--On 24 August 2009 13:15:03 -0500 "Hopkins, Justin" <hopkinsju@umsystem.edu> wrote:
Thanks for such a detailed and compelling post..but I must disagree. I can't refute any of the arguments you made, they are all quite sound, but I do take issue with your conclusion.
Obfuscating the email addresses is just a part of 'defense in depth' - same as patching your computer, using a firewall, etc. Each layer, no matter how thin, still adds something.
Cheers, Justin
Quite right. Rich's argument is, essentially, that obfuscation isn't 100% effective so it shouldn't be used. Frankly, if it's 10% effective, then it's worth doing in my view.
Further, Rich offers no evidence of significant harm done by obfuscation.
Finally, there are other privacy concerns than spam harvesting that may also be mitigated by address obfuscation.
-- Ian Eiloart IT Services, University of Sussex 01273-873148 x3148 For new support requests, see http://www.sussex.ac.uk/its/help/