Re: [cobalt-users] smtp not working properly.

[Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 11:27 AM 12/17/99  Fathi Said wrote:
> Does this mean that with the new version of Sendmail, we will no longer 
> have to fear spammers?
>
> Fathi

Is "fear" the right word?

We'll always have to be concerned with spammers.

Some issues:

1. Most ISPs never touch a working box.  There are some incredibly old 
versions of sendmail, bind, etc., out there.

2. If every ISP in the world implemented password protected outgoing mail 
and every ISP in the world implemented every anti-relaying feature, and 
every ISP in the world implemented port blocking...

Even so, spammers just simply buy throw-away accounts (or worse, free-trial 
accounts or free-isp accounts and use the ISPs mail-server for a day or so 
until they get caught.

That's why i usually say something like "in a misguided attemp to control 
spam".

I'm an old timer; that means I remember the days when all email relays were 
open, and you could use any one's, and you were expected to use the one 
that meant the least traffic on the internet for everyone.

Ah, the good old days <smile>.

Jeff