HTML e-mail is unspeakably evil (was Re: [Mimedefang] Considering an additional spam filter)

[listuser at numbnuts.net]

On Mon, 26 May 2003, David F. Skoll wrote:

> For an even worse example, first articulated by John Graham-Cumming,
> the POPFile author, see http://www.roaringpenguin.com/dastardly.html
> (Use "view source" to appreciate the cleverness of that trick.  It
> uses plain-vanilla HTML to encode the text using a transposition cipher.)

Good god.  I feel so dirty for even viewing that.  That goodness it would 
actually take some effort on a spammer's part to do that.

> I believe fighting HTML tricks will become a losing battle, just like
> keeping up with virus signatures.  Just as a lot of people simply
> ban all .exe files, I believe in the long run, we'll have to just ban
> HTML mail (which will be one of the few happy consequences of spam. :-))

You've got my vote.  No more HTML mail!  There's nothing like quadrupling 
the size of a simple email just to make some text stand out with boldness 
or color.  If you really want something to stand out, *learn* _a_ WAY "to" 
\MAKE/ ^it^ "*_\^HAPPEN^/_*". :)

Justin