FV>>> "spam bots" could be made to "harvest"
Node addresses for spam
FV>>> purposes. In reality, harvesting would not be needed. Just grab a
FV>>> copy of the Nodelist, add yourself into it and spam away. :(
 ml>>  MM>> It is happening already. I throw away hundreds of Fidonet-
 ml>>  MM>> addressed spam daily at my Internet gateway.

 FV>> True, but those originate from the Internet. As I described,
 FV>> the spam would originate from a Fidonet Node in the Fidonet
 FV>> Nodelist operating Fidonet mailer and no way to stop them
 FV>> since they added their own Nodes listing to the Fidonet
 FV>> Nodelist. Yes, the *C could remove the listing, but the Node
 FV>> just adds it back in.... and the battle rages.

 ml>> there would be a lock mechanism... has to be... and the
 ml>> "controlling commitee" (if you will) would have that
 ml>> capability...

 FV> In the Internet world, the control is in large part by the
 FV> ISP and you pay the ISP for access. Fidonet has no such t
 FV> hing... therefore, there would be no controlling committee

wanna bet? if the WWB can design and implement an ELIST type service that
is controlled by a committee of its members, then i know that there can
also be a committee of nodes that can control this "automatic node
list"... for that matter, don't even go that far... it would be
incumbent on the *C that assigned the new node a number to make the
update...

 FV> except the *Cs and they would have little power with a
 FV> Nodelist that is open to addition by anyone. My biggest
 FV> fear for Fidonet is that it will be opened up to the
 FV> point that anyone can just add themselves into Fidonet
 FV> without any questions asked.

the internet is already like that...

 FV> If Fidonet is not careful, it could become a place that is
 FV> little different from the Internet is regards to spam. Much
 FV> like the spammers, a person could jump from Node number to
 FV> Node number. Having the ability for "anyone off the street"
 FV> to add themselves into the Fidonet nodelist is not a good
 FV> thing for Fidonet.

they can do that, already! have been able to for many many many years...

 FV> Anyway, this is getting off the topic of a Nodelist format.
 FV> :-)

true...

)\/(ark