RE: Advertising (Hopefully List Appropriate)

At 14:57 2001-08-07 +0200, you wrote:
>As said before, I wouldn't call Nathan's mail SPAM, since it's not a bulk
>mail going out to a large number of people in one go.  It's after all a
>personal contact with a predefined structure, and I'm sure Nathan is
>changing a few things to personalize the email for the target.

He probably is and that's a bit better but it's the unsolicited nature of=20
such messages that make them SPAM, not the number of people who receive=20
them.  Bulk spamming has farther reaching consequences than Nathan's=20
mailing obviously, but being on the receiving end of unsolicited=20
advertising can range from being slightly annoying to eating up a person's=
=20
time and money.  Especially in Europe where in certain countries people pay=
=20
by the minute not only for the time they log on to their ISPs but also for=
=20
the time they spend on the phone, even for loacal calls.  In such cases,=20
SPAM can be a real problem.  Even seemingly legitimate mailings like=20
Nathan's can add up to a significant amount of mail everyday, so=20
personally, eventhough I do not pay by the minute, I now have zero=20
tolerance for unsolicited emails, no matter the origin.  I used to get=20
dozens of SPAM messages everyday because my company email address is own my=
=20
company's Web site.  It was a growing problem for me but it's not nearly as=
=20
bad now since I started reporting most of them.

>What if I were on the critique list and send some beginner an email about
>how I can help him doing his site.  Would that be spam?

That's not completely unsolicited, but if the beginner didn't specifically=
=20
request comments or help with the site then yes I would tend to think so.

>In the way many people are seeing this, all active forms of advertisement
>would have to be prohibited.  Popups - I didn't ask for them, hotmail=
 emails
>with hotmail adds - I don't want them, all you guys with signatures - I=
 have
>one too.

When I log on to a Web site or subscribe to a mailing list I "opt-in" with=
=20
full knowledge of what I may find, including ads and sigs.  That's a flawed=
=20
comparison.  Not taking steps to protect oneself is stupid of course, but=20
by putting my email address on my Web site or by posting to a mailing list=
=20
or newsgroup I DO NOT opt-in to being added to bulk spammers databases or=20
even "targeted" advertising like Nathan's.  That is very different thing.

>Anyways, I wouldn't be offended in any way with Nathan's way of
>advertisement.  I WOULD if he'd stalk me with emails.  I WOULD if it'd be=
 an
>aggressive email.  I WOULD if my name wasn't the only one on the to: line.

It's not a matter of being offended.  I rarely get offended if at=20
all.  It's a matter of not wasting my time or resources.    Don't argue=20
that deleting Nathan's mail would have taken me less than a second if I=20
didn't want to see it.  Before I started reporting SPAM I had to delete=20
dozens every day, not anymore. I really have better things to do with my=20
time than dealing with unsolicited junk mail.    If I want advertising from=
=20
vendors or Web sites I sign up for them (and I do receive some from chosen=
=20
ones that interest me).  If you want your message to reach me, place ads=20
somewhere, get your Web site indexed advantageously so I can find you=20
whenever I need you; but please don't clog my inbox with unsolicited=20
advertising.  That's all I'm saying... ;-)

St=E9phane

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