Arrogant RBL list maintainers

Thu Dec 17 06:58:38 UTC 2009

On Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 9:07 PM,  <Valdis.Kletnieks at vt.edu> wrote:
> On Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:21:42 PST, Matthew Petach said:
>> You clearly haven't set up webmail farms to handle half a billion accounts
>> before.  ^_^;
>
> Yes, but we all already know who those 800 pound gorillas are. If you're
> doing automagic handling of this sort of DNS data, and not using a regexp
> to prevent auto-blocking any of the 800 pound gorillas... :)
>

So, it's uncool to do as long as you're small, but once you're big enough,
it's OK to do.  I wonder what the crossover point is?  If you're an
up-and-coming
gorilla, but you're only 400 pounds, do you get a regexp and a waiver?  What
about if you're only 200 pounds?  100 pounds?
Are we putting an artificial barrier in place, blocking new entrants into the
space by grandfathering existing mail providers, but steadfastly keeping
the gate closed against new providers trying to enter the marketplace?
Are we guilty of collusion, gathering in virtual spaces like this to agree on
how we can put rules in place to prevent any would-be mail hosting
companies from being able to compete on a level playing field?  At
what point does the FTC decide that we've crossed a line in cooperating
to keep these newcomers from doing business in our territory?

No, I don't think we've crossed the line yet--but it does make me
sit up and think about the various permutations and combinations
that might arise out of conversations like this, and how they could
be misinterpreted by government regulators.

I suppose it's best if I make it very abundantly clear that I'm not
speaking for my employer in any way, shape, or form here; I'm
just ruminating after dinner with a full stomach and an empty head
on my own time, just as me, nothing more.

Matt