Attched File Problems! (Was eggshells...)

[Tompaleo@aol.com]

I
<< Could we please NOT send attached documents to the list. This one blocked
 my server for ten minutes (I'm usually only hooked on to the server for
 half that time to download 40-50 messages) and what came through was looked
 like code for the flushing system of a Klingon dunny. As I understand it,
 most other people get a similar responce when recieving an attachment sent
 from a list. The problem seems to be the sending and receiving protocols.
 When you know whose computer you are sending to, you can both set up your
 computers. When sending to a list, you are casting your seed on barren
 ground (pretty Biblical huh?!). >>


I wholeheartedly agree! For the last couple of weeks i had been experiencing
problems with slower than normal downloads and repeating errors concerning
"batch download errors",  causing download aborts. As is often the case, I
blamed AOL but after reinstalling a newer version of same on my new Pentium
and turning off ALL settings related to downloading files, I happened to
catch in a 166MHz flash what file was causing the trouble. lo and behold,
there was a file attachmemnt having to do with "velociraptor footprints" that
had caused all the trouble! I immediately deleted the offending file while
wishing I could do the same to the individual who sent it, and my problem
evaporated!  This is the second time such a thing has happened but since it
was a new  phenomenon to my server, it took me a while to stumble across the
problem and to remember what I did the first time to remedy the situation!

PLEASE DO NOT ATTACH FILES!!!!!!!!!


Mickey,
What is the possibility that you can amend the list Administrivia to forbid
attaching files to messages with the penalties being similar to that for
flaming or Creationism?



Regards,
Thomas R. Lipka
Paleontological/Geological Studies