posted on December 7, 2002 01:34:22 PM new
MIKE WENDLAND: Internet spammer can't take what he dishes out
BY MIKE WENDLAND FREE PRESS COLUMNIST
YOU'RE GOING TO *LOVE* THIS STORY! In doing my research every week, I've
been noticing more and more stories about spammers. They're lately
trying to come "out of the closet" to defend what they're doing (you
know: pump incredible amounts of vile garbage into your e-mail inbox).
They go to huge efforts to mask the true source of their mail and do
everything possible to get past filters set up to stop them. Meaning,
of course, that they absolutely disregard your clear desire to NOT get
their junk mail. How disgustingly arrogant! Yet they want people to
know what they're doing is "not illegal" (in most places, perhaps), is
"free speech" (just like throwing rocks with notes attached through
your windows is "free speech" and is just them "trying to make a
living" (try WORKING you slimeballs!)
Anyway, the Detroit Free Press recently did a story on one spammer who
was showing off his new $740,000 house that spam built. He was so smug
that apparently a LOT of his victims had enough: armed with information
about the location of his new house, his address got posted online --
and this scum of the earth started getting mail. Lots and LOTS of mail.
Catalogs, magazines, junk and more junk. Can the leech see the irony of
it? Nope: "They've signed me up for every advertising campaign and
mailing list there is," he whined to the Free Press. "These people are
out of their minds. They're harassing me." All together now: "Awwwwww!"
When you get 20-30 advertisements per week (or, in my case, per DAY --
and those are just the ones that get past my filters), don't YOU feel
harassed? Yet HE says HE is a victim and is going to SUE! Incredible.
Bottom line: spamming should be a CRIME, not something to be proud of.
While I'm gleeful that he's getting a good taste of his own medicine, I
can't say I approve of catalog merchants and magazine publishers being
used to victimize him -- they're yet another class of innocent victims
of the Spam Wars.
posted on December 7, 2002 02:16:11 PM new
I wish that spammers had to register like sex offenders do. That way, we'd know who they are and where they live . . .
posted on December 7, 2002 05:39:32 PM new
I had one spoof my account and ruin it, so I tracked him down by searching phrases he used repeatedly, and signed him up with the Aryan Nations KKK and a few other closely watched groups.
Sent them each a donation in his name and a emotional letter asking to be contacted to aid their cause.
[ edited by gravid on Dec 7, 2002 05:40 PM ]
posted on December 7, 2002 11:26:37 PM new
It will take me awhile to get used to the differences. I got it with Lindows 2.1.11 and had some trouble. I could not get the settings for the ethernet/PPoE to stay when I shut down and I could not get Netscape7 to see the switch/router I am using. But then I got a copy of Vs. 3.0 which is the first non-beta and it has resolved everything important.
It's silly but the biggest irritation is that I can't seem to train myself to remember the NumLock key does not stay on when you reboot.
I am trying to figure out how to use a free program VNC to allow me to access both my machines at home when on the road from my laptop. The hard part is getting it to work with
SSL and SSH so I have some security and can use it over a modem without going nuts as I am used to a DSL. The compression should speed it up. I am out of my depth and can't sit and chat with someone to get help being almost deaf.
I have to read how to do things and most written instruction is simply not very good. They almost always assume you have experience you don't. I usually have to read two or three accounts of how to do something and then figure out what needs to be done by combining them all.
I made a bootable CD for the first time a few days ago and went through that process. I make 4 coasters before I got one that would boot.
Anything that removes MS from my life is worth it. They want too much control. Money I can give them. But not control. The two Win98 disks I have are my last MS purchase. I won't own one I have to JUSTIFY to them everytime I change something. In fact I can't call them. What am I supposed to do? Mail them a letter? I find I even LIKE open office (Star) better than WORD.
I need to be a unix wizard but self education by reading is a hard way to get there. All you hearing people - when you are too vain to put on hearing protectors because it is "just a few minutes" or "only noise" - you are fools.
When you can't hear you are isolated socially and people think you are stupid. Sucks greatly.
and is just them "trying to make a