Some people seem to have an obsessive fascination for the PING / TRACE combo of flags (probably because they're not getting any mails and desperately send out PINGs in order to receive something from somewhere ... anywhere).

I do fly the PING-flag and try to have it followed-up correctly. But today something interesting occured.

I do "not" fly the 'TRACE'-flag, but someone sends me a trace on my 2:292/854 anyway ... Now what? ... I'd say the system should remain idle.

I don't have the flag, hence I shouldn't care about it.

Second, what if a node "is" flying 'TRACE' and gets a TRACE-request? Since the message stops there, is not passing through in other words, it shouldn't be traced either and the receiving system can remain idle as well ...

There you go.

\%/@rd

--- DB4 - 20260902
* Origin: Many Glacier - Preserve / Protect / Conserve (2:292/854)

Hej Ward!

There you go.

Wherever you go there you are.

Het leven is goed,
Maurice

o- o- o- -o o- o- -o -o o- -o -o o- -o -o -o o-
/) /) /) (\ /) /) (\ (\ /) (\ (\ /) (\ (\ (\ /)
^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^
... Feorma þu symle in þinum ferðe god.
Always foster in your heart what is good.
--- GNU bash, version 5.3.20(1)-release (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)
* Origin: Little Mikey's EuroPoint @ (2:280/464.113)

Hi Ward,

On 2026-10-15 09:20:17, you wrote to All:

I do fly the PING-flag and try to have it followed-up correctly. But
today something interesting occured.

I do "not" fly the 'TRACE'-flag, but someone sends me a trace on my 2:292/854
anyway ... Now what? ... I'd say the system should remain idle.

I got one too... ;-)

I don't have the flag, hence I shouldn't care about it.

Second, what if a node "is" flying 'TRACE' and gets a TRACE-request? Since the
message stops there, is not passing through in other words, it shouldn't be
traced either and the receiving system can remain idle as well ...

There is no such thing as a TRACE request! 'TRACE' is not a defined destination adres that should generate an auto-response.

The trace flag means the system where a PING request passes through, auto-respondes to the sender with a "Trace" response.

http://ftsc.org/docs/fts-4010.001 Paragraph 3; TRACE.


Bye, Wilfred.

--- FMail-lnx64 2.3.4.1-B20260520
* Origin: FMail development HQ (2:280/464)

Wilfred,

I got one too... ;-)

So what do we do with the message addressed to "TRACE" ... 8-) ... 'ignore' as I said?

\%/@rd

--- DB4 - 20260902
* Origin: Many Glacier - Preserve / Protect / Conserve (2:292/854)

Hello Wilfred,

On 15 Oct 26 10:35, you wrote to Ward Dossche:

I do fly the PING-flag and try to have it followed-up correctly.
But today something interesting occured.

I do "not" fly the 'TRACE'-flag, but someone sends me a trace on
my 2:292/854 anyway ... Now what? ... I'd say the system should
remain idle.

I got one too... ;-)

Me too. ;-)


Cheers, Michiel

--- GoldED+/W32-MINGW 2.0.0-b20260928
* Origin: Nieuw Schnøørd (2:280/5555)

Hi Ward,

On 2026-10-15 12:03:30, you wrote to me:

I got one too... ;-)

So what do we do with the message addressed to "TRACE" ... 8-) ... 'ignore' as
I said?

I informed the sender he was doing it wrong. ;-)

You can ignore it I suppose...


Bye, Wilfred.

--- FMail-lnx64 2.3.4.1-B20260520
* Origin: FMail development HQ (2:280/464)

Hello Ward,

On 15 Oct 26 12:03, you wrote to Wilfred van Velzen:

I got one too... ;-)

So what do we do with the message addressed to "TRACE" ... 8-) ... 'ignore' as I said?

I deleted it.


Cheers, Michiel

--- GoldED+/W32-MINGW 2.0.0-b20260928
* Origin: http://www.vlist.eu (2:280/5555)

Michiel,

So what do we do with the message addressed to "TRACE" ... 8-) ... Mv>WD> 'ignore' as I said?

I deleted it.

I'm going to try to let OT catch it and send it to the eternal hunting fields...

\%/@rd

--- DB4 - 20260902
* Origin: Many Glacier - Preserve / Protect / Conserve (2:292/854)

Hello Ward!

15 Oct 26 09:20, you wrote to All:

Some people seem to have an obsessive fascination for the PING / TRACE combo of flags (probably because they're not getting any mails and desperately send out PINGs in order to receive something from
somewhere ... anywhere).

Is it connected with fidonet.cc? This guy is doing good job and he deserves patience.

If it is the case:

For example that: https://nodelist.fidonet.cc/analytics/pingtrace/node?address=2%3a423%2f39
can help me in case I am chasing somebody.

Also reachability (same web) can help me to understand what is happening.

There are not so many changes (for good) in fidonet recently - but that tool I like. (And it is not because I am geeting no messages ;-)

Karel

--- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20240209
* Origin: Plast DATA (2:423/39)

Karel,

Is it connected with fidonet.cc? This guy is doing good job and he
deserves patience.

This guy is very well known to me ... we looked eachother in the eyes when he visited here (in 2024?), we had diner and drank Belgian beers. His sister even lives in Belgium.

Anything else?

\%/@rd

--- DB4 - 20260902
* Origin: Many Glacier - Preserve / Protect / Conserve (2:292/854)

Hello Ward!

15 Oct 26 19:56, you wrote to me:

This guy is very well known to me ... we looked eachother in the eyes
when he visited here (in 2024?), we had diner and drank Belgian beers.
His sister even lives in Belgium.

OK. That beer explain everything ;-)

Karel

--- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20240209
* Origin: Plast DATA (2:423/39)

Hello Ward!

15 Oct 26 12:03, you wrote to Wilfred van Velzen:

So what do we do with the message addressed to "TRACE" ... 8-) ... 'ignore' as I said?

If it is addressed to your system, you are free to dispose of it in any manner you see fit. ie: ignore, delete, bounce back to the sender, etc.

If it is addressed to any other system, it should be routed toward that destination like any other routed netmail. Your system is not required to respond to the sender in any way.

Andrew

---
* Origin: From the Desk of the FTSC Administrator (1:320/219)