Team-
Can we all agree to STOP with the "No, You're Wrong" style of messages? If
you can't take the time to try and understand and appreciate someone's
viewpoint, then JUST DON'T REPLY.
I would like to see some more messages that state your viewpoint clearly in
two to four paragraphs. I do not want to see any more messages that repeat
exactly what you have said before. I do not want to see any more messages
that "take apart" someone else's post into three or more pieces.
It's a lot easier to take apart what someone else says and say "No, You're
Wrong" than it is to write something concise and clear in your own voice. But
the room is too noisy for shouting matches right now. Speak your mind
clearly, and show some respect for others by trying to understand their point
of view.
This issue is not black and white. Don't try to pretend it is. Don't do
stupid reductions like "If what you're saying is true, then the Pope must be
on fire!". Don't do straw-man stuff like "That's the same as saying the moon
is square, and it's clearly not." Don't do ad-hominem stuff like "Only a
moron would believe that".
Or, as is often said on the Internet: "So much heat! So little light!" In
other words, if you are not adding something new and interesting to the
debate, take a seat on the bench for now.
I think we can all agree on the following:
1. Forwarding is a current industry practice, whether right or wrong.
Forwarding services are not criminal enterprises. They may be guilty of
reducing their costs by passing the bounces on to you, but that's not
currently illegal.
2. It's time for a change to current practice. People will do almost anything
to lose weight, except diet and exercise. Well, the email situation has
gotten bad enough that it's time to question some assumptions. Something that
was accepted as common practice may soon be unacceptable.
(Accept-then-bounce is a good example, it can now get you blocked)
3. SPF is a good idea, but "the forwarding problem" is a huge stumbling block.
Labelling forwarders as forgers doesn't help solve the problem. We need
clever solutions to the problem, not rhetoric. We need hard work done, not
fingerpointing.
4. SRS is not the only solution. Several other solutions have been proposed.
No one solution solves all cases, but perhaps we don't need to solve all cases
ourselves, as long as we can show we are able to solve most cases (currently
we can't, but we may be getting closer).
Now... would someone like to start the ball rolling by disagreeing with me
POLITELY?! Try using some "I think", "I feel" or "I believe" statements.
I am not naming any names or pointing any fingers here. A number of people
have posted entirely reasonable and respectful messages and then turned around
a minute later and gone off on someone. I'm not going to start banning people
or anything, but I am pretty close to stopping the forwarding thread entirely.
I would like everyone to use the next 24 hours to either post something
reasonable and respectful, or if you don't feel you can do that, just stay off
the airwaves for now.
Thanks
gregc
--
Greg Connor
gconnor(_at_)nekodojo(_dot_)org
Everyone says that having power is a great responsibility. This is a lot
of bunk. Responsibility is when someone can blame you if something goes
wrong. When you have power you are surrounded by people whose job it is
to take the blame for your mistakes. If they're smart, that is.
-- Cerebus, "On Governing"