Spam

[Ghodmode]

I've noticed that python-list gets significantly more spam than the
other lists I subscribe to. There's an example below.

I'm wondering how the list is managed. Can anyone post, or only
members? I've picked the email addresses of the list managers out of
the list info page, but I wonder if you guys have enough time to skim
the list and boot offending members. If not, is there someone who is
active on the list that you could delegate administration privileges
to? Maybe someone who has been an active member for a long time?

I'm willing, but probably not qualified. I've been lurking on the
list for a while, but I don't contribute much because I'm not very
proficient with Python.

Thank you.

--
Ghodmode
http://www.ghodmode.com/blog


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ashraf Ali <***@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Aug 1, 2011 at 10:54 AM
Subject: Hello My Sweet Friends.
To: python-***@python.org


Hello Friends.
How are you all?
Please Visit the following link if you know about Pakistan and what
happening in the world.

http://bollywoodactresseshotpictures.blogspot.com/
http://jobopportunitiesinpakistan.blogspot.com/
http://hotfemaletennisplayershotphotos.blogspot.com/
http://watchonlineindianmovies.blogspot.com/
--
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list

[Chris Angelico]

I'm willing, but probably not qualified.  I've been lurking on the
list for a while, but I don't contribute much because I'm not very
proficient with Python.

I don't see Python proficiency as a prerequisite for recognizing
spammers :) If you are willing to take on the job, I would support
your application for the power to do it.

Chris Angelico

[Chris Rebert]

Post by Ghodmode
I've noticed that python-list gets significantly more spam than the
other lists I subscribe to.  There's an example below.
I'm wondering how the list is managed.  Can anyone post, or only
members?

Since we're gatewayed to USENET's comp.lang.python anyway, I'd
strongly suspect the former. So unfortunately, I doubt your idea could
be implemented short of making the list moderated (very unlikely to
happen due to the level of activity) or disabling the gateway (again
unlikely due to historical momentum and USENET dinosaurs). I
understand that there are spam filters in place though, so it might be
worth asking that they be tweaked. (e.g. I doubt there are many legit
posts involving Bollywood.)

Post by Ghodmode
 I've picked the email addresses of the list managers out of
the list info page, but I wonder if you guys have enough time to skim
the list and boot offending members.  If not, is there someone who is
active on the list that you could delegate administration privileges
to?  Maybe someone who has been an active member for a long time?
I'm willing, but probably not qualified.  I've been lurking on the
list for a while, but I don't contribute much because I'm not very
proficient with Python.
Thank you.
--
Ghodmode
http://www.ghodmode.com/blog
---------- Forwarded message ----------

And off to ***@gmail.com I dash. Fsck you Mr. Ali. (Yeah, not their
real name, I know. Still worth reporting such accounts.)

Cheers,
Chris

Post by Ghodmode
Date: Mon, Aug 1, 2011 at 10:54 AM
Subject: Hello My Sweet Friends.
Hello Friends.
How are you all?
Please Visit the following link if you know about Pakistan and what
happening in the world.

P.S. Please redact the actual spam links next time so that they don't
get further Google juice.

[Gregory Ewing]

Post by Chris Rebert

Post by Ghodmode
I'm wondering how the list is managed. Can anyone post, or only
members?

Since we're gatewayed to USENET's comp.lang.python anyway, I'd
strongly suspect the former.

You may get a better experience by reading the usenet group
instead, and doing it through a good news site.

I'm using news.individual.de, and seeing near enough to zero
spam on comp.lang.python, so they must be doing a good job
of filtering.

[Steven D'Aprano]

Post by Ghodmode
I've noticed that python-list gets significantly more spam than the
other lists I subscribe to. There's an example below.

Thanks for that! I missed it the first time, so it is very helpful for you
to forward it. It's especially helpful that you included all the spammer's
URLs, as that will help improve their Google page ranks. I'm sure the
spammer will thank you for your assistance.

[harrismh777]

Post by Steven D'Aprano

Post by Ghodmode
I've noticed that python-list gets significantly more spam than the

Post by Ghodmode
other lists I subscribe to. There's an example below.

Thanks for that! I missed it the first time, so it is very helpful for you
to forward it. It's especially helpful that you included all the spammer's
URLs, as that will help improve their Google page ranks. I'm sure the
spammer will thank you for your assistance.

Yeah, a couple of good rules to follow for well intentioned citizens:
1) don't feed the trolls
2) don't repackage spam

Having said that, either because I was tired or because I dropped my
defensive posture, I have messed up on those two little rules more than
once.

It is possible to filter spam very effectively. My mail client has a
spam-can based on a multitude of trial and guess rules that with almost
oh 97 percent rate puts the right stuff into the can and saves me the
trouble of manually filtering it. Granted, I still need to quickly peek
through the can files... but this is pretty easy to do... because non
spam shows up like a rose among thorns in a spam-can.

The trouble is that this group does like to debate off-topic stuff
frequently (usually its at least edge related to Python) and so who is
to tell (as a moderator) what is spam? Well, your example is fairly
obvious, but other stuff (even like this note) may not be. I don't
consider this spam, because its related to this list and because I am
interested in the same issue as your OP complaint. But, I am absolutely
sure that others will view your note, and mine, as spam... see the problem?

[Chris Angelico]

I hope it's clear that reading an email doesn't constitute visiting all of
the sites linked in the email and therefore doesn't improve Google page
ranks or provide any other tracking information.  Also note that the
original email didn't have anything like a tracking pixel.  Even the urls
were just text.  They only became links if the readers' email client turned
them into links.  My email wasn't dangerous or helpful to the spammer in any
way.

You're correct about emails per se, but list mail gets archived to
web-accessible pages:

http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list/2011-August/1277607.html

And yes, URLs become clickable.

ChrisA

[David]

If you click the "more options" link, there is an option in the sub-
menu to report a post as spam. You can also forward it along with the
offending e-mail address to ***@uce.gov

[Steven D'Aprano]

Post by David
If you click the "more options" link, there is an option in the sub-
menu to report a post as spam. You can also forward it along with the

What "more options" link? Are you referring to a specific program? If so,
which?

Remember, people are reading this via email: Thunderbird, Outlook, Outlook
Express, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Kmail, mutt, and hundreds of other programs;
also via Usenet, again with multiple programs; on the web, via Google
Groups or any of a dozen or so different websites. They don't all have
a "more options" link.