Wirt Atmar wrote:
> Jim Byrne wrote the following a few days ago. I hadn't had time to
> properly respond prior to this, but I think that his idea is such a
> good one that I'm going to repeat his post here. The root problem
> with spam is that email is a free communications channel -- and so
> long as it remains free, it will be exploited by the worst among us
> in the most perverse manners.
>
> Jim wrote:
>
>> A proposal that I have been kicking around in my head for some time
>>  would see each e-mail header carry a unique PEK style token
>>  validated by a DNS service that would pass the transmission fee
>>  along to the ultimate recipient.

This is much better than a tax.  I would not use DNS though, I would rather
see ISP's offer an eCashBox.  The letter will only make it into the box if:

- the sender's name is on an approved list.
or
- the sender pays for the privilege to deposit mail.

If a message does not meet these two criteria, then it is disposed or
returned.  One could make the argument that the money goes to the ISP since
they will incur some charges for gathering the money.  I'd let the market
work that out.

Mark W.

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