MT> So... instead of pointing out the obvious that MT> there is no silver bullet, wouldn't it be a lot MT> more productive to frame this debate in terms of MT> what incremental steps could be taken to at least MT> try to change the overall climate? Serious discussions about spam control acknowledge the fact of limited, incremental benefit, significant deployment costs, potential impact on basic modes of legitimate email, and the like. Unfortunately, serious discussion is rather rare. What is missing from most proposals is any interest in such careful consideration about ramifications. Instead, efforts to explore real costs and real efficacy are met with the usual plea that this is an emergency and we have to do _something_. Emotional responses that block legitimate review, in favor of premature action fall under the category of "hysteria". The IETF MARID BOF showed that serious discussion is, in fact, possible. One simply needs to insist on it and encourage it when it happens. d/ -- Dave Crocker <dcrocker-at-brandenburg-dot-com> Brandenburg InternetWorking <www.brandenburg.com> Sunnyvale, CA USA <tel:+1.408.246.8253>