Re: Spam, bounces and gcc list removal

["Maciej W. Rozycki" <macro@linux-mips.org>]

On Sat, 21 Mar 2020, Frank Ch. Eigler via Gcc wrote:

> > > So, a request: Could the overseers either install more effective
> > > spam protection for the list as a whole (preferred)
> 
> Heh, if only it were that easy!  Spam filtering was and is distinct
> from mailing list processing, and as you know it's a constant arms
> race.  We're working hard to make the new installation of spamassassin
> as discriminating as possible.  We're also working on the workflow to
> clean the web archives of spam that got through.

 Spam bouncing is evil and often hits an innocent person whose address has 
been faked by the sender of spam, making the source of bounces not better 
than the originator.  I have been hit myself like that in the past when 
someone chose to use my address; fortunately I only received a mere 1000 
of bounces or so.  If caught and chosen not to be quarantined or stored in 
a spambox, spam is best silently dropped on the floor aka /dev/null.

 I would certainly recommend anyone making use of services provided by an 
ISP who bounces spam to contact their e-mail system administrator and 
enquire as to why they chose to do so.  At worst I would change the ISP 
for their bad practices, and I think the decision to unsubscribe people 
whose ISP chose to bounce spam received through the mailing list is a 
reasonable one.

  Maciej