From: Kee Hinckley <nazgul(_at_)somewhere(_dot_)com>
Subject: Re: [Asrg] Fwd: Returned mail: see transcript for details
At 11:59 PM -0700 3/30/03, Vernon Schryver wrote:
This little drama is related to the spam problem. There is a
component
of human nature that hates purposefully not being heard. Senders of
bulk advertising are often irrationally upset about being filtered.
You skipped from "humans" to "senders of bulk advertising" very
nicely there. You weren't cutting off a sender of bulk advertising.
You've also missed the other side of that obvious
statement--purposefully not hearing someone is considered socially
rude. I've had people do that to me more than once--typically after
accusing me of spamming or some other activity that I didn't do.
Someone else on the list put that behavior in exactly the context it
belongs. "Nah, nah... I can't hear you!" Typically with fingers in
ears and tongue sticking out. The word you are looking for is
"juvenile."
This whole conversation has been very educational.
Several times now we have seen people using tools meant for stopping
spammers, as a way of stopping normal human conversation. And they
are doing so without even the common courtesy of notifying their
correspondent. In the real world you would say, "I'm sorry, I don't
want to talk about this any more," or "This will be my last message
on this subject." If the correspondent continues to respond, then
you ignore them. But somewhere along the line the hardcore spam
fighters have gotten so used to blocking messages that they believe
it's socially acceptable to just bounce people's email when they feel
like it. They have a hammer, and they've decided to use it on
anything that looks like a nail.
If this is going to be typical of people's use of anti-spam tools
then I think we should give some serious thought to the UI of such
tools.
I find this attitude hard to believe! If I am subject to unsolicited
email,
I have the perfect right to block future attempts to continue this
practice.
I liken this to someone being invited into my home to sell me on selling
Amway.... I invited them (Opt-In), and I can uninvited them(Opt-Out).
I do not however, have to accept them continuously returning to my
home after I have uninvited them (Opt-Out) or to show up unsolicited.
I feel the same way about lying or stealing (forged FROM:, Misleading
subject),
or Fraud (here, you can opt-out, but I will sell your email to
others)... I
should not have to respond to what I consider a criminal act in some
cases
with "common courtesy".
How would you react to me calling you collect to sell you my collection
of bottle caps and match books? After all, you did visit my web
site...
I wish I had a hammer to hit back at the spammers, instead I have only
a few wet noodles at my disposal.
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