Why this is is because while sometimes your message goes from your computer to your ISP's mail server, to the recipient's ISP's mail server, to the recipient. Some times it bounces from mail server to mail server to mail server ... before it gets to where it is addressed. It is even possible that it gets relayed through a mail server that is only online part time. That of course can delay the message drastically.
While the norm is to relay through the shortest route, sometimes that is not possible and then you have no idea where the message has been unless you look at the complete header which will show that information. Realize that this is all intended for maximum reliability rather than maximum speed, the message should eventually get through no matter what happened to the net. Unfortunately with all the denial of service attacks on mail servers it is even possible that messages will not get through at all (a mail server acknowledges receipt, then crashes before sending it on).
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frank theriault wrote:
I don't know about anyone else, but I'm just getting this post now (almost 7pm EST, Monday), and I posted it at around 11:30 pm last night.
I hate Hotmail!! There's a post re: Shel's "Marilyn's Shoes in the Garden" (or whatever it's called) that hasn't shown up yet at all (I think I said I liked it, though... <g>).
I hate Hotmail. I guess ya gets what ya pays for, eh?
-- graywolf http://graywolfphoto.com/graywolf.html
