As a point of discussion regarding port 25 filtering. Let's look at two possible future models:

For both these models, today's weak-security SMTP is still used for email. The ISP having the sender of email is called "SendISP". The ISP with the recipient mailserver is called "RecvISP".

MODEL A: ISPs filter at the source; spam is reduced
   ISP's filter outgoing port 25 traffic from networks; allowing exceptions.
   SendISP limits outgoing mail. RecvISP has less incentive to block incoming.
   If a customer of SendISP want's to run a mail server, SendISP has motivation to
   make an exception.
   Customer's wanting exceptions tend to be rare.

MODEL B: ISPs filter incoming mail traffic; spam is reduced.
   ISP's increase the effectiveness of blacklists and locating dynamic IPs; allowing exceptions as requested by the mail server admins/users. (Filtering may occur at network level or in mail servers.)
   SendISP does not limit outgoing mail. RecvISP has strong incentives to block.
   If a customer of SendISP want's to run a mail server, RecvISP has almost no motivation to make a blacklist exception. RecvISP is more concerned about _their_ customers/users.

Which model really provides us with the best of both worlds: less spam yet more freedom to innovate? I would say model A does.

However, I am not convinced of this. Please pick apart my models..

(As if I have to ask...)

John

At 01:25 PM 4/4/2005, Jay R. Ashworth wrote:

On Mon, Apr 04, 2005 at 08:46:42PM +0200, Gadi Evron wrote:
> As a geek, do you not want the Internet to still be here *completely*
> OPEN and FREE in the future?

And this is the point question.

Much innovation is due to the open end-to-end characteristic of the
current network.

By all means, let's trap port 25 where possible, for those who don't
care (or ask), but let's not go all baby-and-bathwater by filtering
*everything* either...

Cheers,
-- jra
--
Jay R. Ashworth                                                [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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