----- Original Message ----- From: Jim Choate <ravage@einstein.ssz.com> To: <cypherpunks@einstein.ssz.com>
On Fri, 3 Nov 2000, Gil Hamilton wrote:
Hence, the obvious solution is to make it *cost money to send mail* (or to use any other network resource).
It already does (TANSTAAFL), what you seem to be missing is WHO is doing the paying. When the postman drops that mail in my mailbox it costs me nothing.
But it does, in fact. It costs you the effort to look at it (and distinguish it from desired mail) and that might mean you have to physically open it up. Then, you have to dispose of it, and that involves not merely tossing it into the trash, but setting it out to be picked up once a week. (Of course, those who burn their own trash may actually see "Uncle Spam" as BTU's (excuse me, calories or joules.)) A few years ago I proposed that email senders should be given the option of including a small amount of digital cash along with that email, as compensation for the inconvenience. Email programs could be programmed to sort the email in order of "tribute" sent: I could very easily ignore an email that gave me 1 penny, but I'd be intrigued by an email that included $1. "Spammers" who actually had an offer that a large fraction of the recipients would be interested in could easily afford $1 per email, or more. Jim Bell