Re: [Request for Correction]To Gnus team -- Gnus Info about spam

[Cheng Gao <chenggao@cyberhut.org>]

>>>>> "Ted" == Ted Zlatanov <tzz@lifelogs.com> writes:

    Ted> On Sat, 10 Jan 2004, chenggao@cyberhut.org wrote:
    >> "If you get lots of spam from China, for example, you try to
    >> filter all mail from Chinese IPs."
    >> 
    >> Obviously spam is a world-wide disaster, and we Chinese should
    >> not be treated as only species of morons existed on this earth,
    >> though I know oftentimes we are treated like this way. You need
    >> not respect Chinese, but please dont let us feel insulted.
    >> 
    >> Please correct this biased wording. Suggest you use some forged
    >> country name (or rather USA :-p).

    Ted> I wrote that passage, and I think you're overreacting a bit.
    Ted> First of all, this is obviously an example, and it should be
    Ted> clear to any reader from "for example" in the sentence.  No
    Ted> judgment on China is implied.  Your assumption that by using
    Ted> China as an example, I am treating the Chinese as "morons" and
    Ted> with disrespect, is unwarranted and unfounded.

    I am sorry if my post gets you some red and nervous. I know,to some
    extent, my post seems like a bit overreacted. my mistake is maybe I
    should be more polite in wording of my original post. I dont mean
    to accuse of you or anyone else.

    Ted> Second, I don't want to invent a country.  I happen to think
    Ted> that Elbonia, to take the example proposed, is just as
    Ted> insulting to Albanians.  Also, I don't want to write a manual
    Ted> with invented country names, that's slightly insulting to the
    Ted> intelligent reader IMHO.
  
    My opinion is maybe an invented country is better. Reasons follows below.

    Ted> Third, China is actually a pretty good example, being a big
    Ted> country, because the very next paragraph makes the point that
    Ted> blocking a whole country from contacting you is obviously not a
    Ted> good idea.
 
    Yes you are right. Chins is a big country, and sometimes I feel
    it's too big and too populous. It's too big that till now 99.9999%
    of China is unknown land  to me. Its popularity makes you feel
    fatique all the time.

    Ted> Fourth, this is a real-life situation.  People that get lots of
    Ted> spam from China do try to block all Asian IPs.  You may not
    Ted> like it, but I'm not stereotyping Chinese people in any way.
    Ted> The existence of spammers in a country hardly qualifies its
    Ted> people as "morons" as you suggest.  Again, the next paragraph
    Ted> makes the point that presuming to block mail from a whole
    Ted> country is very risky.

    Yes. Real-life example is good for user to understand
    something. But to my understanding, if some user starts to use Gnus
    as his/her everyday tool for news and mail, I dare say it's fairly
    clear for him/her what the real situation is. 

    Ted> So are you complaining that I'm suggesting that there are
    Ted> spammers in China?  On those grounds, you're definitely
    Ted> overreacting, because it's true, and does not make all Chinese
    Ted> "morons."  Or maybe you don't like that China specifically is
    Ted> used as an example?  I can use Bulgaria, I guess, but it makes
    Ted> (3) and (4) above less valid.

    I dont complain that. I dont mean that. And to me, it's the same
    unfair to change China to USA or Norway or any country. To tell the
    truth, I read many manuals and tech-related materials. I dont think
    it's common practice to use name of a real Country or Person in the
    way as in Gnus *info* file which we are arguing about. Every use
    has headache of spam problem. So every Gnus user need read the
    *info*, and everyone will read the example with China as the victim
    (or I should say, every user feels themself as the victim of China
    wrongdoings).
    I know, and everyone knows that it's JUST an example. But please
    understand that when more and more users read the *info* and hit
    the section, this example will be some kind of propaganda.
    I dont think my worry is exaggeration. I know I can not exert any
    influence. I just express my opinion and concerns.

    Ted> Ted



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