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Doctor Q

Administrator
Original poster
Staff member
Sep 19, 2002
40,104
8,385
Los Angeles
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SpammerX (real name Ed) tells how he got rich sending spam to peddle worthless goods. And he wants you to buy his book to learn more about the secrets of the spam business.

Best quote from him in the article: "Trust me."

Uh, yeah, sure, just the kind of person we should all trust. :rolleyes:
 

0098386

Suspended
Jan 18, 2005
21,574
2,908
I don't see how people can be less than happy with spam email, yet are quite content to sit through TV commercials that try and flog them drugs, credit cards and (in some cases) gambling. This Ed chap is no worse than advertisers.
 

barr08

macrumors 65816
Aug 9, 2006
1,361
0
Boston, MA
I don't see how people can be less than happy with spam email, yet are quite content to sit through TV commercials that try and flog them drugs, credit cards and (in some cases) gambling. This Ed chap is no worse than advertisers.

Watching a commercial takes no physical effort. Deleting a spam email that gets through your filter does. Its the American way :cool:
 

Jaffa Cake

macrumors Core
Aug 1, 2004
19,801
9
The City of Culture, Englandshire
I don't see how people can be less than happy with spam email, yet are quite content to sit through TV commercials that try and flog them drugs, credit cards and (in some cases) gambling.
Thing is though, if I'm watching TV on a commercial channel I expect to see adverts. After all, they help to pay for whatever programme I happen to be watching at the time, and let's be honest some of them are very entertaining.

However, when I'm at my computer checking my email I'm not wanting unsolicited, unwanted messages trying to flog me dodgy drugs or suspect software, or that is trying to scam me by trying to relieve me of my bank account details. There's also the fact that TV advertising is regulated and has to adhere to standards and guidelines –*often illegal spam email doesn't.
 

tkidBOSTON

macrumors 6502a
Aug 14, 2005
829
0
The Hub of the Universe
<snip>
After all, they help to pay for whatever programme I happen to be watching at the time, and let's be honest some of them are very entertaining.
<snip>

Theres the difference. The television program I'm trying to watch is being supported by the commercials. The email I'm trying to access and read is being hindered by spam.
 

KD7IWP

macrumors 6502a
Mar 8, 2004
689
40
American living in Canada
Also, the ads I see on tv, at least the channels I watch, are not 90% full of ads on how to make my **** bigger to do better in bed, or to get Viagra for 90% off or "don't let these hot girls be alone". That is my problem with Spam, it's wretched stuff to have on my computer, and most of it is garbled words anyway, something that TV ads don't do. Not that I'm a fan of either.
 

WildCowboy

Administrator/Editor
Staff member
Jan 20, 2005
18,490
2,991
Darn...I thought Q was about to reveal his very own Mr. Hyde.
 

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Not only is the TV show supported by the commercials (and anyway, if you're smart enough to use a spam filter, you're probably smart enough to use commercial advance on a DVR), but the other thing wrong with the analogy to me is that the ratio of reasonably palatable to nonsense TV commercials is much more reasonable than on e-mail. Think about your spam box... most of the junk mail I actually read in there is stuff I subscribed to and could unsubscribe from (e.g. ads from Guess, Bluefly, etc, etc). I put it in my junk box for convenience, but it isn't really the "spam problem."

The actual spam is far more absurd than TV ads, except perhaps in the wee hours. Even the most ridiculous TV ads are not as bad as those creepy ads with misspelled cialis that don't even link to a website or phone number, and are just filled with random junk about enlarging your penis.

I think it's rather like I only really watch primetime TV, and yet I'm getting tons of the equivalent of 3AM commercials for phone sex in my spam box.
 
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