Return-Path: skip@pobox.com
Delivery-Date: Fri Sep  6 19:48:35 2002
From: skip@pobox.com (Skip Montanaro)
Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2002 13:48:35 -0500
Subject: [Spambayes] Deployment
In-Reply-To: <20020906162505.GB17800@cthulhu.gerg.ca>
References: <200209061431.g86EVM114413@pcp02138704pcs.reston01.va.comcast.net>
        <20020906162505.GB17800@cthulhu.gerg.ca>
Message-ID: <15736.63619.488739.691181@12-248-11-90.client.attbi.com>


    Greg> In case it wasn't obvious, I'm a strong proponent of filtering
    Greg> junk mail as early as possible, ie. right after the SMTP DATA
    Greg> command has been completed.  Filtering spam at the MUA just seems
    Greg> stupid to me -- by the time it gets to me MUA, the spammer has
    Greg> already stolen my bandwidth.  

The two problems I see with filtering that early are:

    1. Everyone receiving email via that server will contribute ham to the
       stew, making the Bayesian classification less effective.

    2. Given that there will be some false positives, you absolutely have to
       put the mail somewhere.  You can't simply delete it.  (I also don't
       like the TMDA-ish business of replying with a msg that says, "here's
       what you do to really get your message to me."  That puts an extra
       burden on my correspondents.)  As an individual, I would prefer you
       put spammish messages somewhere where I can review them, not an
       anonymous sysadmin who I might not trust with my personal email
       (nothing against you Greg ;-).

I personally prefer to manage this stuff at the user agent level.  Bandwidth
is a heck of a lot cheaper than my time.

Skip