> I propose that the linux-kernel mail list be setup to exclude postings
> from non susbscribers. This would reduce the spam to nearly zero. The
> following line placed in the majordomo config file would do the trick:
>
> restrict_post=linux-kernel
a) If we were to do this (which I'm not conceding is a good idea),
allow cross-posting by members of all linux-* mailing lists on vger,
including the digests.
b) It is trivially simple to circumvent this measure for automatically
managed lists, although it does leave a larger footprint than spammers
prefer (and even that can be minimized with some DNS server magic)
c) This would prevent people who read the list via dejanews,
local mail->news (one-way!) gateways, or other archival services from
posting.
d) Shameless spam like the one in question is already very rare on the
list (probably because spammers know how vindictive and creative
kernel hackers can be ;-> ), particularly compared with the number of
questions, comments, and suggestions coming from non-subscribers.
e) Denying all requests for the subscriber e-mail list would be a far
more sane tactic (since a spammer can trivially circumvent restricting
it to subscribers by subscribing), and I'm not convinced that's really
necessary either (since spammers have bigger, easier, and
better-targeted sources of addresses elsewhere, anyway)...
I suppose this flame-war has to hit the list every six months or so.
Sigh, I was so enjoying the high S:N ...
Adam
-- Things look so bad everywhere Adam D. Bradley artdodge@cs.bu.edu In this whole world what is fair Boston University Computer Science We walk blind and we try to see Ph.D. student and Linux hacker Falling behind in what could be ----> Bring me a Higher Love ----> <><