Vernon Schryver wrote: > > The spam problem starts with accepting mail from strangers. This phrase is a good soundbite. I'd add: The spam problem starts with *freely* accepting mail from strangers. If we force strangers to jump some hoops before their email can reach our mailboxes, it seems clear to me that we can still keep receiving email from strangers. Accountability (as in the "email caller ID" proposal by Microsoft) and identification (by requiring digital signatures) are not enough. They are locally restricted in the application of laws, jurisdiction, and enforcement. Rogue messages due to spoofing, worms and virus cannot be prevented either. Spam could still contaminate list traffic, even if list messages are signed by the listserver. Rubbish in, rubbish out. Even though the pain is at the output, the problem is not at the output. The problem is at the input, when we freely accept email from strangers. We need to provide mechanisms (plural) for selectively locking the input. Comments? Cheers, Ed Gerck