Racer X <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>> Don't fool yourself. The benefit to the customer in blocking port 25
>> outbound is basically nonexistent; it's entirely about administrative
>> resources devoted to keeping one's site from abusing the Internet. It
>> may be necessary, but you can't sell it as a feature.
> Methinks you've never actually worked in this business. Perhaps you
> can't "sell" the feature, no. But it makes the business more efficient
> and competitive by taking better advantage of scarce resources (and yes,
> resources are quite scarce in this industry). This is a Good Thing for
> everyone involved.
But blocking 25 is still not a feature. Nor is it a benefit to the
customer. You're arguing that it allows you to spend time providing other
benefits to your customer. Fine. *Those* are the benefits to your
customers, not the port blocking. And the hard reality of the situation
is that that is neither your customer's problem nor *should* it be your
customer's problem. The network *they* see is less available due to port
blocking, and no matter how many other nice features you can then provide,
it's still a reduction in service.
If it's a trade-off, fine. Present it as a trade-off. Not a feature.
It's a net reduction in service that you have to do because you don't have
enough time and people to do something better.
I'm not *arguing* with that, for heaven's sake. Don't you think I know
the sort of shoestring budgets, particularly in terms of staff time, that
ISPs run on? Read my messages. You'll find that I have not *once* said
that ISPs should not be doing this. I've been saying that it's a damn
shame and that there are better solutions that for one reason or another
aren't feasible for most ISPs. I *know* why they're not feasible. I'm
not claiming you're all lazy bastards or something. You literally don't
have enough money or time or legal support to Fix things and this is the
next best thing. It's a nice stretch of bathwater to throw out.
What makes me mad is when people try to claim that a reduction in service
that prevents people from doing things they want to do is a "feature" and
that they shouldn't be trying to do those things in the first place. This
is just newspeak, and I don't have a lot of patience for it.
--
Russ Allbery ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) <URL:http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/>
