spiralocean Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 This program is a must have for Mac users! SpamCop should buy this app from this developer and give it to Mac Spamcop subscribers! Here is an excerpt from the webpage: http://www.subsume.com/assembled/SpamCop.html The SpamCop bundle for Apple's Mac OS X Mail client makes it much easier to use the SpamCop reporting service when dealing with spam. To use it properly, you need to sign up for (at least) a free reporting account at spamcop.net. If you are using Apple's Mail application on Mac OS X to read your email, you will find that it will not forward messages easily/properly for spam reporting. SpamCop does now properly accept web submissions from Mail (and as of 10.2, Mail now generates better source text), but the process is very tedious. You would have to select a spam message and then the menu item View->Show->Raw Source, click on that text, do a Edit->Select All, Edit->Copy, switch over to your browser, click on your SpamCop bookmark, click in the text area, Edit->Paste, and click on the "Process spam" button to submit it. Whew! And you had to do that for every message. With the SpamCop Mail bundle, it becomes a single menu selection, and you can submit all your spam at once! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiralocean Posted June 11, 2004 Author Share Posted June 11, 2004 I originally posted this to the email forum. I'm not sure the Lounge is the best place for this. Because if I was a new Mac user to SpamCop, the Lounge is the last place I would come to look for help? This program is the reason why I purchased a SpamCop email account! Otherwise, it's too much work to report spam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazoo Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 First of all, if you look at your first post, you'll note that there is no mention of use of the "SpamCop E-Mail System" or "SpamCop E-Mail Account" .... But the main reason that I moved it was because this software has long been listed in the SpamCop FAQ at http://www.spamcop.net/fom-serve/cache/282.html .... I can tell you that I had a number of "conversations" with the author about the choosing of the name of his "tool" when he first "published" it ... He stated that one would have to be an idiot to confuse his "plug-in tool" with the SpamCop reporting tool .... and yet, I had already tried to straighten out several people just that week on doing exactly that ... seeing the thing listed on VersionTracker, downloading and installing it, then coming into the SpamCop newsgroups raising hell because "SpamCop" didn't work .... And yet again, I have a posting in the Lounge asking for input on reconfiguring this web-based thing. I have a section identified to include these kinds of suggested "neat" tools. I'll invite you to also go there and see what else needs to discussed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiralocean Posted June 11, 2004 Author Share Posted June 11, 2004 Fair enough. I'm glad it's listed in the FAQ! I'm sorry to hear about the conflict between the developer and you. But I am one of those guys who saw SpamCop on version tracker. Downloaded his software. And discovered SpamCop! I read in his help file that his tool worked with the SpamCop website. His program is the only reason I found out about spamcop and the only reason why I became a member due to the fact that to report spam otherwise is too tedious on a mac. I'm glad that you are looking into revamping the web page, but the cool thing about the SpamCop software is that it's attached to a keyboard shortcut in my mail program. I get a piece of spam? I hit ctrl+option+apple+n, and the spam is marked as sent to the spamcop reporting website, and a browser window opens up with the spam loaded into it ready for submitting! It's so nice! It may be a good idea to find someone with a mac using mail with this installed on it to see how it works? So... maybe look at it like... free advertising? I'll bet for each one of those people who complained that Spamcop didn't work, there are 5 others who joined Spamcop because they found that tool first? It's the ones who aren't complaining you don't hear from. ¢¢ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazoo Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 I'm sorry to hear about the conflict between the developer and you. Just so we're clear here, I'm nothing more than a free-report account holder that's been on-board since shortly after Julian made the thing public ... But I am one of those guys who saw SpamCop on version tracker. Downloaded his software. And discovered SpamCop! Again, it was this type of discovery proces for some of those other folks. Strangely, though, when issues arose, they went to SpamCop's newgroups for help, vice subsume's site. And of course, when their complaints started with "I installed SpamCop" ...??? "we" could only say "what?" ... there's nothing to install "from Spamcop" ... So right off the bat, there were issues with "helping" some of these folks. So when Doc popped in and made his "idiot" statement, I pointed him to the postings of two different users in the same newsgroup just that day or the day before ... well, he took things in a whole new direction ... It finally did get added to the FAQ, but that was a few months down the road, and as you noted, he still hasn't changed the name to better identify that it isn't a SpamCop developed tool. And we're talking years now. I read in his help file that his tool worked with the SpamCop website. His program is the only reason I found out about spamcop and the only reason why I became a member due to the fact that to report spam otherwise is too tedious on a mac. And that's the point that caused to me to move your post <g> I'm glad that you are looking into revamping the web page, but the cool thing about the SpamCop software is that it's attached to a keyboard shortcut in my mail program. Ouch! See .. even you're doing it now .... "the SpamCop software" ... should read more like "subsume's SpamCop add-in