[Techtalk] Over-zealous spam filtering (by Raven's ISP?)

[James]

On Sun, 22 Sep 2002, L J Laubenheimer wrote:
> Whoppo wrote:

> > There are a LOT of people from whom we do not accept email..We
> > have our own reasons for this, which I think have been explained in
> > fairly easy to understand terms.

Yes, your system has been explained. It just isn't a very good one, as has 
also been explained in very simple terms. (Yes, I'm sure it blocks lots of 
spam. It also blocks a lot of legitimate senders, without any attempt at a 
"safety valve" to correct it.)

>> Out of thousands and thousands of blocked messages,
>> we have rejected TWO... JUST TWO in error.

Since your system rejects mail BEFORE receiving it, you cannot determine 
this figure. Do you mean "only two of the people we've blocked 
complained"?

> > Raven has been a member of this list since I've known her and until just
> > a few minutes ago was one of the admins of this list. As I'm typing
> > this, she is un-subscribing herself and relinquishing her admin rights..
> > Why? My guess is that she's had enough of this... her contributions to
> > this list and the time she spends helping its administration should not
> > make her a target for abusive commentary because of the way we deal with
> > unwanted email. 

As far as I have seen, the nearest to abuse is your allegation of 
spamming. In effect, 99% or more of those on your list have never spammed 
anyone: that's not a very good list. Being rude to those included on your 
list achieves nothing: the spammers will never see it anyway!

> I read this as Raven saying: "I can't handle differences of opinion or 
> criticism of my choice of autoresponse.  Therefore, I'm going to unsub in a 
> huff and find someone who won't dare disagree with me."

That's pretty much how I read it, too.

> If that's your attitude (you & Raven's, that is), my opinion (and mine alone, 
> not "all of linuxchix") is: don't let the figurative door hit you in the ass 
> on the way out.

Not just your opinion: I'm borrowing it for a while ;-)

As my email address suggests, I put considerable effort into filtering 
spam. However, I do it properly: I do NOT indiscriminately block entire 
countries, or even ISPs - and I do not bounce email with a rude message. 
Anything which looks like spam is diverted to a spambucket, which I then 
empty back into the originating ISPs.

> The fact is, people feel strongly on both sides of this issue.  I personally 
> would not have been offended by the "shitlist" bounce message, but I would 
> find the snail mail requirement noxious.

It's pretty rude to send to somebody without any provocation (using the 
same ISP as an alleged spammer doesn't count) - but calling me a spammer, 
without ANY reason, is pretty offensive.


James.