[extropy-chat] Spam

[Spike]

> Charlie Stross
 
> On 30 Dec 2003, at 19:17, Spike wrote:
> 
> > Recall a Jeremiad which I posted about a year ago:
> > if spammers get sufficiently sophisticated, our much-loved
> > internet becomes useless, buried beneath a deep pile of
> > garbage forever.
> 
> I agree with your spirit, but I submit that there are signs that the 
> problem is close to peaking.
> 
> Open mail relay hosts are becoming fewer, and tools like the 
> open relay blackhole database enables network admins to blackhole
their traffic... -- Charlie

Charlie, your post was in answer to those spammers
whose motive is to sell things.  My concern is for
the growing army of spammers whose primary motive is 
to mess up the internet.  I have been seeing more 
and more clamor from the bricks and mortar retailing
community about how their sales are suffering from
tax-free internet competition.  This cacophonous 
tininnabulation is now being joined by the local 
governments issuing dire warnings to the proletariat 
that because of our shameless internet buying habits, 
they will soon be unable to supply sufficient law
enforcement, fire protection and (most alarmingly)
road repair.

spike