On Tue, 14 Apr 1998, Jack Peacock wrote:
> But consider, what kind of response rate do spammers get? Now junk
> snail mailers have to actually pay per piece, although at a reduced
> rate. They have to make the junk mail attractive to readers so they can
> get a high enough response rate to justify the mailing. Maybe we need
> the same mechanism for mass commercial postings. In other words, the
> ISP specifies in the terms of service that mass commercial mailings (aka
> spam) are charged at the same mailing rates as the local post office,
> something around 20 cents per item. Now you have a legal means to get
> back if the ISP catches a spammer, because they are liable for the
> contracted costs.
There is already something like this. It's called "Cyberpromo".
> And just to bring it back on topic...when consumer PCs came out (IBM,
> PET, Atari, Apple, etc.) those of us who built and used "real" micros
> (S-100s of course) lamented that fact that the microcomputer market was
> being overrun by large corporations bent on destroying the laissez-faire
> market of the mid 70s. Sound familiar?
Basically, as all things that enhance the lives of humans (like
computers), the Internet has long since reached its critical mass and has
evolved to the point that it is now a basic and necessary business tool.
We can lament the fact that it will never be the spam-free, perhaps
close-knit community it used to be, but that's the price of progress. I
think to wish back the old days is folly. The internet now is far more
useful than it has ever been, and will only continue to evolve in a
positive direction.
Sam Alternate e-mail: dastar_at_siconic.com
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Received on Tue Apr 14 1998 - 22:35:07 BST