[Coco] Re: spam in this list

[KnudsenMJ at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/19/03 10:16:09 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
SFischer1 at MindSpring.com writes:

>  We can try and advertise the new Spam free list, but the old ones have so
>  many references that they will be found first. The UseNet group CANNOT be
>  stopped as there is no one place that owns it. Or am I wrong? The spam
>  reduced by cutting the link will help.

Is there some way to arrange that Dennis' List will be near the top of any 
Google searches on "coco"?  Probably, but you have to pay money for the 
privilege, sort of like boldface listing in the Yellow Pages.

As a long time reader of UseNet, I would say you are right, there is no way 
to shut down a newsgroup, other than letting it die a natural death from no 
postings.
  
>  CoCo web sites will be a good place to tell Surfers where we are and why,
>  but periodic messages to the Princeton list and UseNet group will be lost 
in
>  the flood of Spam I suspect. Any one posting may get several messages
>  welcoming them to the new list and suggesting that they not use the old
>  lists, or am I wrong about that. What reasons can be made for using the old
>  lists now?

Someone with a really good Spam filter could volunteer to monitor the old 
Princeton List and contact anyone who mails to it.
 
>  The fast dropping of the count of users on the Princeton list has been
>  reported.

These must be users who sent a SIGNOFF COCO command, as opposed to the SET 
COCO NOMAIL that I will probably send in a few days.  However, the former *may* 
have the advantage of removing you from the list, so spammers can't get your 
address there.
 
>  Maybe we should mine the old list references for user names and sent a
>  upbeat message telling them about the new Spam free lists.

That's a great idea.  You volunteering?  Ironically, this is sort of a "spam" 
advert for the new list.
  
>  I like many others are very happy with the switch already, it just seems to
>  be very good. Praise to all involved is befitting.

Yes, kudos to Dennis.  BTW, for two years discussions have been going on 
about making the Princeton list (or some list) closed and/or moderated.  But it 
required a volunteer to maintain and moderate the new list.  Dennis stepped up 
to the plate, and the first pitch seems to be out of the park :-)  --Mike K.