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Rant of the Month

We operate our network and mail server(s) for the benefit and convenience of OUR users only. Therefore, unsolicited commercial and/or bulk e-mail is NEVER welcome here.  As a means of enforcing this policy, connection control and spam rejection for our mail server(s) is handled primarily via public DNS-based blacklists, including (but not limited to) the following:

1. SBL - The Spamhaus Block List.  This is a database of verified spam sources (including spammers, spam gangs and spam support services.  See: <http://www.spamhaus.org/sbl/>.

2. SORBS - Spam & Open Relay Blocking System.  See: <http://www.dnsbl.sorbs.net/>.

3. CBL - Composite Blocking List.  This is a list of hosts (mostly virus/trojan-infected "zombies") known to send mail to spamtrap addresses (i.e., those which should NEVER get any mail).  See: <http://cbl.abuseat.org/>.

4. SPAMSITES - This is a database of "spammer resources for hire".  See: <http://www.spamsites.org>.

5. The <http://dialups.visi.com> DNSbl zone, which serves data imported from the Pan-Am Dynamic List (PDL) (see: <http://www.pan-am.ca/pdl/>.   This list contains sources of direct-to-MX spam which are believed to be dynamically assigned (i.e., dial-up, DSL, "cable modem", etc.).

6. Blitzed Open Proxy Monitor.  This is a database of insecurely misconfigured hosts abusable by spammers -- much like open mail relays, only more dangerous due to their facilitating (often anonymous) connections on virtually any port, using virtually any service, from virtually any source, to virtually any destination.  See: <http://opm.blitzed.org>.

7. 510 Software Group Blackholes List.  See: <http://www.five-ten-sg.com/blackhole.php>.

8. DSBL - Distributed Server Boycott List (<list.dsbl.org> and <multihop.dsbl.org> zones only).  This list contains confirmed open relays.  See: <http://dsbl.org/main>.

9. Various <blackholes.us> zones (see: <http://blackholes.us>), the precise "mix" of which may change from time to time as deemed necessary (see also #6 & #7 below).

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the operators of the above-noted services for their generous contribution to the health of the 'net as a whole, and that of our mail servers in particular.

If you are reading this because you received a non-delivery notice which directed you here, referring to one of the above blacklist services, be aware that we do NOT control those lists, nor can we influence in any way which IP addresses may exist on, be added to, or be removed from said lists.  If you believe your mail has been rejected in error, refer to the URLs cited above for further information.  In addition, ISPs, domains and networks who have spammed or attempted to spam our users may be listed in our privately maintained block lists.  There is NO process for removal from our block lists.  We do not want to exchange traffic with spammers, and we don't believe that spammers ever reform (at least, not unless there is a multi-million-dollar judgement hanging over their heads if they should ever spam again).  If you don't want to be included on the above-cited block lists, the procedure is very simple:

1. DON'T SPAM!

2. Don't allow your users to spam.  Not even once.

3. Don't ever ignore a spam complaint.

4. Don't allow open proxies, open relays, or "zombies" on your network.

5. Don't host "block-on-sight" spammers, such as ANY of the ones listed HERE

6. Don't live in:

	China
	Korea
	Mayalasia
	Nigeria
	Taiwan
	Thailand

7. Don't be (or be a customer of):

	BurstNet / HostNOC
	C I HOST Corporation
	Cogent Communications
	Comcast Communications
	Hurricane Electric
	InterBusiness Italia
	Level Three Communications, Inc.
	Media 3 Technologies, LLC
	RoadRunner
	Telefonica de Espana
	Verio
	Valuenet

All messages sent to our network, servers, or domain, regardless of source, character, or how they may be routed or addressed, become the property of Appropriate Technology, Inc.  We reserve the right to publish or republish said messages, in whole or in part, and in any form, manner or venue as we in our sole discretion deem fit.  Please also be aware that we routinely report instances of unsolicited commercial and/or bulk e-mail to all relevant parties and publish same to such public evidence archives/forums as the <news.admin.net-abuse*> hierarchy of Usenet newsgroups.  If you are a spammer and you do not wish your loathesome misbehavior to be held up for public scrutiny and/or ridicule, don't spam us -- it's that simple.

If you have any questions which are not covered by the above, feel free to contact us (presumably via some means other than E-Mail).