How about having vanagon spelled backwards in the header?  Might stop spam
from someone targeting this list?  Dunno.  Another alternative is to change
the required word each month.  Don't laugh too hard, you'll hurt my
feelings.

DM&FS
----- Original Message -----
From: "The Bus Depot, Inc." <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2001 9:44 AM
Subject: Great Solution for Spamless Open List!!

> > Wouldn't a simple, not too restrictive filter be that the word
> > vanagon must appear at least once in the body of the text,
> > otherwise simply discarded by the list server?
>
>
> I think that's a FANTASTIC idea!!  So simple that nobody thought of it!
It
> would probably eliminate 95% of spam while still keeping the list open.
(You
> could even shorten the required word to VW, or to either/or if this option
> were possible.)
>
> Such a rule could be included with the email a new subscriber receives,
and
> also placed on the mailing list page of vanagon.com, thus reaching
virtually
> anyone who had a legitimate post.  On the other hand spammers would be
> unlikely to either read vanagon.com or subscribe, so their posts would be
> rejected.  The rejection email sent to someone whose post was rejected
> (assuming one were sent) would probably have to refer people to
> vanagon.com's mailing list page or another similar page for posting rules,
> rather than spelling out exactly why the post was rejected, to prevent
> spammers from simply resending the spam with one word added.  Most likely
if
> they had to go to a webpage to learn why their post was rejected, most
> spammers simply wouldn't bother, whereas someone with a legitimate
interest
> in Vanagons would.
>
> Side benefit: it would force new subscribers to actually _read_ the
"welcome
> to the vanagon list" email, or their posts wouldn't go through.  Maybe
then
> more newbies would follow the list rules such as no virus warnings, or
> even - dare I think it? - try the archives before asking a stupid
question.
> (If they can't be bothered to follow a simple posting instruction, I'd
think
> it's rather likely that they haven't bothered to research their question
> before asking it either.)
>
> - Ron Salmon
>   The Bus Depot, Inc.
>   www.busdepot.com
>   (215) 234-VWVW