I'm glad I have PE, very, very!

I have a piece of software which I purchased in 2000 which includes it's oqn SMTP server. It 'woked' flawlessly until Oct. 31, 2005. Then it was prevented from sending it's e-mail notices.
My IPS support inadvertantly let it slip that they had updated their e-mail system overnight, but even under repeated questioning, wouldn't reveal the details. They suggested that my software had changed, either the app which cuoldn't send e-mail or my security apps which might now be 'altering' the e-mail connection, but definitely not admitting or revealing that it was their action which caused the issue. I spent some time trying to change settings, especially in Trend's PC-cillan, since I'd had an update on Nov. 1st, to no avail. Then in a stroke of inspiation, I realized that I had a tool to check what was happening.... Port Explorer Socket Spy Packet Sniffer.

I opened both Outlook and Sendit.
I added both their PID's to the Spy List.
I triggered a test with Sendit, followed by a 'test' email using Outlook.
The results showed that Sendit was using a sloppy protocol which is no longer allowed by my ISP. But was allowed up until Oct. 31st!
So I'm disappointed that Prescient Systems allowed their program to be written to the minimum specifications rather than the highest, and I'm disappointed that my ISP tried to blame everyone else rather than simply telling me what they'd done so that I could go directly to Prescient.

But I'm glad that I decided to buy PE. At the time, I did it just to provide financial support for DCS. Now that I've actually had a purpose for it, it did it's job flawlessly, It gave me the information that I needed to ask Prescient to upgrade their SMTP engine in Sendit. No way to duck responsibility, not that they have done that, I've only sent them notice today.
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Thank You DCS!!!!!!!
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I only wish that I'd thought of using it sooner, my bad for that.
I recommend this to anyone that wants to see what's really going on.

Jim Clements

PS I sent a test e-mail with TDS-3 and it went through. So all I can say is, DCS strives and acheives the highest standards, for *our* benefit. No sloppy standards allowed, again thanks to Wayne and Gavin.

 

Nice story, glad you sorted it all out. Now have your ISP use Port Explorer to see it with their own eyes and more then just the SMTP system.

 

Yes, I have also used PE at times in debugging software issues that various software tech support have not been able to resolve (or they tell me "it's not our problem", or give me some brush-off answer, etc.). I then go on PE and find out exactly what is going on and send them the full, undeniable details, and they are all amazed at how I did that! I think I've indirectly helped sell more copies of PE (and TaskInfo) that way than I'll ever know!