From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Message-ID: <139eb44874bee2237034401996735c24@collyer.net> To: 9fans@cse.psu.edu Subject: Re: [9fans] pathetic From: Geoff Collyer In-Reply-To: <022101c3fd10$4f6eee80$0b00a8c0@SOMA> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2004 02:52:15 -0800 Topicbox-Message-UUID: ff86fb80-eacc-11e9-9e20-41e7f4b1d025 Just getting most systems to strongly encourage TLS under SMTP would impose a CPU tax on bulk mailers, though I don't know if it would be high enough to really slow them down. Yeah, caller-id for mail: when we find those weasels, oooh, we're gonna moidalize 'em! Not. The NSA has bin Laden's phone number but they still haven't caught him. Our current model of e-mail is a dump truck pulling up to your front door and pouring unfiltered, unsorted mail through your mail slot, in a vast heap all over your floor, scaring your cats. I think it would be improved by moving to a model more like someone knocking at your door and trying to persuade your butler to let him (the stranger) talk to you. If the butler knows the person at the door, he might let him in, or might toss him out and bar the door. If the butler doesn't know the person, he might take the person's calling card, leaving you to decide if you want to establish contact. Over time, the butler comes to know which people you want let through and which you want him to call the police to remove / shoot / disappear. Instead of one trying to drink from a fire-hose (or cement chute!), each message would result in a negotiation (perhaps very brief!), which is a more orderly process, the rate of which can be controlled.