[Focault's Pendulum]

One possible approach would send a puzzle back to the sender. The puzzle would be designed so that only a human could solve it.

Might slow things down a bit.

[goldstategop]

I've news for Bill Gates. Phil Goldman's http://www.mailblocks.com already utlilizes active "human response" technology. And its already cut back on the spam that flowed into my MSN mailbox - an account by the way, that's I've never used!

[Drango]

Two years? I'll take this bet.

[Larry Lucido]

The puzzle would be designed so that only a human could solve it.

"Ha, I can solve any puzzle any puny human could solve!"

[kingu]

It'd be better if they actually designed their mail servers to recognize that three emails that are the same likely indicates that it is spam and held it for human (or electronic) review.

I'll top Bill Gates' prediction.. Three days after his software is released, it will come out that spammers are buying licenses from Microsoft to send spam mail and Microsoft will shrug and go, "They're legitimate bulk mailers who applied for and were granted licenses to fill up people's mailboxes." Fees will of course just go to Microsoft and licenses will range around 25,000 USD each.

[Cvengr]

The puzzle would be designed so that only a human could solve it. The e-mail would be accepted only if the puzzle were solved.

Sortof the same strategy as translating Arabic chat room messages from suspected Al Qaida members. Gee, I wonder if the same programming time spent might have dual use.

[jimtorr]

This is the same man who once said that nobody would ever need more than 64k RAM in their desktop PC.

[Fester Chugabrew]

Anyone who sends an email under false identity ought to be subject to a stiff penalty under law. As with phone calls and mail, those who use these as a means to harass the public should be spanked with fines (and jail time if need be).

[ml/nj]

I still say: Make any debt arising out of acceptance of a spam solicitation uncollectable in the United States, and commercial spam will dry up in a couple of months.

No one listens to me though.

ML/NJ

[11th Earl of Mar]

Like I believe MicroSoft wants to stop spam!

That's like saying that the phone company wants to stop telephone solicitations by telemarketers.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Nonsense. I've got a can of this stuff in the pantry that's atleast 5 years old. It's probably still good.

[TigersEye]

I have never received any spam. Does he have a timeframe for eliminating the Blue Screen of Death?