Re: [APML] OT: Spam (was: Brian Larmay: You may have a virus)

["Shekhar Borde" <shekhar@prodigy.net>]

> 
> After this last episode with the virus being sent to me, Im going to find
> any way I can to put an end to this spam thats bein sent to me...its
> starting to affect the people around me now.

Don't assume you got the virus from the spammers (although it's possible
that you could have).  Most people get viruses from downloading stuff or 
in email from people they know.  

> 
> Does majordomo cost anything?
>

It's free but it's just a piece of software.  You will need to set it up on a 
UNIX-flavored server which runs sendmail and has Internet access.  
There is some setup involved so it helps if you know UNIX system 
administration basics.  Alternatively, you can pay someone like an ISP
to host it for you.  

Here's the majordomo FAQ:

http://www.greatcircle.com/majordomo/majordomo-faq.html

And here's a list of entities that will host mailing lists:

http://www.emailman.com/hosting/lists.html

> What are the benefits over groups like yahoo?

No spam (at all)!  Unless one of the subscribers decides to spam others.

> Everytime when Id get one of theyre emails, I would add it to the blocked
> messages, but then they keep changing their address those crafty
> bast*&^s.....but hten again, if I didnt exist, wouldnt the email just bounce
> back to them?

That is why it is better for your ISP to filter them.  If your ISP rejects the
email, it bounces back and the spammer will then (hopefully) remove your
email from his/her address list.  In any event, it doesn't really matter 
because you never see their emails.

Ignoring the spam or not clicking any of their links doesn't improve things 
any, but it prevents them from getting a lot worse.

If you decide to get spam filtering software, I have read that Spam Killer
http://www.spamkiller.com/ is good.  I've been meaning to try it but haven't
gotten around to it. 


Shekhar


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