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more on SPAM, ABUSE, BLOCK: Steve Ballmer spams domain registration database
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2004 14:24:01 -0400
Begin forwarded message: From: Dana Blankenhorn <dana () a-clue com> Date: October 30, 2004 10:20:35 AM EDT To: dave () farber netSubject: Re: [IP] SPAM, ABUSE, BLOCK: Steve Ballmer spams domain registration database
The message sent allegedly from Ballmer is a real message that was sent by Ballmer to Microsoft customers. Microsoft has also practiced "opt-out" and "semi opt-in" for many years, check boxes that must be checked for you to
opt out, that kind of thing. I'm sure Microsoft thinks that this wasn't spam, and I'm pretty sureMicrosoft sent this message (which was highly publicized). But it points out
the fact that the U.S. has legalized spam-that-is-not-spam, semi opt-in e-mail sent from legitimate vendors for their business purposes. Bottom line: Microsoft would say this is not spam.I say this is spam. And the definition of spam should be in the eye of the
recipient, not the sender. Dana Blankenhorn danablankenhorn () mindspring com The Blankenhorn Effect http://www.trafford.com/robots/02-1082.html Moores Lore Blog http://www.corante.com/mooreslore A-Clue.Com Newsletter http://www.a-clue.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Farber" <dave () farber net> To: "Ip" <ip () v2 listbox com> Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2004 7:57 AMSubject: [IP] SPAM, ABUSE, BLOCK: Steve Ballmer spams domain registration
database
Begin forwarded message: From: Daniel Golding <dgolding () gmu edu> Date: October 30, 2004 12:50:44 AM EDT To: dave () farber net Subject: Re: [IP] SPAM, ABUSE, BLOCK: Steve Ballmer spams domain registration database For IP... This email contains several fallacies concerning Microsoft and Spam. First, an email's envelope and message headers have nothing to do with its actual origination - at least, not yet. These are both easily forged. In fact, Microsoft is at the forefront of Sender Email Authentication efforts, which may, with some work, result in a drastic reduction in overall spam volume. Others working on this effort include the SPF development team and AOL. Microsoft has an entire team of developers and mail protocol folks working on spam reduction methods - a considerable investment, considering they are freely licensing the technology. Also, it is dangerous to assume that an email such as this is spam. There are several other possibilities - the recipient may have been subscribed by an unauthorized party or this may be a "joe-job" to discredit Microsoft (and perhaps, get some of their outgoing mail servers placed on blacklists) Additionally, Microsoft occasionally outsources mailings to third parties.While Microsoft would still be responsible for their agent's actions, ifthis is indeed spam, Microsoft may not actually know about it. Finally, while it is possible that some Microsoft employee is spamming, I find it unlikely - this is most likely a termination offense within Microsoft, as it is within other large email and Internet service provider organizations. While I generally subscribe to Ocaam's razor, it is important to note that in the world of unsolicited email, things are never quite as they seem. I'm not a Microsoft cheerleader, for the record - I'm writing this on a Mac. However, Microsoft's recent efforts against spam deserve praise rather than approbation. - Daniel GOlding ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as dana () a-clue com To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at:
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