tool for Apple's Mail program" ..... I get a piece of spam? I hit ctrl+option+apple+n, and the spam is marked as sent to the spamcop reporting website, and a browser window opens up with the spam loaded into it ready for submitting! It's so nice! and for those Windows users, those first three keys mentioned are next to each other on most current Apple keyboards <g> It may be a good idea to find someone with a mac using mail with this installed on it to see how it works? So... maybe look at it like... free advertising? I'll bet for each one of those people who complained that Spamcop didn't work, there are 5 others who joined Spamcop because they found that tool first? It's the ones who aren't complaining you don't hear from. You're absolutely correct. The only time I read about it in the newsgroups is when it doesn't work. But, I can't recall anyone talking about using it for e-mail submittals at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiralocean Posted June 11, 2004 Author Share Posted June 11, 2004 I realize that you aren't an "official" spamcop employee... but you have enough posts to be. :-) You got me! :-o I said SpamCop software. It's like being politically correct, it's easier to say I'm white than, I'm an Anglo Saxon European Mutt. And I can totally see how this would be a problem. But... on the other hand... the program is built really well and is a great tool that: 1. Helps with reporting spam. 2. Makes the spamcop experience more user friendly for Mac users who are typically left out in the cold when it comes to software. It's a Windows world out there. I think you should have more of a complaint with spamcop.com! There isn't anything you can do about it, but I've been to that site more than I can remember because I was used to the .com. And actually, that was the first website I went to... until I went back to Subsume's SpamCop add-in tool for Apple's Mail program and found out it was .net. (Otherwise known as SSATFAMP) Dude! That actually sounds cool! SATFAMP. Maybe that should be it's name. Thanks for pointing out that those keyboard shorcuts are right next to each other. It's not as daunting as it seems. Sorry to bring up an old topic... I didn't realize it had already gone through a couple rounds here, although I should have guessed. Otherwise, I wouldn't have posted it. I do love using it though. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmp Posted August 12, 2004 Share Posted August 12, 2004 The folks at Subsume Technologies have indicated that they can no longer support this application: Our main reporting account with spamcop.net was permanently disabled on 07 Aug 2004. Because of this development, we will no longer be able to support this software. We have decided to leave it available for download until Apple releases Mac OS X 10.4 (which will almost certainly break the bundle, as all major releases do) on the off chance that registrations will allow it to be open sourced, or the possibly some other developer will buy the asset outright. The long version of the story is tedious and looks like a lot of childish finger pointing. Suffice it to say that if you ever get a spam that mentions a virus or (security) software in any way (including the common pirate software site spams), don't report it; it's a free ride for the spammers. Likewise, any spam disguised to look like an automated message from a badly configured server (e.g. bogus out of office messages, faked challenge/response messages, etc.) should not be reported as it will likely get your spamcop.net account cancelled, much to the amusement of the spammer on the sending end. Expect to see a lot more spam in the future trying to look like spam that spamcop.net deems OK; as vocal anti-spammers we seem to be on the leading edge for testing junk that eventually clogs up your inbox. I'd be interested in hearing the other side of this story, if anyone is so inclined to respond... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazoo Posted August 12, 2004 Share Posted August 12, 2004 I find this a bit odd, as there was at least one individual associated with this application making his thoughts known in the newsgroups. One would have thought that this little tidbit would have been covered/addresses/mentioned over there, but I've not seen anything about this until your posting here. The "long and tedious" explanation is where the "secret" must lie, and I found no link to go get it. Based on the bit of rant though, one can only surmise that the account in question was banned due to violation of SpamCop reporting rules and guidelines. Recalling my ancient conversations about the naming of the application, I can recall that I was dealing with some very opinionated folks, and it doesn't take Don long to make an easy decision. That said, I did pop a note to Don, but in my opinion, there's not much of a story here. Rules and guidelines violated, probably / maybe some dialog involved, account whacked, tantrum thrown, pretty much the end of the story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiralocean Posted August 12, 2004 Author Share Posted August 12, 2004 Well... that stinks... But it does seem like the spam reported shouldn't have been reported: Suffice it to say that if you ever get a spam that mentions a virus or (security) software in any way (including the common pirate software site spams), don't report it; it's a free ride for the spammers. Likewise, any spam disguised to look like an automated message from a badly configured server (e.g. bogus out of office messages, faked challenge/response messages, etc.) should not be reported as it will likely get your spamcop.net account cancelled, much to the amusement of the spammer on the sending end. Just for my clarification: 1. It should be fine to report security software that is sent as spam. 2. Out of office messages, which is really bounced messages from a forged from header, should not be reported. This is how I am reporting spam. Let me know if I'm out of wack here. If there is no easy way for me to report spam after the