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Re: LYNX-DEV RMS Titanic


From: Philip Webb
Subject: Re: LYNX-DEV RMS Titanic
Date: Sat, 24 May 1997 19:57:38 -0400 (EDT)

970524 Al Gilman wrote: 
> There needs to be an organized central activity that accepts spam examples
> via email, analyzes them, and applies the data analysis to constructing
> legal action against those who systematically abuse the net.
> It is easier to establish that forging headers is a manner of tort
> than to legislate that unsolicited commercial advertising is illegal.

these are 2 very good points.
is there in fact nothing of the kind out there?
surely there must be several sites/addresses trying to stop spam.

> I have a concept of a higher level of defense,
> when we decide we care enough to do it.

as before, let's don't panic.

> One way to be gracious to people on the street
> while warding off the spammers is to have the following,
> somewhat cumbersome, flow:
> 
>  posts to lynx-dev from subscribed members go through automatically;
>  posts from non-subscribers are manually reviewed
>   and authorized by a cadre of volunteers.
> 
> Note that this combines well with the idea to segregate off a
> separate list for first-line user support.  The distribution
> which handles lynx-dev posts from non-subscribers and for
> reviewing requests that come to address@hidden should
> probably be the same group.

this would be a good idea, IF it becomes necessary.
however, i strongly believe it does lynx-dev a lot of good
  to get e-mail from beginners & others with simple problems:
  it keeps people's feet on the ground.
  
> This requires a 3-continent staff

which 3 continents (grin)?

> and a certain amount of groundrules and admin setup.

there's the rub:
it would tend to be a diversion of scarce labor & not a very rewarding job.

i have to add (friendly smile) that spam does seem to be an American problem.
Cyberpromo's filthy site reminds me a lot of the US tobacco industry
or the National Rifle Assoc, & maybe a bit of Sen Helms' nasty little law.
there are 2 reasons for this: (1) the rest of us don't have a 1st Amendment
-- we do have human rights protected in other, perhaps similar ways,
but not to the degree of permitting sick people to peddle toxic waste --
& (2) we don't have USD to spend, so they don't target us directly.
we all have American friends & even family, & it puzzles us
that Americans don't do more to control the bad elements in their society,
all the more because they have contributed so many good things to the World,
including the Internet (friendly smile).

that said, i'm willing to be patient & follow the advice of a US President:

  "Walk softly, & carry a big stick".
  
-- 
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