Re: spam is a good thing (was Re: Spam IS Free Speech)

["Willaim H. Geiger III" <whgiii@amaranth.com>]

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In <199705221337.OAA00948@server.test.net>, on 05/22/97 
   at 07:37 AM, Adam Back <aba@dcs.ex.ac.uk> said:


>John Deters <jad@dsddhc.com> writes:
>> No, spam DOES cost the victim.  I'm not saying that the victim is the spam
>> recipient.  Think of the ISPs that are the victims of Spamford's
>> CyberPromotions.  Yes, victims.  [...]
>>
>> This situation is the exact situation that has entangled my ISP for the
>> last couple of months.
>> 
>> Are you telling me that being subjected to a jack-boot investigation for
>> running pyramid schemes *and* having your customers leave because they
>> can't get mail services is a reasonable expense to bear because of
>> Spamford's "right to free speech"?  Spamford's speech (or that of his
>> "customers") isn't even directed at the sendmail operator or his customers.
>>  The sendmail operator above is merely being used by Spamford as a
>> megaphone to broadcast the message of spam to other people (who really
>> don't want it, either, but that's beside the point.)
>> 
>> It's no longer the same as shouting down the marketing researcher.  
>> 
>> [your unmetered rented mega phone analogy]

>The problem is that you and most of the rest of the internet world are
>renting your mega phones/accounts out without charging for usage volume. 
>You are also allowing completely free use of your account as a recipient,
>and completely free use of your sendmail as a mail hub service.

>If this causes you grief, you need to start metering, and charging
>postage to receive mail, and metering mail hub usage.

Bullshit! No metering of accounts is required. All that needs to be done
is blocking of all mail from Spamford's sites. He nor anyone else has a
"right" to use my equipment. If Spamford uses my equipment without my
permission he can be charged with criminal trespass. I am under no
contract with Spamford and am under no obligation to provide him so much
as 1 bit worth of bandwidth.

I have no problem with Spamford's free speech rights. He can go out buy a
bullhorn stand on a street corner and shout to his harts content. He does
not have the right to kick in my door stand on my coffee table and say a
word.

Just because one has the right of free speech does not mean that we have
to be forced to listen.

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William H. Geiger III  http://www.amaranth.com/~whgiii
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