From: E Berrie <eberrie>
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1996 14:27:57 -0500 (EST)

I received this correction of the MISFORMATION about the Houghton Mifflin free book offer --- Ellen

Forwarded message: Date: Thu, 12 Dec 96 18:08:56 EST From: Paula B Gabbard To: jmccalla at polar Subject: hmco.com Message-Id:


Jim--I followed the Houghton-M. suggestion you sent, then I got this:
(Oh well.)
/* Written 5:30 pm Dec 12, 1996 by brennan at jambo.cc.columbia.edu in jambo:system */
/* ---------- "No mail to share at hmco.com" ---------- */ Houghton-Mifflin Co *had* a promotion for their book "The Polar Express" in which they would give a copy of the book to children's hospitals for each 25 email messages they received at share at hmco.com. For details, involving of course an ad for the book, see http://www.polarexpress.com.

BUT THE PROMOTION HAS ENDED. THEY REACHED THEIR GOAL OF 50,000 MESSAGES.

This somewhat ill-conceived idea has quickly grown into a net rumor. The typical message, and we have had several reports in 2 days, does not mention the web site, the book being promoted, or what the content of the message was supposed to be, nor does it mention any date or other goal as marking the end. They are probably going to get mail for months. One user on cunix set a job to generate mail to the address every few minutes
(note! this is really bad! don't ever do this!). Last I checked, hmco.com is refusing mail connections ... or at least from *us*.

Joseph Brennan Postmaster Academic Information Systems
                postmaster at columbia.edu
/* End of text from jambo:system */

Live and learn, I guess. Take care. --Paula


--------- End forwarded message ---------
Received on Mon 16 Dec 1996 01:27:57 PM CST