[IP] more on SPAM, ABUSE, BLOCK: Steve Ballmer spams domain registration database
Begin forwarded message:
From: Dana Blankenhorn <dana@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: October 30, 2004 10:20:35 AM EDT
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: 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 sure
Microsoft 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@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Ip" <ip@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2004 7:57 AM
Subject: [IP] SPAM, ABUSE, BLOCK: Steve Ballmer spams domain
registration
database
Begin forwarded message:
From: Daniel Golding <dgolding@xxxxxxx>
Date: October 30, 2004 12:50:44 AM EDT
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
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,
if
this 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
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