Improper Uses of Autoresponders

Autoresponders are wonderful! They can be used for
a variety of things, but there are several ways that
autoresponders should not be used. Using
autoresponders in improper ways will make things
a bit more difficult for other people, and it could
make things really bad for you!

Having one autoresponder respond to another
autoresponder creates chaos, and in some cases, it
can overload servers. This happens when you sign
up for something, using your autoresponder email
address. You sign up, and a message is sent to
someone else’s autoresponder, which responds to
your autoresponder, which responds to that
autoresponder – and this continues on and on until
it is manually stopped and straightened out.

Some people use their autoresponder address on
purpose when they sign up for discussion lists. In
effect, this causes an their autoresponder message
to be sent to the entire list, or to one person on the
list, each time a person sends a real message to
the discussion list. Needless to say, discussion list
members and owners frown on this practice, and the
autoresponder owner gets banned.

Avoid these problems and use your autoresponder in
ways that it was meant to be used. Do not use the
autoresponder irresponsibly! Not only will you create
problems for others, but you may find that you get
reported for spam!

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