Re: [school-discuss] Can some one pls. answer this Q. for me.

[Tom Adelstein <tadelste@charter.net>]

On Mon, 2004-06-21 at 16:55, Alec Couros wrote:
> Doug Loss wrote:
> 
> >On Mon, 2004-06-21 at 17:39, John Williams wrote:
> >  
> >
> >>Hi folks,
> >>
> >>I want to know if there is a multi-email sender programs for linux
> >>that can send a message to thousands if not millions of email address.
> >>And if so where can I find it.
> >>
> >>    
> >>
> >How to put this politely...What you're asking for is a spamming
> >program.  Such things undoubtedly exist for Linux or could be created
> >fairly easily.  But using such a thing is a great social evil, and we
> >shouldn't promote them at all.  It's far better to create a mailing list
> >that people can remove themselves from if they don't want to see your
> >messages.  
> >
> >  
> >
> 
> I totally agree with Doug, and I was hoping that someone would say it. 
> If you want to communicate to an audience, they'll more likely listen if 
> they want to listen ... not if they are bombarded by marketing 
> information. Email lists are great, but you should also think about RSS 
> or Atom feeds.  You may not get the same audience, but if you have a 
> worthwhile message, it will get out there eventually. Of course, I am 
> not sure what message you intend to convey, so I am not 100% if that 
> would be appropriate.

This is one of those times I could be personal and lay some shots at Mr.
Loss -- but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

If such Linux programs exist (and I'm sure they do because Linux
companies do blasts) then we should destroy it. I had to migrate away
from my last email address because I got like 100 emails and 98 of them
are spam. I didn't have that problem until I began posting on mailing
list like this one.

I forget the cost but I heard a politician say that spam costs the US
economy $80 billion a year.

Please Mr. Loss, don't do it.