RE: [dvd-discuss] EFF opposes blacklisting spammers

[Jeme A Brelin <jeme(at)brelin.net>]

On Mon, 22 Oct 2001, Richard Hartman wrote:
> > On Thu, 18 Oct 2001, Bryan Taylor wrote:
> > Now wait a moment ... I agree that spammers have the right to free
> > speech in public places, but you have to remember that my mailbox is
> > private space, not public space.
> 
> Correct.  The "public space" on the internet is a web site. Anybody
> can set up their own web site.  There are even a whole slew of places
> that will let you set one up for free.

Absolutely not.

If you have a server that uses a globally routable address and accepts
connections one some port without authentication, then anything that the
process controlling that connection can access is public.

There is absolutely no difference between an httpd and sendmail, in that
respect.  You're listening for mail and you jot it down when it comes
in.  That's totally public.

> A kind of halfway point between public and private are newsgroups.  
> These are truely public bulletin boards, but each has a charter and
> off-topic postings are not welcome. In there is usually a groups
> somewhere where what you want to say is on-topic, it's a matter of
> finding the right one (or creating a new alt.whatever group).

All unmoderated newsgroups are totally public.  An off-topic post might be
considered bad etiquette, but it's not a violation of anyone's freedom or
even their reasonable expectations.  That's why Allah made killfiles.

If you want to control who sends you mail, setup authentication at your
mail daemon or filters in your transfer agent.  Other than that, you get
what you get.

J.
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     Jeme A Brelin
    jeme@brelin.net
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