Re: [OT] Yahoo's Antispam proposal

[John Hasler <john@dhh.gt.org>]

David P James writes:
> As an economist, I look at the billions of dollars, resources and
> manhours wasted on dealing with spam and think of all the investments,
> jobs and other more useful spending and activities that didn't take place
> because of it. The same goes with Microsoft's monopoly rent (or tax as
> some call it) of course, but that's a different problem

Not true.  Dealing with spam consumes resources while Microsoft's monopoly
rent redistributes them (albeit inefficiently and unfairly).

The problem with "sender pays" schemes is that they create opportunities
for monopolies.  For example, "private" mailing lists such as the Debian
ones are likely to be driven out.
-- 
John Hasler 
john@dhh.gt.org
Dancing Horse Hill
Elmwood, Wisconsin