[PLUG] Using spamassassin's tagging...

AthlonRob AthlonRob at axpr.net
Fri Oct 17 13:03:02 UTC 2003


On Fri, 2003-10-17 at 11:39, Jeme A Brelin wrote:
> On Fri, 17 Oct 2003, Paul Johnson wrote:
> > If you get compromised and become an open relay, by direct action of
> > cracker or by virus, you deserve to have your ISP suspend or cancel your
> > account.
> 
> This is wrong on so many levels.

Is it?

> Open relays should be the standard.  People should pass each others' mail,
> no questions asked.  It doesn't take that much.  The only reason we don't
> ALL have open relays is because SOME do not and that focusses the burden
> on those that do instead of distributing it across the entire network and
> so the burden becomes higher than it should be and more relays are
> restricted and the cycle reinforces itself.

Wow.  Do you agree there are 'bad guys' out there on the Internet? 
People who do things they shouldn't?  Or are you saying there *isn't*
anything bad you can do on the Internet?  If you can spread a worm or
virus, or emailbomb somebody, that's ok, there's nothing wrong with it?

If we were all open relays somebody could, with virtually no effort at
all, email bomb somebody quite effectively.  The spreading of viruses
and worms among Windows users would be able to happen a lot quicker.

Spam could increase exponentially, clogging down mail servers
everywhere.

> Secondly, the only thing people DESERVE is to be forgiveness and
> dignified, kind, respectful treatment.  If something unfortunate happens
> to a person or happens because of a person, the humane response is to
> forgive the person and work with the new situation.  If help must be lent,
> lend it.  If sympathy will help, share that.  Punishment is positive
> feedback for pain and misery.

No, not everybody deserves forgiveness or kind, dignified, respectful
treatment.  Punishment is necessary in the world... but I don't think we
want to get too far into that discussion, we'll get way further off
topic.

> What's wrong with people that they must work so hard to cause each other
> problems?

You seem to trust everybody not to harm you.  I don't have such faith in
the world.

Rob





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