Path: csiph.com!v102.xanadu-bbs.net!xanadu-bbs.net!feeder.erje.net!us.feeder.erje.net!news2.arglkargh.de!nuzba.szn.dk!pnx.dk!fu-berlin.de!uni-berlin.de!individual.net!not-for-mail From: "Mel Smith" Newsgroups: comp.lang.javascript Subject: Re: Email Vali8dation Problem Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2013 09:37:42 -0700 Lines: 36 Message-ID: References: X-Trace: individual.net WcNieeKGyTbtKVAO8emPKwIihQVFLUBMxMmysK3LZUZ49FGxVUHczIWUjui7Myw+2S Cancel-Lock: sha1:znvd54Zk1tXxRqUQTWSSVAdUJGw= X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.5931 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.6157 X-RFC2646: Format=Flowed; Original Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.javascript:18250 Dr JR said > There is little point in trying to validate the format of an E-address > (except for those writing E-mail software) when there is no possibility > of writing code that will report > reply1300@merlyn.demon.co.uk as good and > reply1300@merlyn.denom.co.uk as probably no good > > Of those, the first should, IIRC, apparently be delivered, but will > bounce after 30 days (unless in the meanwhile I change what that address > does), while the second is to an address which (at this instant) does > not exist. > > Also, if you "validate" against what you apparently think the format > should be, you will reject valid (admittedly uncommon) types of address > [e.g. designed to work, but not to be believed by address harvesters]. > Before attempting a validator, you should find, read, and understand the > latest applicable RFC for E-addresses. > > It should be useful, though, to check that the string provided might > possibly an E-address - users sometimes may get their field order wrong > and insert their snail-mail address or telephone number instead. > > A valid address will contain at least one character, followed by @, > followed by at least one character, followed by a dot, and ending with > at least two alphabetic characters (though the RFC itself may be more > (or less) lenient) - and it will not end in ".invalid" or, IIRC & in > practice, "example.com". This is discouraging :( -Mel