Date: Tue, 2 Apr 2002 20:41:13 -0500 (EST)
From: "Keith F. Lynch" <kfl at keithlynch.net>
To: WSFAlist at keithlynch.net
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Capclave '02 (was Re: minders)
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

ronkean at juno.com wrote:
> How does the list software know whether a message comes from a WSFAn?

"Michael Walsh" <MJW at mail.press.jhu.edu> wrote:
> Keith has trained a pack a meercats to verify the email.

Close, but not quite.  Actually, I have a list of all known WSFAns'
names and email addresses.  If one of those names or one of those
email addresses (or both) appears in the From: line of a message
directed to the list, the message goes directly to the list.

Otherwise, it goes to me, and if it appears to be legitimate I will
transparently forward it to the list (i.e. in a way that nobody can
tell it wasn't automatic except that it took longer than usual) and
add their address to the allowed sender list.

So no spammer can spam the list unless they:

* Know the WSFAlist at keithlynch.net address (which has never appeared
  in any newsgroup posting or on any web page).

* Forge the name or address of a WSFA member in the From: line of
  their spam.

* Do not send their spam in HTML (most spams are in HTML).

* Do not send from any site in the RBL (a blacklist of ISPs that don't
  promptly terminate spammers), or from Argentina, Korea, or Taiwan.

* Do not relay off any known open relay site.

Of course these measures are only temporary.  The vast, utterly
mind-boggling flood of trillions (probably soon to be quadrillions)
of spams will eventually make email unusable.  But I'll do my best to
keep this list running as long as possible.  Probably as long as ISPs
continue to provide email at any price.  After that I suppose we'll
all have to go back to stamps and envelopes and fanzines.
--
Keith F. Lynch - kfl at keithlynch.net - http://keithlynch.net/
I always welcome replies to my e-mail, postings, and web pages, but
unsolicited bulk e-mail (spam) is not acceptable.  Please do not send me
HTML, "rich text," or attachments, as all such email is discarded unread.