Outlook 2003 distribution list

[lsoul]

I have been trying to send out a newsletter to a couple of hundred customers (NOT spam!) and set up a distribution list to do it. Upon sending, about 80% came back on an error message saying "couldn't find any host named" beside each in a listing of over a 150. My domain server investigated and concluded that it was not their server at fault. So, I tried setting it up as a mail merge so they would go out one at a time. Finally, after a gruesome time doing that I discover that bloody Outlook will not allow you an attachment on a mail merge e-mail! I KNOW many of the domains were good and active - like Dow & Dupont. Any thoughts as to why all of these may have been bounced? A workaround for mail merge attachments - I do NOT want to just include a link - I want the pdf to be attached? Another program for e-mailing that is more functional than MS xxxx? I will have to do this every few months and maintain the list etc. Many thanks for any responses.

[Rob Pomeroy]

Multiple recipient emails are going to be bounced by many many servers.  You need a list server, or a mailing list set up with your ISP.  Do you run your own server?  If not, speak to your ISP about this.  A decent ISP will let you have this as part of your email service.

[lsoul]

Many thanks for your reply. I went to my website's ISP site and find that there is a function to set up a list. It says nothing about what to do. Before I get too far down that road, what is better - that or the "listserver " you mentioned? Is that a prog - can you expand on that a bit?

But now that you mention many servers kick multiple recipient e-mails, two things to advise:
1) I previously sent this list out through outlook sucessfully the same way for the previous newsletter

2) I get tons of spam - is there a way of blocking based on the domain in the cc.?

[Rob Pomeroy]

A listserver is indeed a program that typically runs on the same program as a mail server.  It can provide facilities for users to subscribe and unsubscribe and much more.  Your ISP may just provide a basic mailing list facility and that may be sufficient for your purposes.  It would be the most successful method of mass-mailing anyway.  Your ISP is going to accept its own mail, whereas it may not accept a mass mailing from a server that you yourself are running.

Re 1: it is possible that after this previous mailing, you or your ISP became blacklisted, and that accounts for subsequent problems.

Re 2: yes, certainly.  Your ISP should be able to do this.  Alternatively, it may provide black/whitelist controls, but they vary so much you'll need to check that out with your ISP.

Outlook can certainly filter out this kind of spam (look up filters in the online help) but better to get it done at the server end.  That saves bandwidth.

[lsoul]

Thanks for your helpful response. May the fates be kind to you!