next release of the Mac os (sometime in the spring), I'll probably not report spam. It would take too much time to report the spam. Just in the past week, some spammer has started forging my email address in the from line. I am now getting around 30 emails a day that have been bounced from other peoples email addresses that the spam was sent to. I'm not reporting it, just deleting it. I looked around the spamcop FAQ, and what I gleaned is there is nothing I can do about this. Which sucks, and borders on a Denial of Service attack by the spammer. This problem has a really easy fix. If the mail programs of the world (Mail for Mac, Outlook) simply compare my sent folder with email that is bounced back to me as unreceived, it could eliminate any bounced emails that I did not send. This is outside of SpamCop's domain. Unless there was a way to upload my sent items onto the spamcop server (a reverse of downloading email from the pop account?) and then Spamcop could simply compare the subject line to stop all this spam. I don't know if this is viable or even possible for SpamCop, the only alternative is for my Mail application to have this filter. Any AppleScript junkies out there could probably dish somthing like this out? If you do, please let me know! ¢¢ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenUnderwood Posted August 12, 2004 Share Posted August 12, 2004 Just in the past week, some spammer has started forging my email address in the from line. I am now getting around 30 emails a day that have been bounced from other peoples email addresses that the spam was sent to. I'm not reporting it, just deleting it. When I have the time (so far I have not gotten many of these) I grab the headers of the bounced message and send an email to the postmaster or other reporting address that the practice is not a good idea any longer because of all the forgeries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiralocean Posted August 13, 2004 Author Share Posted August 13, 2004 When I have the time (so far I have not gotten many of these) I grab the headers of the bounced message and send an email to the postmaster or other reporting address that the practice is not a good idea any longer because of all the forgeries. 15050[/snapback] Are you speaking of the practice of bounced emails is not a good idea? Because, I love it when i get a bounced email from someone who has recently given me an email address. Otherwise, I have no idea whether the email was at least delivered. My website recently went down along with my mailservers, which put me out of commission for about a week and a half. I was getting no email at all, and the terrible thing was that anyone who sent me an email, assumed that it made it to me. This is a huge problem if someone who I had given a card to, tried to email me for a job, sent the email and got no response back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenUnderwood Posted August 13, 2004 Share Posted August 13, 2004 Are you speaking of the practice of bounced emails is not a good idea? The idea of bouncing messages after they have been received by the remote server is not a good idea. What should happen (and what should have happened when your server was down) is that the SENDING server gets a reject notice from the receiving server during the SMTP transaction (or times out because the server is down) and the SENDING server notifies the sender (it should have no problem returning the message to its own user). When your server is down, the sending server usually retries for a set amount of time then returns the message. After the receiving server accepts the message, it can only use the often forged Return-Path entry causing the message to often bounce to an innocent third party. The RECEIVING server is simply pushing the burden of the spam and viruses to innocent people who just happen to have their email address forged in the headers. The message I use I got from this forum (and slightly modified for my use. I use a much shorter message for viruses I receive that are caught by my mail service informing the postmaster that one of their customers in infected. Attention Postmaster, The most recent batch of computer viruses and worms released upon the internet almost invariably forge the sender information. Any alert notice to the address indicated in the "from" header usually is sent to an innocent party who has nothing to do with the original message. We request that you reconfigure your mail gateway to not generate notifications sent by email to the from address within the message. Rejecting the message during the initial SMTP transaction is the best way to accomplish this. If you examine the headers of the message that you received you'll see, by researching the IP address in question, that the virus came from some other network. Please contact *their* administrator if you wish to notify someone. Thank you for taking the time to read this response. If you need assistance in configuring the mail gateway, please consult the software developer. This is form-letter response. ------------------------- BEGIN HEADERS ----------------------------- -------------------------- END HEADERS ------------------------------ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiralocean Posted August 13, 2004 Author Share Posted August 13, 2004 I had know idea that could be done! I am in total agreement with you Steven! Thanks for taking the time to show me something new! And thanks for posting the note that you use to send to the postmasters! That should be pinned on the top of this forum! Much respect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etienn Posted August 13, 2004 Share Posted August 13, 2004 Hi, I like to pitch in for subsume. They really made my life easy for reporting spam to spamcop, and without it I will be less inclined to submit new reports. Could you kind folks show some patience, and compassion so that all the mac users with this plugin could still use it in the future? Please? Ciao Stefano Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.