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How can they reliably ensure that an email will arrive at certain time? Does email protocol support this? (just asking)

• RiderOfGiraffes 18y ago
  I imagine they receive your email, extract the requested time, create the reply, then store the outgoing email in a cron-like outgoing batch system. Then at the appointed time your email is sent back from their system. Emails are usually prompt, and they probably assume a flight time of seconds. If I'm right then the system will work pretty well almost all the time. It's a simple but great/fun idea. Their ability to interpret times may be taken from something like the *n?x "at" command, but it looks quite nice. Don't rely on this working to sub-minute accuracy, though. Email flight times can be significantly longer when things go wrong. But I like it - I may well be using this.
  • greyman 18y ago
    >> Don't rely on this working to sub-minute accuracy, though. Email flight times can be significantly longer when things go wrong. Yes, this is exactly what I was asking...what do you do when "things go wrong"...and they do with email, occasionaly. So this I see as an issue...whether you can rely on it.