Re: Authentication, Accreditation, and Reputation

John Glube wrote --

As a result of some of the debates I have had with members
of this group, along with activities I have been involved
with elsewhere, I have become convinced, verified opt-in is
ultimately the only acceptable standard as a basis from
which to work.


It is simple, easy and clean.


(Others will disagree with me on this point and I respect
their views.)


The question then becomes, how do you operate this type of
accreditation service?


* It must be neutral as between senders and receivers.


* The process for signing up by senders must be open and
transparent.


* There has to be a vetting process to keep 'bad guys' out.


* The process for being evicted must be open and
transparent.


* If you make the vetting process too tight, the service
will never fly.


* If you make the vetting process too lose, the service
will be abused.


* It must be affordable, so as to not amount to a barrier
to entry to micro business owners, while at the same time,
there must be sufficient penalties for non-performance,
such that folks won't want to break the rules.


People must understand, break the rules and you will get
thrown out, along with being tarred and feathered publicly
and get to pay a fine to boot.


* Internet access services and others must feel comfortable
in relying upon the service.


(This is not a service which will make people a vast
fortune. It is designed to fill a perceived gap.)


Any other suggestions, comments, criticisms? Thanks.


John


##########

That's all sounding like we have to join a club in order to send mails that
will be read, and that means some kind of central authority, someone taking
money, etc, etc.  All things which are a "bad thing"  IMHO.  The penalty
scheme is not workable - who's going to collect a fine from a spammer in the
Ukraine?  The most effective penalty of all is to be "black-listed" or have
a "bad reputation" and therefore not have your mails get through.

It sounds like your requirements can be filled by something like gossip
where the reputation is virtual accreditation by users according to your
behaviour.

Is it not true that the accreditation schemes are fine for the big
businesses (including spammers) but will really hurt the individual user who
happens to run his own MTA (like me)?

Slainte,

JohnP.
johnp(_at_)idimo(_dot_)com
ICQ 313355492