The solution to the spam problem is political.
Those who've been doing any amount of reading about the scourges of the
Internet: spam, viruses, worms, spyware, etc. have noted that they are
all hosted and spread on and by the products of one operating system
manufacturer. That manufacturer's products are all closed source, which
means that only that one company can change its products to stop these
scourges.
Lest it be said that nothing can be done, let me repeat that only that
one company's products are frequently mentioned as the means whereby
these scourges are hosted and spread. I've never heard of any other
company's products doing so. Therefore, it must be possible to design
an operating system that does not.
Because those operating systems can be changed to stop the scourges and
because only that one company can do it, why isn't it done? The answer
is motivation. In America today, corporations seem to be motivated by
only one thing -- money. Not social responsibility, not good will,
certainly not the fear of God, but the prospect of making money or the
fear of losing money.
I believe that the laws of the United States that enable this company to
prosper, can also be used to protect those who are damaged because of
this company's irresponsible behavior. I imagine that the EULA of this
company has a clause or clauses in it that indemnifies it from any
damages caused by the design of its OS. Such clauses should not be
allowed to stand so that any company is able to make money while doing
things that cost others money, time or whatever.
Whether a change in the law is necessary or whether existing laws need
to be applied, I don't know. (What comes to mind is a class action
lawsuit.) But if there is political will, the United States can make it
unprofitable for this company to not fix it's software.
I did not mention the company I have in mind by name, because fairness
demands that such a change in or application of the law should apply to
all companies in this situation.
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