Re: [Exim] Angry users because we use rbl_domains

On Wed, Mar 08, 2000 at 12:32:10PM +0000 Nigel Metheringham wrote :

> Please can we not start a discussion of what is or isn't censorship.
> That topic may be relevant to an email policy list, but not an MTA list.

Sorry - my fault, I'll try to stick to the point this time ;-).

> There are means to opt out of RBL policy as a whole.
> Are these sufficient?
> Do we need methods to be able to opt out of specific RBL sets?
> Are there other technical issues?

We have two camps of customers. In one camp they don't want spam and bitterly
complain when they get it. Setting up RBL checking and refusing hosts that
don't lookup is pleases them and I for one am happy to do that.

The other camp though argue that such behaviour is "censorship" and as such
they say they will deal with spam themselves.

All attempts to create an opt-in system have failed for a variety of reasons
(given in my previous mail). Although, the idea posed by a poster earlier
(with majordomo) may well be worth looking at.

This system though is opt-out and I ideally want an opt-in system ie., do rbl
blocking for only these users and domains. If exim can already do this and I
am being thick then fine.

As to hostname checking at EHLO, we just cannot put it in. So many legitimate
systems just don't seem to have a clue about reverse DNS lookups.

> [RBL at its best blocks unwanted mail at SMTP time - post filtering
> means you have already accepted the message and its consequent costs]

This doesn't matter. At this level RBL blocking is very much a service. Much
of this mail isn't just irritating, it is offensive and people with "family"
internet access just don't want to get it.

--
Ian