At 21:50 9/11/96, Ross Wright <rwright@adnetsol.com> wrote to cypherpunks@toad.com and remailer-operators@c2.org:
As I said having a website invites comments. It's like being a public figure. In effect you are publishing your e-mail address.
Interesting perspective. However, placing an email address on a web page is by no means an offer to take "comments" (i.e., marketing spams) on anything that strikes the spammer's fancy.
How would you know what the *intent* of these other people is in placing mailme: tags on their public pages unless you have been to the specific pages. You speak only for yourself, yet you try to imply that you speak for everyone on the www who has placed a mailto: tag on their pages.
I think this is exactly the point. On a given page I might have several mailto tags. One for comments on some subject, one for feedback, and one for the webmaster. I expect the person mailing me to take the time to use the correct mailbox. I created a page urging political activism, and included a mailto for all the relevant Senators and Representatives. I hardly think they are interested in this kind of spam. Trawling the web for every address you can find, then mailing them all seems very inappropriate. -Lance ---------------------------------------------------------- Lance Cottrell loki@obscura.com PGP 2.6 key available by finger or server. Mixmaster, the next generation remailer, is now available! http://www.obscura.com/~loki/Welcome.html or FTP to obscura.com "Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra. Suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night the ice weasels come." --Nietzsche ----------------------------------------------------------