E-mail and spam

  • Thread starter Thread starter jock
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J

jock

Is there any e-mail software that can match incoming mail addresses
with the addresses existing in a personal add. book as a way of asking
"permission" to be accepted?

In other words, is there any way of accepting only mail from contacts
who have personally passed on addresses, and prevent any other mail
being downloaded from an ISP?

I mean, if loverly MSN/Hotmail can provide blocks to a never-ending
list of addresses when using webmail, then the reverse process would
seem to be an ideal way of blocking spam.
 
Is there any e-mail software that can match incoming mail addresses
with the addresses existing in a personal add. book as a way of asking
"permission" to be accepted?

In other words, is there any way of accepting only mail from contacts
who have personally passed on addresses, and prevent any other mail
being downloaded from an ISP?

I mean, if loverly MSN/Hotmail can provide blocks to a never-ending
list of addresses when using webmail, then the reverse process would
seem to be an ideal way of blocking spam.
Click to expand...

It would definatley be applicable to say an intranet, I can see how
that could require a degree of mutual trust between supervisors and
staff because of the implications of that. Other times it will be a
case of asking for authorisation "opt-in" for *cough* "all" that email
which is not part of an automated process already, and spammers are
clever with their specialist subject - email and technology, and staff
are not necessarily so, so I "postulate" that the list would be
managed on the staffs behalf... If it were just for yourself then who
am I to complain though...seems perfectly reasonable.

I think a program called Puremail can do what you suggest, you might
want to look into it.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/2098/PureMail.htm
 
Well, thank you! But the link you provide sure isn't the friendliest
way of finding out HOW.... so it isn't very easy! A hint or two might
be more helpful.
 
This is rather off-topic as it deals with Outlook Express... yes, OE
does allow one to BLOCK addresses... but it doesn't allow one to
enable only messages from addresses WITHIN an address book and block
ALL OTHERS, i.e. those NOT in an address book. There is a difference.
 
Is there any e-mail software that can match incoming mail addresses
with the addresses existing in a personal add. book as a way of asking
"permission" to be accepted?

<snipped>
Click to expand...

If you use K9 with any compatible email programme, you can set up a 'white
list' to allow 'good' emails through automatically. See:
http://keir.net/k9.html
 
This is rather off-topic as it deals with Outlook Express... yes, OE
does allow one to BLOCK addresses... but it doesn't allow one to
enable only messages from addresses WITHIN an address book and block
ALL OTHERS, i.e. those NOT in an address book. There is a difference.
Click to expand...

I think you are asking for a chalenge-response system. SpamCop does this
I believe but it's not free.
 
This is rather off-topic as it deals with Outlook Express... yes, OE
does allow one to BLOCK addresses... but it doesn't allow one to
enable only messages from addresses WITHIN an address book and block
ALL OTHERS, i.e. those NOT in an address book. There is a difference.
Click to expand...

FWIW, I don't see why the filter function in OE can't be set up to do this,
although doing so would be labor intensive and there would be a maintenance
requirement to keep the filter and address book in synch. I should add that
I haven't personally done this, so can't vouch for its utility. What I'm
suggesting is this: set up a filter condition 'Where from contains people' ,
copy your acceptable addresses into the condition (work), and select the
'does not' option; under action, pick whatever you want-delete, move to a
folder, delete from server, whatever. Then any mail from a source not in
your address book will get trapped in accordance with the action you
selected. Bear in mind that unless you have some rules ahead of this one to
deal with the situation, anything from any source other than what appears in
your address book will get hit by the rule even if it is a message you might
want to see. It is also necessary to add and delete addresses to/from the
rule if you do the same in your address book.

--

Njord

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

From Sea-Fever by John Masefield
 
PureMail looked interesting and actually worked on one test out of a
dozen or so... but it doesn't seem to be sure how to work with a DSL
connection, as the software author admits.

Thanks for the suggestion though!
 
Tried it.... but DSL seems to be its downfall. See my response to
"msd13" below.

Thanks though for the suggestion.
 
Is there any e-mail software that can match incoming mail addresses
with the addresses existing in a personal add. book as a way of asking
"permission" to be accepted?

In other words, is there any way of accepting only mail from contacts
who have personally passed on addresses, and prevent any other mail
being downloaded from an ISP?

I mean, if loverly MSN/Hotmail can provide blocks to a never-ending
list of addresses when using webmail, then the reverse process would
seem to be an ideal way of blocking spam.
Click to expand...

Have a look at Pimmy .

I can look at my mail on the ISP's server , delete ( spam removal ) ,
reply , click on links & if I want it on my comp , click on Move to >
Archive .
Use right click for some of the functions .

You can still leave any other email client installed . Just a matter
of choosing which one you want as default .

http://geminisoft.com/geminisoft.eng/
Pimmy - Your personal postman.

Geminisoft Pimmy lets you manage your electronic mail easily and
everywhere you are. The full
program may be put on a floppy!
What you can do using Pimmy:

* manage an unlimited number of mailboxes;
* read and write messages on newsgroups;
* check for new messages and be warned about them;
* file messages in folders;
* automatically download mail and newsgroup messages from the
mailboxes you desire to one or
more folders;
* read on-line only the message in which you are interested in,
not downloading all and
leaving mail on the server until you decide to delete them;
* read a preview of a message on-line not reading it completely or
dowloading it;
* delete a message on-line not reading it completely or dowloading
it;
* write your messages off-line and send them when connected to
Internet, moving all sent
messages in a special folder;
* send messages using different providers easily;
* manage an address book;
* manage different signatures (even with only one mailbox);
* attach files and documents;
* chat with other Pimmy users, even with more than one at the same
time.
 
On Fri, 04 Jul 2003 22:38:04 GMT, (e-mail address removed) wrote:

In other words, is there any way of accepting only mail from contacts
who have personally passed on addresses, and prevent any other mail
being downloaded from an ISP?
Click to expand...

< snip >

Pretty well ANY email client, with filters, can come close to that.
Just create a rule for everyone in your address book. Everything not
fitting the rule can be sent to a spam folder and/or instantly be
deleted.

This is commonly referred to as whitelisting.


Regards, John.

--
****************************************************
,-._|\ (A.C.F FAQ) http://clients.net2000.com.au/~johnf/faq.html
/ Oz \ John Fitzsimons - Melbourne, Australia.
\_,--.x/ http://www.vicnet.net.au/~johnf/welcome.htm
v http://clients.net2000.com.au/~johnf/
 
Njord said:
FWIW, I don't see why the filter function in OE can't be set up to do this,
although doing so would be labor intensive and there would be a maintenance
requirement to keep the filter and address book in synch. I should add that
I haven't personally done this, so can't vouch for its utility. What I'm
suggesting is this: set up a filter condition 'Where from contains people' ,
copy your acceptable addresses into the condition (work), and select the
'does not' option; under action, pick whatever you want-delete, move to a
folder, delete from server, whatever. Then any mail from a source not in
your address book will get trapped in accordance with the action you
selected. Bear in mind that unless you have some rules ahead of this one to
deal with the situation, anything from any source other than what appears in
your address book will get hit by the rule even if it is a message you might
want to see. It is also necessary to add and delete addresses to/from the
rule if you do the same in your address book.

--

Njord

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

From Sea-Fever by John Masefield
Click to expand...
OE can be set to reject mail if it is not from " " It is kind of hidden but basic you set it for From Line contains, insert any/all in your Address Book. Next you click on the rule in the second window now click on the Options button and change the rule to "Does not contain".
The final result is "If the from line does not contain "joe@,bill@etc. then move it to the junk folder/delete it, (your choice.
PR
 
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