA WX: 61.1�F, 72.0% humidity, 5 mph WNW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs
