Abuse response [Was: RE: Yahoo Mail Update]

Tue Apr 15 13:43:50 UTC 2008

On Tue, Apr 15, 2008 at 8:34 AM, Rich Kulawiec <rsk at gsp.org> wrote:
>  - Automation is far less important than clue.  Attempting to compensate
>  for lack of a sufficient number of sufficiently-intelligent, experienced,
>  diligent staff with automation is a known-losing strategy, as anyone who
>  has ever dealt with an IVR system knows.

Rich,

That is one place that modern antispam efforts fall apart. It's the
same problem that afflicts tech support in general. The problem exists
for the same reason that large-city McDonalds workers don't speak
English: Anyone with sufficient clue to run an abuse desk is well
qualified for more interesting, important and higher-paid work where
they don't get yelled at all the time. Like administering mail servers
or writing mail software.

There's a reason we pay garbage collectors a small fortune to do a job
that requires no skill whatsoever.

Regards,
Bill Herrin

-- 
William D. Herrin ................ herrin at dirtside.com bill at herrin.us
3005 Crane Dr. ...................... Web: <http://bill.herrin.us/>
Falls Church, VA 22042-3004