Chris,

I do not have a problem with a posting here on the newsgroup
just to follow-up on your last statement. At least with the newsgroup I
have a choice or reading or not etc. When something is sent to my email
address directly, it becomes a different story. I receive around 200
messages per day and I can tell you that around 170 of them are spam ...
from increasing you-know-what, to cheap loans and low interest rates, to
Nigerian government officials looking to launder money, to Microsoft
patches and fixes, to Viagra, to online pharmacies and lots of other
garbage.

As I noted to someone else who sent me email: I see spam being
similar to the travelling salesman who knocks on your door unsolicited.
I do not want the hassle or the bother of whatever he may be selling.
Now, if some "newsgroup"could be setup where all of these idiots can
send their messages to, I would be delighted for the simple reason it
will free up my electronic mailbox from abuse and, IF AND WHEN I decide,
I can visit this new "newsgroup" to read whatever garbage they are
promoting.

It is certainly not a black and white issue as you note but it
it quite close to being as such (at least for me). As for someone
possibly hoarding something related to astronomy, why not then just post
a message to a newsgroup where you will have a much greater audience
(perhaps?) as well as probably a greater probablity that someone will
read it.

As much as I love the Internet, spam is something that is
getting more and more frustrating. I remember reading some report
locally about a year ago and it was clearly documented that the United
States (here we go with a new flame war and thread) is a major portion
of the problem, for a lot of the spam not only originates from the US
but politicians and law-makers are hesitant to pass laws with teeth on
the grounds spam does have an economic basis and foundation. The article
went on to say that the EU was close to passing some very tough law
against spam but that little could be expected since the source of the
problem and consequent volume was elsewhere (vis a vis, the US). I wish
I had kept the article so as to be more specific.

Anthony.

Chris L Peterson wrote:

On Sun, 07 Dec 2003 03:19:49 +0200, Anthony Ayiomamitis
wrote:



So you are saying that "Unsolicited messages, often of a commercial
nature, sent DISCRIMINATELY to multiple mailing lists, individuals, or
newsgroups." is not spam?



I think it's fair to say this isn't a black and white issue. We all get stuff
that would be pretty universally considered spam (products to increase your,
umm, telescope size) and things that at least some of us would not, even though
commercial and unsolicited. I don't have a big problem with the occasional email
directed to me by someone selling something astronomical. I might have a mild
sense of distaste, depending on how focused it is and just where I think they
got my address, but I don't go filing complaints with their ISPs like I do some
other UBEs.

For the many years I've been participating in this NG, short, occasional,
topical commercial posts have been well accepted, particularly where the poster
is a regular participant here.

_______________________________________________ __

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com