🚀 go-pugleaf

I sent mail to a BITNET address such as:
        To: @UKCC.uky.edu:user@TEMPLEVM.BITNET
using 'sendmail -t'. I figured it wouldn't work, but I've seen this
address format around, so I figured I'd try it.

This is what resulted:
> ~/spool% sendnow let.822
> @UKCC.uky.edu:user@TEMPLEVM.BITNET... Connecting to ukcc.uky.edu (tcp)...
> 220 UKCC.uky.edu running IBM VM SMTP V2R2 on Tue, 27 Oct 92 04:27:11 EST
> >>> HELO lynx.dac.northeastern.edu
> 250 UKCC.uky.edu is my domain name.
> >>> MAIL From:<tmetro@lynx.dac.northeastern.edu>
> 250 OK
> >>> RCPT To:<<@ukcc.uky.edu:userA@TEMPLEVM.BITNET>>
> 501 Syntax Error. Start Path name with '<'
> @UKCC.uky.edu:V2002A@TEMPLEVM.BITNET... Remote protocol error
> >>> QUIT
> 221 UKCC.uky.edu running IBM VM SMTP V2R2 closing connection
> Saving message in /usr3/usr/t/tmetro/dead.letter
> /usr3/usr/t/tmetro/dead.letter... Sent

It looks like the ":" or the extra "@" in the address caused sendmail
to throw in an extra set of "<>".

The "dead.letter" looked like this:
> From tmetro  Tue Oct 27 04:27:33 1992
> Received: by lynx.dac.northeastern.edu (5.57/Ultrix3.0-C)
>         id AA28119; Tue, 27 Oct 92 04:27:33 -0500
> X-Mailer: *Cinetic Mail Manager V2.1
> Date: Tue, 27 Oct 1992 02:52:47 EST
> Reply-To: tmetro@lynx.dac.northeastern.edu
> From: tmetro@lynx.dac.northeastern.edu (Tom Metro)
> To: <@UKCC.uky.edu:user@TEMPLEVM.BITNET>
> Subject: Re: venues
 
Note that sendmail has rewritten the original "To:" line to include
angle brackets.

Does this have something to do with address reformatting for DECnet, or is
something broken, or is this just a silly address format to try?

On a somewhat related note, why isn't there special rules in sendmail.cf
for handling the .BITNET pseudo-domain like there is for .UUCP? Is it assumed
that your relay host will take care of that?

 -Tom
tmetro@lynx.dac.northeastern.edu