Re: Thunderbird and MIDs

On 2/20/2026 2:18 PM, R.Wieser wrote:
> Frank,
> 
>> I don't know if it still works in Outlook Express (Rudy?).
> 
> Yes, it does.  Both when clicking the news:// link inside a post, or when 
> putting it into my webbrowser (FF 52) (which than handed it off to OE).
> 
> 
> I also tried to put your posts message-ID
> ([email protected]) after the news:// protocol
> header, but although OE tried, it told me that it could not find the server
> (ID-201911.user.individual.net).
> 
> Regards,
> Rudy Wieser

The most logical conclusion, might be that

     [email protected]      <=== M-ID needs the b.c to resolve to a real email server
    (email)          Perhaps email does not allow fudging the b.c part ?

     [email protected]      <=== The M-ID on USENET News, all it needs to be, is "unique"
    (News)           from every other message. The designers consider there is
                     no requirement for e.f to be real and suited to nslookup(e.f).
                     But on the minus side, from a context point of view,
                     if we allow this, we cannot "guess" which USENET account/server
                     this might have come from.

Outlook wants to look at exactly one server, for [email protected] and when nsloopup(e.f)
fails to work properly, it becomes wobbly. Whereas for a USENET client,
they have the option of trying any USENET news account/server to do
a lookup of the [email protected] pseudo-identifier. It only looks like an email
address, when it isn't exactly an email address (as the domain can be
fake or a vanity string).

Jeff Relf wrote his own USENET news client, and it definitely has a
"unique" string for messages like no other. The NNTP spec allows this.
You do not have to accept the INN "suggested" M-ID, you can use your
own, and that is what Jeff does.

   Paul