Re: [Fwd: Wikibooks e-mail]Link spamming

I got this same exact message in my inbox, so i would say it's a distributed 
thing. I made the mistake of sending back a positive reply ("yes, i would 
like to help with a project that promotes wikibooks") before reading this 
post to textbook-l.

I think we need to give serious consideration to the fact that it's not 
necessarily "spam" but instead a genuine (if misguided) offer of help and 
support.

--Andrew Whitworth (Whiteknight)

>From: Robert Horning <[email protected]>
>Reply-To: Wikimedia textbook discussion <[email protected]>
>To: Wikimedia textbook discussion <[email protected]>
>Subject: Re: [Textbook-l] [Fwd: Wikibooks e-mail]Link spamming
>Date: Fri, 09 Mar 2007 19:57:17 -0700
>
>Martin Swift wrote:
> > Hi Rob and gang,
> >
> >
><snip>
> > Perhaps, we should rather have the server administrator send a single,
> > to-the-point email stating that this person has been in breach of the
> > terms of usage (I'm assuming there are such) and that continued abuse
> > will result in being barred from using the server.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Martin
> >
>OK, here is the original e-mail:
>
><MESSAGE>
>
>(from bushi_bashir2010-/[email protected])
>
>Hi there,
>
>I hope this email will find you in good health.  I am working on a website 
>of "Computer Networking".
>
>I need to have Unique articles for my website on any topic of computer 
>networking, hardware, wireless networking
>computer troubleshooting, data communication etc.
>
>In return I will give you permanent credit in the form of a link to your 
>URL with every article you provide for my website.
>
>I will also promote your Computer Networking related books on my website if 
>you allow me. Hopefully you will get good traffic towards your website(s) 
>through my website.
>
>I will be very much thankful to you if you can provide me any kind of help 
>in this regard.
>Looking forward to have a positive reply from you.
>
>Best Regards
>
></MESSAGE>
>
>If you are talking about a server administrator, who might that be?  This 
>was sent via the web interface on en.wikibooks, of which I'm an 
>administrator there.
>
>My main point is that I believe that this individual has likely spammed 
>privately several individuals on not only Wikibooks but other Wikimedia 
>projects as well.  This must have been a fairly tedious process, as the 
>MediaWiki interface is not really set up to send bulk e-mails, but there 
>are some motivated individuals.
>
>My experience with yahoo is that they don't really care when these things 
>get sent, and shutting down the account will do little good, as least from 
>their perspective.  This is a throw-away e-mail account that is here one 
>day and gone the next.  I know, I've made a few myself (mainly as an 
>anti-spam measure when I've used them).  Still, I suppose that in this case 
>it might be worth it to try.
>
>-- Robert Horning
>
>P.S. I forgot the Wikimedia mailing list server strips off all 
>attachments.... this was previously a forwarded message.
>
>
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