Comments on: FriendFeed - 6 likes, 3 don’t likes and 2 requests. http://nicklothian.com/blog/2008/06/19/friendfeed-6-likes-3-dont-likes-and-2-requests/ My Blog, Take 4 Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:38:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: John Bayko http://nicklothian.com/blog/2008/06/19/friendfeed-6-likes-3-dont-likes-and-2-requests/#comment-458 John Bayko Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:50:58 +0000 http://nicklothian.com/blog/?p=321#comment-458 The solution to email spam requires basically replacing the existing email architecture, and that's not going to just happen. But what sometimes happens is that an alternative technology is adopted and becomes widespread for another use, until it can subsume the function of an established infrastructure. An example is how HTTP and search engines replaced FTP and Archie. One of the most likely replacements for email is some RSS based system. This would be very effective against spam because you always know where your RSS feed is coming from. The main disadvantage is how to get email from someone you don't know, which would require something like an "I want to sent you something, here's my feed" message being relayed through intermediate people, based on some ranking of trust. This sounds like the kind of infrastructure FriendFeed is helping develop. Technology takes longer to solve problems than people like to think, but I'm happy to see these tiny steps being made to eventually (won't be soon enough for me) eliminate email spam permanently. The solution to email spam requires basically replacing the existing email architecture, and that’s not going to just happen. But what sometimes happens is that an alternative technology is adopted and becomes widespread for another use, until it can subsume the function of an established infrastructure. An example is how HTTP and search engines replaced FTP and Archie.

One of the most likely replacements for email is some RSS based system. This would be very effective against spam because you always know where your RSS feed is coming from. The main disadvantage is how to get email from someone you don’t know, which would require something like an “I want to sent you something, here’s my feed” message being relayed through intermediate people, based on some ranking of trust. This sounds like the kind of infrastructure FriendFeed is helping develop.

Technology takes longer to solve problems than people like to think, but I’m happy to see these tiny steps being made to eventually (won’t be soon enough for me) eliminate email spam permanently.

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