Getting email from other Fastmail domains (that I shouldn't).

curmudgeon · 23 Jun 2003, 08:51 AM

I have a basic free account with an address of someuser@fastmail.fm.

I recently have started to receive e-mail addressed to someuser@some_other_fastmail.domain.

This certainly should not happen (and seems like a relatively egregious problem to me). I have no idea whether or not my user name at this other domain exists (I assume it does not, or it would correctly receive the mail).

Any suggestions?

BBM · 23 Jun 2003, 09:04 AM

Yeah, it shouldn't happen, but it does, for now. As FastMail currently operates, mail sent to a username at any of FM's domains will go to that username at his/her chosen domain. (For that reason, you can't have the same username at two different domains.) This is going to change at some point. No one except Jeremy and Rob know exactly when, but supposedly it's on the short list. If you run a search on this forum for "domain separation" you'll find a lot more information.

sflorack · 23 Jun 2003, 11:40 AM

As a matter of fact, it seems to be 1 of every 10 new threads started lately. <sigh>

curmudgeon · 23 Jun 2003, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sflorack
As a matter of fact, it seems to be 1 of every 10 new threads started lately. <sigh>

I didn't see anything that looked like a similar thread on the first two pages of the forum (I admit I do not read it regularly), or in the Fastmail FAQ (if indeed many new threads concern this subject, then it deserves an entry there).

sjk · 23 Jun 2003, 12:32 PM

Without recent FastMail service enhancements there aren't as many fresh topics on the forum.

Seems Rob's recent post listing priorities is no longer on the forum (I'm certain it contained words like security and infrastructure), but for me the gist of it seemed to imply that FM will pretty much continue cruising in "maintenance/support mode" for awhile; "new features" was last on the list. And I'd bet Rob's been handling more interruptions and responsibilities while Jeremy's less available, leaving less time for significant development work. Also helping train Kurian. It may be that some projects are mosly finished, but that "last mile" is the most stubborn one lately.

Okay, enough speculation.

sflorack · 23 Jun 2003, 01:16 PM

I agree. I've been eagerly awaiting a new news flash at the bottom of my screen each time I login.

Although I've been a little less excited about coming features lately as I'm becoming less dependant on the web interface, and starting to utilize Thunderbird.

stumcgoo · 24 Jun 2003, 07:08 PM

Please correct me if im wrong here.

So some random fastmail user could be reading my email? I don’t believe that.

I can not have any chance of any other fm user reading my mail. This is unacceptable. Im sure many other users feel like this too.

Please put a stop to this immediately.

Cheers
Stu

stumcgoo · 24 Jun 2003, 07:12 PM

Could somebody that works with FM please update us on this.

I like the FM service but fixing this problem must be a prority. What is being done about this?

Cheers
Stu

kurianja · 24 Jun 2003, 07:41 PM

stumcgoo:

Noone can access your account or your mails.. unless you give out your username and password...So, no worries on that front.

This 'getting mails at other domain' problem is due to the way fastmail is currently working. Any account name with any of fastmail domains locks up the same username for other domains as well.

That means, a username or an alias is unique across all fastmail domains. And mails to username@anyofthefastmaildomains is delivered to that unique 'username' account.

This shouldn't be so as the domain split happens, which is high on the Fastmail priority list.

Kurian.

stumcgoo · 24 Jun 2003, 09:21 PM

Thanks kurianja just got a bit of a fright after reading that post. Possibly a little hasty with my reply!

Cheers
Stu

robert@fm · 25 Jun 2003, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by stumcgoo
I like the FM service but fixing this [domain separation] problem must be a prority. What is being done about this?

http://www.emaildiscussions.com/...8986#post98986

sjk · 25 Jun 2003, 10:50 AM

If people send e-mail to your account using different FastMail domains (because of their current equivalence) there's a possibility of messages being received by unintended recipients after the domains are unique and associated with different accounts. It's easier/safer to use a single domain, then ignore (or reject, using Sieve) messages sent to your account/alias names within other domains.

After the domain split I'm sure some people will receive valid messages intended for the same username at a different domain. Perhaps it's no more than people who already inadvertently receive messages due to address typos. But why create an unnecessary possibility for unintended recipients?

I've already questioned FastMail's choice of allowing domain equivalence in the first place, and allowing accounts/aliases to be "casually" reused (which, as I've said before, it's analogous to hassles caused by reusing phone numbers). At best they're misfeatures. Fortunately the domain equivalence is acknowledged as troublesome and intended to be fixed.

an3 · 26 Jun 2003, 07:35 AM

Time for a little confession.
Maybe I'm a bad person, but in my "Personalities" option, I set it to look like my mail was sent from "@sent.com", and not "@fastmail.fm", or some other free domain. Up till now I have been getting and sending mails just dandy. But if there is a "domain split", does it mean that I'm going to lose that freedom? I sure hope not! I really enjoy the liberty of being @ something as easy as sent.com, even though I'm not a paying member

. A lot of my friends I have introduced to fastmail do the same. Let me know whazzup.

BBM · 26 Jun 2003, 07:44 AM

You'll still be able to send email from whatever address you want, but won't be able to get mail back to an address unless you actually hold that account @whatever.com address. You get what you pay for, and if you don't pay for it, you won't get it (any more).

kchess79 · 26 Jun 2003, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by an3
But if there is a "domain split", does it mean that I'm going to lose that freedom?

