Re: [cobalt-users] Cobalt RAQ 4 (Sending Mass Mail) Why not working.

[Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Nicolae Popescu Jr." wrote:

> I am using Subscribe Me! Lite (cgi-resources.com)
> as a mailing list.
> 
> I never used it onto a RAQ till recently.
> 
> I sent out 1,500 - 2,000 emails and put my own email at the end.
> Never got it.
> 
> I put my email in let's say 350th place and I get it.

One of our customers is using Subscribe Me Pro.  He was never happy with
it, although after a lot of tinkering by the man who wrote the package,
it does now work.

However, the author's attitude (to us anyway) was that if he wanted to
run Subscribe Me he should have a dedicated high-speed mail server if he
was serious.

I think Subscribe Me may be somewhat of a resource hog.  As I recall
Subscribe Me writes a separate email to every address.  That means it
creates a separate process for every outgoing email.  Even if many of
them are at the same domain.

> Is the raq / sendmail setup to block mass mail as such?

No, but sendmail does have a limit on how many processes it will start.

> I checked the log and noticed a huge increase on one of the
> domains.  True it seems that it went through but not all
> maybe.

Sorry, I can't understand this sentence.

> Incoming Mail (LOCAL) stats is also very high.  Meaning
> that a big portion of the list came back to localhost
> for non-existing.

That's the problem with ALL mass mailings.  Where did you get the list
from?  No, I don't care, since I'm not hosting him, but you should.  If
you start generating complaints, someone is going to want to turn off
your connection at some point.

Returned mailings will cripple outgoing email.  That's why spammers use
phony return address information, spoof IP#s, etc., etc.

> My question is even if others did not go through why didn't
> I receive a reply with my email at the end.

Again, I don't understand your question.

> Just wondering.

On a separate, but related subject, the only list that's good enough for
you to use is a "double-opt-in" list.  That's when the request to join
the list came to YOU (not to someone you bought the list from).  Then
you wrote them back and asked if they really wanted to join.  Then they
wrote back and you add the email address they wrote back from to your
list.

There's NO other way to safely send bulk email.  If someone sold you a
list they called opt-in or double-opt-in, they lied.  If the recipient
didn't ask to be on a list sent by you it's NOT opt-in as far as you're
concerned.

And it will cause a lot of bounces, which will cause you no end of
grief.

I can help you with Subscribe Me; I have experience with both Subscribe
Me and with the author.  However, based on previous experience, I think
it would be an expensive experience for you.

Jeff
-- 
Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Linux and Cobalt/Sun/RaQ Consulting
nobaloney.net
P. O. Box 52672, Riverside, CA  92517
voice: (909) 778-9980  *  fax: (702) 548-9484