[Mimedefang] Lycos Screensaver that attacks Spammers
WBrown at e1b.org
WBrown at e1b.org
Thu Dec 2 16:30:48 EST 2004
mimedefang-bounces at lists.roaringpenguin.com wrote on 12/02/2004 04:00:54
PM:
> While most of your arguments make sense, the last sentence is
questionable.
> Vigilanteism is no more or less moral than having representatives apply
a
> policy democratically. It's only a problem if the vigilante is
unqualified
> to objectively identify the criminal and apply the policy. If Lycos is
> unqualified, then who is? (Note that those running the screensaver are
just
> its agents, like deputies.)
Democracy is three wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.
Guess who gets eaten.
> The problem is not the "who", just the "how".
>
> (Every one of us is a vigilante when we run MD, protecting our users
> without the aid of organized law enforcement.)
No, we're not vigilantes when we filter spam. We're security guards only
patrolling our property and not leaving the premises. Returning a failure
code is like locking the door a putting up a closed sign. Now if we go
out in the streets and beat up some one that tries to break in, then we
are vigilantes. Sending traffic to a server not on our network is being a
vigilante.
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