The WebRing.com System

Testing For Email Bounces

This page explains how a RingMaster in the WebRing.com system can test emails of the members of his webring.

Why Test Emails?

	This is the new logo for the WebRing.com system, implemented in their changes of Oct.2006. It distinguishes this webring system from the other systems like Ringlink, RingSurf and Bravenet. See also my articles: WebRing.com Logos and Is Webring a Trademark?

The WebRing.com system requires that members have a WebRing.com System User ID in order to join webrings.

However, nothing in the system requires that the email addresses actually work.

And, even if they work when the members join, nothing in the system routinely checks the email addresses to ensure that when members change addresses, that they update their membership.

In order to be able to reach your members, their email addresses must be current and operational. This means that you must periodically test these email addresses.

How to Test

The easiest way to test is to send a test message to all members of the webring. If the email address is bad, the message will bounce.

What Does "Bounce" Mean?

When you send an email to an address that does not exist, the system returns the email to you and tells you that your email could not be delivered.

When the system bounces the email it usually includes a copy of at least part of the original email. It does this so you can know what particular email was not delivered.

If your email is large, it only returns the first part; it truncates the email that it returns.

To see an example of a bounce, send an email to this address:

Bounce@JamesSHuggins.com

Type something in the body of the email so you can see that when the message is bounced back to you.

How to Use the Bounce

The key with the WebRing.com system is to realize that when you email the members, the system will automatically append the individual member information (site id, member id, URL, etc.) to each message. Then if the message bounces, you can use this individual information to identify the particular website that has the problem.

When you do you should be sure to:

1. Keep the message very short. As I mentioned above, some systems truncate the message when they bounce it. To ensure that you receive the individual identification information the message should be very short.
    
2. Clearly label the message both in the subject and also in the text. Let the recipient know that it is a test message. Let the recipient know that they can ignore the message. (When I do this, I also refer recipients to this page for more information. See the example below.)

How to Investigate

If an email does bounce, the RingMaster must then attempt to find the correct email address. The best way to do this is to visit the website of the member and to hunt that site for a more current email address.

Then What

After finding the correct email address, the RingMaster can then write the member advising of the email problem and requesting the member to correct the email address.

What Should the Email Say?

Here is a sample:

This email was sent only to test for bouncing email addresses for this webring. Using a very short message lets me identify the memberships that are bouncing. If you want to see how this works, see http://www.JamesSHuggins.com/h/rng1/wdc_email_bounce.htm

There is no need to reply. The fact that you received this message means that your address is ok. If there was a problem with your address it would bounce back to me.

Please just delete this message. Apologies for the interruption and thank you.

Can I Reference This Page?

Certainly. If you would like to reference this page in the email that you send to test email addresses, feel free.

A Personal Note:
If You Want to Delete Your Webring

If you are considering deleting your WebRing.com webring, please do not delete it. Instead, please contact me . I would be pleased to adopt it from you. I will personally work with you to make that transition smooth and painless.

I'm sorry. While I have long adopted webrings in the WebRing.com system, because of the Oct.2006 changes, I am no longer doing that.

However, please note that "deleting" your webring is a fruitless exercise. The system will just restore it and place it up for adoption.

Webring News and Announcements

WebRing.com Changes Big Time ---  It was October 2001 that WebRing.com came into existence following the end of Yahoo! Webring. Now, 5 years later, WebRing.com is changing again. Moving from primarily a free service to primarily a paid service, the system is undergoing massive change. Stay tuned.

Ringlink Activity  ---  While Ringlink has not released a new version since Version 3.2 on 21.Feb.2005, the system seems to be getting a lot of activity. Many people are discovering this great webring system and moving their webrings here. If you don't know about Ringlink, definitely check out this great webring system. I personally recommend it.

WoW  ---  The World of Webrings features the World of Webrings discussion list. It offers a forum for both webring owners (ringmasters) and webring members to discuss the latest hot topics about all webrings, including WebRing.com, Ringlink , Alt-Webring, RingSurf, Bravenet and others. If you belong to any webring in any webring service, you should join this list.

RingSurf Passes 3 Year Anniversary  ---  It was 3 years ago, on 16.Aug.2003 when the WoW list list noted that RingSurf's domain name registration had changed. Then the new owner came forward. A RingSurf Feature List was developed and debated. Then, on Thanksgiving day, 27.Nov.2003 the new owner posted on the WoW list that the new RingSurf is up! If you haven't checked it out lately, see what has happened in the last three years.

Article About Webrings  ---  Check out this excellent Salon.com article about the history of Yahoo! and WebRing.com: The Strange Saga of Yahoo and Webring . For some, it will bring back memories. For others, it will explain the history. Now, I wonder if they will update it to talk about the latest WebRing.com changes.

Articles About the WebRing.com System

Webring Sections and Subsections

The Webring Section is a large section of my website. I have divided it into four major "subsections".

• General Information
• The WebRing.com System
• Webrings I Own and Belong To
• The Wazillion Navbars Project

Each "subsection" has it's own special "logo".

As you travel in the various subsections you will find, near the bottom of each page, links to pages within that subsection and also links to the other subsections. To go to any subsection, just click on the "logo" or on the text link for that subsection.

Webrings: General Information

This subsection includes general information about webrings. Webrings can be hosted by a variety of different services. This section deals with the overall concepts and issues, not with any one particular "brand" of webring.

It includes my Webring FAQ, links to articles about webrings, and general help information. Click here or on the graphic.

The Wazillion Navbars Project

This subsection is a historical section about the Yahoo! WebRing system. It was begun during the early days of problems with the Yahoo! WebRing system in September 2000.

It ended when the Yahoo! WebRing system spun off into the independent WebRing.com system in October 2001. I maintain it for the historical record. Click here or on the graphic.

Webrings I Own and Belong To

This subsection shows all the webrings I own and links to all the webrings to which I belong. This includes webrings in Ringlink, RingSurf, Bravenet and the WebRing.com system as well.

If you are looking to join one of my webrings, this is a good place to start. If you wonder about the webrings I belong to, this is the place to go. Click here or on the graphic.

Last updated:
16:46, Fri, 27.Jun.2008