RE: [cobalt-users] OT : Webhosting Coalition

["Jeff Edwards" <Jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dan Kriwitsky wrote:

> http://spews.org/ Filter your mail through the SPEWS level 1 list and
> ISPs quickly get the message.


Unfortunately, SPEWS.org is a poor implementation of a very good idea. The
SPEWS database is riddled with Errors and they tend to list/block IP
addresses on too large of a scale to be of any real value. SPEWS has NO
method of responding to legitimate complaints regarding the Errors within
their block list.  Ever try to email or call SPEWS?

You end up blocking legitimate email by using SPEWS to filter your email.

Case in Point, I operate a small dedicated server company, and have slightly
less then 200 Cobalt Raq servers. We PROHIBIT UCE/SPAM of any sort and make
this very clear to our potential customers right up front. We have had ZERO
incidents of SPAM! We have several class C /24 IP ranges which we were
issued by our bandwidth provider (Wholesalebandwidth.com). ALL of our IP
addresses are included in the SPEWS listings BECAUSE we purchase bandwidth
from Wholesalebandwidth.com

Wholesalebandwidth sells bandwidth to many different companies in several
different Colo centers. Wholesalebandwidth has had customers with SPAM
problems in the past and therefore were listed in SPEWS. EVERY IP address of
Wholesalebandwidth's was listed in SPEWS and not just the Class C of the
customer that was sending SPAM. It's kinda like blocking phone calls from an
entire area code just because that "Sweeper salesman" keeps calling you from
that area code. What kind of logic is that?

We have posted in the Anonymous Newsgroup which is "supposedly" how a person
is to communicate with SPEWS and we have requested that our IP ranges be
removed from their list. Instead of finding any solution, we now get SPAM
from SPEWS, usually 1 liners like "Switch providers" or "Tough luck, if you
do business with criminals, you too are a criminal".

SPEWS.... Nice Idea, but a flawed implementation. I await the day there is a
real, professional SPAM blocking resource available on the Internet!


Respectfully,

Jeff Edwards
http://www.Raq4less.com :: Home of the $79 Dedicated Raq