-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- [this is an e-mail reply to a Usenet post, carbon-copied to cypherpunks list.] In comp.os.linux.announce you, Lars Wirzenius <liw@iki.fi>, wrote:
Meanwhile, I'm beginning to feel rather annoyed by the general spam problem, especially e-mail spam.
Me too.
During the worst days, about half of my non-mailing-list mail is spam. I am in the process of installing a filter that will make it more difficult to reach me via e-mail. I am going to require strangers to use a password in the subject line to reach me (people I know will be put onto a whitelist). It will be easy to get the password, but I doubt that spammers will bother. This filtering is not in effect yet. I'll inform you when it is.
I have a great idea for an upgrade to your filter, for that fateful day when spammers start using your password: Have your filter reject any incoming mail which is not 1) from one of your white-listed friends or 2) accompanied by a one U.S. Dollar "good faith" deposit. Spammers will not find it worthwhile to send unwanted mail, because it costs them one dollar each time. But people who sincerely have interesting information for you, even if they are not people on your whitelist, can send the one dollar "good faith" deposit with a good chance that you will give the money back to them once you have read their letter. Just another example of how Ecash(tm) is going to improve the Net. Regards, Bryce -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 Comment: www.c2.net/~bryce -- 'BAP' Easy-PGP v1.1b2 iQCVAwUBMejncPWZSllhfG25AQEypAQAkiC1O4nab+aLMo6v3stbHUm/VLtHo+lC kIOD+UU+ckc4/vHEMLWgT4LfQ2EH338GxOkA7zgcBe9nhcBxIqvlqU5BurmLie/X j7xXFcQTzf+D+fIaD3xBjQrs/g2oOwqiGrCKCkEf3MWzYu1J7Bw1W458vjziizyu +Q8VBY6cVV0= =nRLB -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----