Fixing spam is not going to be easy, but it starts with replacing SMTP with a real secure protocol. I read recently that a newer system has been built and is in testing (read this about a month ago).
The problem has to do with the fact that there is no way to tell where mail comes from. Faking 100% of the headers in SMTP isn't a real issue. Pretty much all spam is dependant on fake headers and landing pages to make the world go aorund. Take away the ability to lie about who is sending the mail, and spam will go down quite a bit.
Filtering spam, filtering messages, or otherwise adding steps to receiving mail is just not very productive in the end. Making people do additional steps just to make sure you get the mail is like saying "send everything fedex, because I just throw everything that comes in the regular mail directly in the garbage". You wouldn't do that in the real world, why should you have to do it with you email?
Most importantly, the current large waves of spam are both proof and the cause of diminished returns on mass mailings. Too many 25 million name lists out there, being mailed by amateur moron spammers, clogging up the pipes with repeated offers of loans and bigger penises... making it harder for anyone to make money.
Porn spam seems to be more under control these days... non-adult stuff is getting ugly.
Alex
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Let's go to the edge of disaster Push the pedal and go a little faster Let's slam into a wall at ramming speed Let's go to the edge of a mountain Jump off and lets start countin' Hit the ground and tell me if it bleeds
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