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[Asrg] Whoops -- list volume is way too high, some principles

2003-03-05 14:02:46

I care a lot about these issues and stopping spam without destroying
the virtues of an open E-mail system.   But this list's volume has
just gotten to be way too much.   Not that the messages aren't all
worthwhile and relevant -- in fact the problem is there is too much
signal here, not a bad signal/noise.  I have to get some work done.

And this has been vastly refreshing compared to places like the
net-abuse.email newsgroup.  Few flamers.  Reasoned argument.  No
ad hominem.  Technically informed folks.  Keep that up!

So I will have to beg off.  That will probably help since I've been
as bad as anybody in contributing to the volume.


When more complete recommendations come forward I will try to comment.

I will leave with these principles...

a) Don't interfere with one to one mail at all.  If we have to
cripple some of the openness of the mail system, stick to doing it
for bulk mailers, and even then do it as little as possible.

b) Don't forget privacy rights and the (in the USA, constitutionally
protected) right of anonymous communication in designing any systems
of authentication.

c) In general, though not required by law because we are not the
government, pay attention to the century of lessons from 1st
amendment jurisprudence -- avoid chilling effects, find the least
restrictive means that solves the problem, provide no impediment
to legitimate speech even if the cost of that is letting some spam
get through.  The 1st amendment is not just the law, it's a good idea.

d) Consider the role of non-technical systems as well as technical
as the solution almost surely invovles both.

e) Be reasonable in what sort of software upgrades you call for.
Forcing all users to get new MUAs won't happen except over many years.
Forcing sites to get new MTAs is more doable but still hard.  Try
to find a migration path rather than a whole new system, even if
that lets some spam through.

f) Don't decide for somebody else what filtering they want.  Let
whatever system you build give the user choice about what email of
theirs is stopped and what isn't.

g) Keep your eyes on the real problem and the real goal.  Reduce
the overload on mail servers.   Make mailboxes fully usable again.
Make people not afraid to use their e-mail address in public.
Save ISPs from the overload of handling valid and invalid abuse
complaints.   The goal is not to protect everybody from every mail
they might not want or from the occasional annoyances.  Those are
the cost of free and open communications systems; the benefits of
such systems outweigh those costs.

h) Get some coding done!  The IETF won't adopt anything not demonstrated
to be working.

i) My spam essays are as always available on my web site.  I will
update some of them, many were written at the dawn of this battle.
There are also amusing, non-political ones you might enjoy, like
where I researched the history of the term spam and the earliest
spams.  You will be highly amused to see the identity of the net's
first-ever spam defender!

j) I'll continue to advocate and refine my current best plan which
is based at the core strictly on volume of traffic from given networks
and  off-network systems of accountability.   I think that's the
best blend, and welcome private comments on problems and improvements.
    www.templetons.com/brad/spume/endspam.html

Perhaps I will rejoin when I have some more time for a list of this
volume.  Or I will gate it to a local newsgroup to make it easier
to handle the volume -- newsreaders still outdo any mailer on that
issue.


-Brad
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