Yup! You'll only be able to be you@fastmail.fm (or whatever domain you signed up with), not you@fastmail.fm AND you@sent.com.

23 Jun 2003, 08:51 AM	#1
curmudgeon Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 101	Getting email from other Fastmail domains (that I shouldn't). I have a basic free account with an address of someuser@fastmail.fm. I recently have started to receive e-mail addressed to someuser@some_other_fastmail.domain. This certainly should not happen (and seems like a relatively egregious problem to me). I have no idea whether or not my user name at this other domain exists (I assume it does not, or it would correctly receive the mail). Any suggestions?

26 Jun 2003, 07:35 AM	#13
an3 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Salem, Oregon, USA Posts: 24	Uh oh Time for a little confession. Maybe I'm a bad person, but in my "Personalities" option, I set it to look like my mail was sent from "@sent.com", and not "@fastmail.fm", or some other free domain. Up till now I have been getting and sending mails just dandy. But if there is a "domain split", does it mean that I'm going to lose that freedom? I sure hope not! I really enjoy the liberty of being @ something as easy as sent.com, even though I'm not a paying member . A lot of my friends I have introduced to fastmail do the same. Let me know whazzup.

23 Jun 2003, 09:04 AM	#2
BBM Essential Contributor Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 265	Yeah, it shouldn't happen, but it does, for now. As FastMail currently operates, mail sent to a username at any of FM's domains will go to that username at his/her chosen domain. (For that reason, you can't have the same username at two different domains.) This is going to change at some point. No one except Jeremy and Rob know exactly when, but supposedly it's on the short list. If you run a search on this forum for "domain separation" you'll find a lot more information.

23 Jun 2003, 11:40 AM	#3
sflorack The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 2,937	As a matter of fact, it seems to be 1 of every 10 new threads started lately. <sigh>

23 Jun 2003, 12:32 PM	#5
sjk Master of the @ Join Date: May 2002 Location: Eugene Posts: 1,975	Without recent FastMail service enhancements there aren't as many fresh topics on the forum. Seems Rob's recent post listing priorities is no longer on the forum (I'm certain it contained words like security and infrastructure), but for me the gist of it seemed to imply that FM will pretty much continue cruising in "maintenance/support mode" for awhile; "new features" was last on the list. And I'd bet Rob's been handling more interruptions and responsibilities while Jeremy's less available, leaving less time for significant development work. Also helping train Kurian. It may be that some projects are mosly finished, but that "last mile" is the most stubborn one lately. Okay, enough speculation.

23 Jun 2003, 01:16 PM	#6
sflorack The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 2,937	I agree. I've been eagerly awaiting a new news flash at the bottom of my screen each time I login. Although I've been a little less excited about coming features lately as I'm becoming less dependant on the web interface, and starting to utilize Thunderbird.

24 Jun 2003, 07:08 PM	#7
stumcgoo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 127	Please correct me if im wrong here. So some random fastmail user could be reading my email? I don’t believe that. I can not have any chance of any other fm user reading my mail. This is unacceptable. Im sure many other users feel like this too. Please put a stop to this immediately. Cheers Stu

24 Jun 2003, 07:12 PM	#8
stumcgoo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 127	Could somebody that works with FM please update us on this. I like the FM service but fixing this problem must be a prority. What is being done about this? Cheers Stu

24 Jun 2003, 07:41 PM	#9
kurianja Master of the @ Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 1,395 Representative of: Fastmail.FM	stumcgoo: Noone can access your account or your mails.. unless you give out your username and password...So, no worries on that front. This 'getting mails at other domain' problem is due to the way fastmail is currently working. Any account name with any of fastmail domains locks up the same username for other domains as well. That means, a username or an alias is unique across all fastmail domains. And mails to username@anyofthefastmaildomains is delivered to that unique 'username' account. This shouldn't be so as the domain split happens, which is high on the Fastmail priority list. Kurian.

24 Jun 2003, 09:21 PM	#10
stumcgoo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 127	Thanks kurianja just got a bit of a fright after reading that post. Possibly a little hasty with my reply! Cheers Stu

25 Jun 2003, 10:50 AM	#12
sjk Master of the @ Join Date: May 2002 Location: Eugene Posts: 1,975	If people send e-mail to your account using different FastMail domains (because of their current equivalence) there's a possibility of messages being received by unintended recipients after the domains are unique and associated with different accounts. It's easier/safer to use a single domain, then ignore (or reject, using Sieve) messages sent to your account/alias names within other domains. After the domain split I'm sure some people will receive valid messages intended for the same username at a different domain. Perhaps it's no more than people who already inadvertently receive messages due to address typos. But why create an unnecessary possibility for unintended recipients? I've already questioned FastMail's choice of allowing domain equivalence in the first place, and allowing accounts/aliases to be "casually" reused (which, as I've said before, it's analogous to hassles caused by reusing phone numbers). At best they're misfeatures. Fortunately the domain equivalence is acknowledged as troublesome and intended to be fixed.

26 Jun 2003, 07:44 AM	#14
BBM Essential Contributor Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 265	You'll still be able to send email from whatever address you want, but won't be able to get mail back to an address unless you actually hold that account @whatever.com address. You get what you pay for, and if you don't pay for it, you won't get it (any more).