I can certainly see why many people would get to the point where they start feeling like e-mail no longer has any real value. I certainly feel that way about most USENET newsgroups I know of, and for the same reasons. Brad Knowles, <brad@stop.mail-abuse.org>

Eamil has indeed become very frustrating lately, my email client is currently fried and hopefully the guy coming over tonight can figure out how to retrieve it, i've tried all i know and can't get it to open at all. I also get all the spam you've talked about, and the current software we're using to host a list on sends me every piece of spam received for any imaginary address the spam folks make for the domain on top of my more than healthy dose of personal spam of course. Its very annoying and at times its been a good thing I can't quite reach the computer to throw it out into oncoming traffic, however, I work at home so its a vital part of what allows me to do the various jobs from home.

Now, I've noticed a marked decrease in the viruses circulating in recent months, and a huge increase in spam at about the same time. A very senior tech guy I respect a great deal has told me that the virus writing jerks have now been hired to write software that spreads spam like they used to spread viruses and I believe it. I told him i was getting the same sort of sinking feeling about the internet hanging on by a thread like i used to get when the major finanacial services applications i worked with were about to crash and he brought that up in response. I used to say, about the virus jerks, that if only they'd put their talents to some good use they could change or rule the world and make a fortune doing it, unfortunately it appears they've now figured out how to make that fortune doing spam instead of something 'good' for the world. Sad isn't it?

Gail