T 4.32 Failure to dispatch a message

The exchange of data via groupware and web applications is fast and convenient, but not always reliable. In particular, the reliability of e-mail is overestimated on a regular basis. Messages are lost on a regular basis due to hardware and software errors in the IT systems involved, or interference in transmission lines. These technical problems can have multiple causes. For example, cables can be damaged, network switching elements can be defective or the communication software can be incorrectly configured. E-mails can also be lost because the recipient's address was incorrect. The biggest problem in this case is that users are often not informed about failures to deliver e-mail. Mechanisms designed to automatically indicate failures to deliver messages are not completely reliable.

Many e-mail programs offer options such as "Confirm dispatch" or "Confirm receipt". However, such confirmations should not be overvalued. Often, these confirmations are not issued on the arrival of e-mail at the recipient's workstation, but on arrival at the mail server. No indication is given of whether or not this server has successfully forwarded the e-mail to the intended recipient. Furthermore, indication of successful transmission of e-mail is often not provided, even when the e-mail was correctly transmitted, if this option is not supported by the recipient's workstation.