Index: mailer.py
===================================================================
--- mailer.py	(revision 38049)
+++ mailer.py	(working copy)
@@ -215,6 +215,15 @@
     except UnicodeError:
       from email.Header import Header
       subject = Header(subject, 'utf-8').encode()
+    try:
+      searchfile = open(self.cfg.get('author2email_file', group, params))
+      pattern = '^' + self.from_addr + ': .*$'
+      match = re.search(pattern, searchfile.read(), re.MULTILINE)
+      if None != match:
+        self.from_addr = re.sub('^' + self.from_addr + ': ', '', match.group(0))
+      searchfile.close()
+    except IOError:
+      pass
     hdrs = 'From: %s\n'    \
            'To: %s\n'      \
            'Subject: %s\n' \
@@ -1360,6 +1369,4 @@
 #   - per-repository configuration
 #     o extra config living in repos
 #     o optional, non-mail log file
-#     o look up authors (username -> email; for the From: header) in a
-#       file(s) or DBM
 # * get rid of global functions that should properly be class methods
Index: mailer.conf.example
===================================================================
--- mailer.conf.example	(revision 38049)
+++ mailer.conf.example	(working copy)
@@ -164,8 +164,20 @@
 # 'no_author' is used.  You can specify a default from_addr here and
 # if you want to have a particular for_repos group use the author as
 # the from address, you can use "from_addr =".
-from_addr = invalid@example.com
+# from_addr = invalid@example.com
 
+# this file contains a list of usernames converted into a full
+# email address. It can be set pr. group as well. The contents
+# of the file is in this format with one ^username: email\n pr line.
+#	 ^jdoe: john.doe@example.com\n
+# 	^janed: jane.doe@example.com\n
+# it also works if the file contains email addresses like this:
+# 	jdoe: "John Doe" <john.doe@example.com>
+# it doesnt matter if there are multiple similar lines, only the
+# first is used. Basically the mailer.py script greps for the username.
+author2email_file = /etc/email-addresses
+
+
 # The default To: addresses for message.  One or more addresses,
 # separated by whitespace (no commas).
 # NOTE: If you want to use a different character for separating the