[cobalt-users] RE: OT ** ORBZ **

[Charlie Summers <charlie@xxxxxxxxxx>]

At 12:16 PM -0500 3/23/02, baltimoremd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx is rumored to have
typed:

> > Let's see, restraint of trade, maybe even a RICO case, since SPEWS
> > effectively punishes anyone using an IP in a block...even if they don't
> > spam.

   You couldn't _be_ more incorrect, since SPEWS doesn't block anything.

> And in no way does that excuse the damage that SPEWS causes to
> non-spammers.

   SPEWS does no damage whatsoever to anyone.

   This is a list, and a list only, much like the list of subscribers to this
mailing list. If _I_ choose to use that list of IPs to block mail connections
on my server, I may do so, since no one has a Constitutional (assuming US
server) right to mail into my email server...I am able to choose to whom I
wish my server to speak. I don't use SPEWS, personally, since they are a bit
draconian for my tastes (with every spam I receive I get a little closer,
though). But I DO wall off Mosterhut, PennMedia, a few hundred other US
netblocks, anyone on the ORDB database, anyone on the
dialups.relays.osirusoft.com database, and frankly most of China, Korea, and
other nations from my server, even though I'm certain most of the people who
live in those netblocks are non-spammers. My /etc/access file is 105,051
bytes in size and growing every day with netblocks I reject, not including
the aformentioned ORDB and dialups.relays.osirusoft.com databases I check
each connection against.

   And I have the RIGHT to do so, since I am not required by any law,
contract, or other legal impliment to connect to ANY specific server, and may
freely choose to whom I wish to connect. Speaking SMTP to my server is a
privilage, not a right; spam me, or run an open relay who spams me, and I
stop talking to your server, possibly your netblock, and occasionally your
COUNTRY. And you have no legal claim whatsoever to attack that.

         Charlie (who apologises for the off-topic post, but this is a
                   frequent point of confusion on the Net; for some
                   reason, people think accepting email connections is
                   _required_)