Re: new spam functionality added

[Josh Huber <huber+dated+1028582805.6306a1@alum.wpi.edu>]

Scott A Crosby <scrosby@cs.rice.edu> writes:

> Because its tragedy of the commons, I bitbucket any TMDA user. (and
> if I start getting too many of em, I'll make a public blacklist of
> em.)

Do you actually get a lot of confirmation requests?

> [snip lengthly example]

I can see how you might think something like this would happen.  There
are a few flaws in your example.  (unless you assume many people have
misconfigured TMDA installations...but then why not assume they have
misconfigured MTA installations which spew duplicate messages all over
the place (or allow unrestricted relaying of messages)).

Most of your concerns are answered in the FAQ on the tmda site.

1. You will not get confirmation requests for posting to a mailing
list which has subscribers using TMDA.  A confirmation request (if
any) would go to the *envelope sender* not the original sender (you).
Of course, no confirmation request will be sent because you would not
subscribe to a mailing list with TMDA using a bare (non-tagged)
address.  Get it?  The problem you describe with mailing lists just
does not happen.

2. "loops of please reply to me" -- this does not happen.  Answer in
the FAQ:

http://tmda.net/faq.cgi?req=show&file=faq04.012.htp

3. Setting up an auto-responder typically means the spammer has
provided a valid return address, which is very rare.  In the case they
have, it's easy to find who it is and get their connection shut off.

You really speak of absolute worst-case behavior in your complaint,
which isn't very fair.  As an example, one of the authors of TMDA
mentions in the FAQ that approximately 6% of his correspondence is
asked for confirmation.

I agree that making it harder than hitting reply is a bit much.  I've
seen one instance where the recipient has you go to his web site and
fill out a CGI form describing the image displaed on the web page.
This is pretty sick, and going much too far IMO.

Anyway, my initial suggestion to put some text about TMDA in the
manual was just that -- a suggestion.  I really don't want to start a
flame war here :)

Have a nice day,

-- 
Josh Huber