If we are forming a comprehensive plan for killing spam, then we should
consider long term solutions as well.
Fine, but let's not do that to the exclusion of solving the problem. That's
like discussing what will be done on her first (or third!) drydocking while the
Titanic is sinking.
We can structure such plan to
gradually move the Internet with short term, medium term and long term
solutions, all leading to the long term solutions. I do not think any of
the short or medium term proposals or approaches can kill spam entirely -
even your approach will allow ASCII spam through.
Indeed, and I propose a hypothesis that *nothing* (practical, anyhow) will
prevent all possible spam from being sent. IF you're going to allow people you
don't know (yet) to send you E-mails (because they saw your Web site, or saw a
letter to the editor you wrote to your local newspaper, or saw the ad you
posted
on the bulletin board at your local Kroger or something) then there's no way to
guarantee that the content of that E-mail won't be something commercial which
you didn't want and don't care to see.
Let's deal instead with the real problem... the high-volume repetitive
intelligence-insulting stuff that tries to evade filters and muscle its way
into
our homes and our offices.
To completely kill all spam will require a long term solutions.
I think it would take more than that... I think it would take a MIRACLE, or a
change in the basic physical laws of the universe.
Even making all E-mail identifiable doesn't prevent it from being spam... even
if we CAN go back and absolutely identify the sender. Disposable accounts, and
all that.
However, we do not have to worry
about a long term solutions right now, we can concentrate on the overall
plan and specific short-medium term solutions.
On that point we agree.
I don't think that there is a single "silver bullet" (wooden stake?) that
will
instantly stop spam. What's more likely is that we eventually and
progressively
just put enough sand in their gears that the great majority of them simply
give
up and decide to take up another career.
It is very well possible that all of the short and medium term solutions
will "put enough sand in their wheels" to stop them. Nevertheless, long
term solutions should remain within our ear shot, even if we do not spend
as much time on them as on short term stuff.
Fair enough. Meanwhile, let's get some good, practical, implementable
solutions
on the record which can make a significant improvement (at least) in the
immediate term.
Gordon Peterson http://personal.terabites.com/
1977-2002 Twenty-fifth anniversary year of Local Area Networking!
Support the Anti-SPAM Amendment! Join at http://www.cauce.org/
12/19/98: Partisan Republicans scornfully ignore the voters they "represent".
12/09/00: the date the Republican Party took down democracy in America.
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