Doug McAdam wrote: >Sorry, but I seem to be confused about all this. It is true that my ISP >offers SPAM blocking and I have availed myself of this feature. I have >activated AppleScripts in the Mail Action feature regarding certain key >words, addresses, subjects etc. and the ISP is now marking them with the >prefix "SPAM" and they are filed into a SPAM folder on my Emailer.
If I am understanding you, you seem confused about the difference between spam blocking done by your ISP and spam handling done on your own computer. Your ISP's spam blocking has not a thing to do with any Applescripts or Mail Actions that you may have on your machine. If you tell your ISP to block spam, then it never gets to you in the first place, no matter what OS or even what platform you use. A Windoz user would use his browser to go to the same ISP web site where I went to activate spam blocking, and the ISP doesn't ask and doesn't care what I'm using at my end. I had a bunch of mail actions to divert spam to my spam folder, but had the same problems you describe. You can never keep up with all the variations of spelling, senders, etc. Then my ISP offered spam blocking with two choices. I could either have them mark suspected spam by placing the word "spam" in the subject, or I could have them just delete spam before sending it to me. I started by having them put spam in the subject. At that point, all I needed was a mail action to divert any post with spam in the subject to whatever folder I selected. The ISP's screen replaced all the screens of my mail actions. I chose to have it put in my deleted mail folder. After I reviewed it to make sure it was truly spam, I deleted it again, and it was gone from the folder. After a couple of weeks looking at the results of spam blocking, I found that the ISP had never mis-identified a single good post as spam. At that point I went back on the ISP's customer service website and selected the choice that told them to hold the spam without my ever seeing it. I may be naive, and I may eventually miss a valuable post, but that's where I am at present. After telling the ISP to delete spam without sending it to me, I disabled that mail action that had been sending any post with spam in the title to my deleted mail folder. After all, it would have been diverting the post to which I am relying. I now require no mail actions at all. A miniscule amount of spam gets by the ISP's spam blocker, but it is easy enough to just delete it as I get it. One final point- it is my understanding that programs like Spam Sieve that you are inquiring about are things that would try to handle spam after the ISP sent it to you. But if the ISP doesn't sent it in the first place, then I don't see why you need the program. And of course I believe Spam Sieve works on OS X only, and you have indicated that like me, you are still using OS 9. I hope this helps, and even more I hope I am not giving you bum scoop. With all the true experts present on this list, I feel a bit out of my league even trying to give you advice. But I'm just trying to explain it from the POV of a computer cripple who has been very happy that his ISP took the spam monkey off his back. If I am putting out bum scoop, I hope someone will correct me before I do more harm. Bill ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe send a mail message with a SUBJECT line of "unsubscribe" to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
