Apple Mail Spam Attack

[RandallNeighbour]

I have been a Mac guy since the toaster macs were popular, but the spam control on Apple computers are a real weakness IMO. The spam rules for Apple Mail just suck to me and don't filter out anything unless I click on the message and then click the junk mail icon and send it to the junk mail folder.

So, I started looking for better spam software and found SpamSieve from http://www.c-command.com

I just set it up and hope it can knock down some of the graphics-based email I get (where they use a jpg to display the stock tip or low low price on Viagra).

If you have any other software recommendations for me for the Mac, let me know.

What we avoid in viruses on the Mac platoform we seem to gain in spam accumulation! :troll:

PS - If you're plagued with spam on a PC running Windows, you should download mailwasher and run it before you check your mail. My wife uses it and it has nearly eliminated all spam from getting into her computer. It catches it on the server and bounces it too.

[z12358]

There's no free lunch with spam control. You can either get tough and risk junking valid emails, or too lenient and let a lot of junk in. The best solution is to minimize incoming junk through address control.

I keep a few email addresses (three is enough) ranked by level of privacy. The first two are for online registrations and accounts of all sorts. The last one is for friends and family only -- all notified not to include it in any mass chain mailings ("Forward this to 10 people or else..."). The more private (less distributed) the address the less spam it receives. I've managed to keep the last private one spam free for almost 4 years now.

Z.

[Perfectlap]

I have this one email account that I got back in 96 or 97. It has ZERO anti-spamming functions and gets inundated daily with spam from what looks to be two or three sources who refuse to stop sending them.
I have long ago opened email on Gmail and Yahoo, Hotmail etc.
But I still deal with the spamming just in case someone is trying to reach me.
any clues? can I sign up my email for anti-spamming that won't block an email from an old friend who has a new email that wouldn't be recognized?

[wvicary]

I only use Macs and get maybe one junk/spam email every three months. Before getting OSX I used to get loads of rubbish everyday. Are the mail filters set up correctly??

[RandallNeighbour]

I set up SpamSieve a couple of hours ago and it's already weeding out most every spam message coming in now. Whew! :dance:

BTW, I got my new Duo 2 Core Black MacBook Friday (2Gb Ram, 160Gb HD) and my 23 inch Cinema display this afternoon. I'm lovin' it! Whahoo! :D

[Jeph]

I forward all my pop accounts to gmail. I'm pretty impressed with gmail's filtering... Out of the 200 spam messages I get a day, only a couple leak through. That's not bad. It's still annoying though. Sometimes when I get no spam, I assume my email is broken.

[donv]

gmail is the way to go. I switched over a while ago from yahoo and have been very happy with it. False positives are very low, spams passing through to inbox almost non-existent.

A little known thing is that Google will host your email, even if you have your own domain (they actually will host your domain web pages too). So you can be topdog@mydomain.com but use the google mail tools to manage the spam without having to pipe or transfer the mail between separate providers/accounts. They also allow additional email addresses which each account on your domain can set up on their own (and shut down/filter if they start gathering spam).

[z12358]

gmail is the way to go. I switched over a while ago from yahoo and have been very happy with it. False positives are very low, spams passing through to inbox almost non-existent.

A little known thing is that Google will host your email, even if you have your own domain (they actually will host your domain web pages too). So you can be topdog@mydomain.com but use the google mail tools to manage the spam without having to pipe or transfer the mail between separate providers/accounts. They also allow additional email addresses which each account on your domain can set up on their own (and shut down/filter if they start gathering spam).

I remember there was some controversy about Google being allowed (in the registration agreement) to read, store, and search everyone's emails on gmail. I don't know if other services do this but I don't like it one bit.

[Houston C4S]

Randall,

I guess I need to email you. Hopefully I won't get filtered out!

I'm obviously kidding about that.

My Apple mail is pretty good, but when these maroons keep
sending those stupid investment tips, etc. they change
the sender name every time as well as the subject line
every time, I guess the filters just have a tough time with
it.

The Viagra, etc. stuff I can only presume is an error and was
meant for someone else. But it's still annoying!

And you didn't tell me about your new Mac. That's way cool
gear. Isn't that 23 inch display just something else?

Some day when (or if) I grow up, I want the new hot rod
Power Mac and a couple of the 30 inch displays. That'll
probably need to wait until I get some major cash increase
around here, design my office in a new house in the hill
country, have the 997 GT3 on order and...

Ah well. For now the iMac and the Powerbook do quite well,
thank you.

The update on the Boxster is a January build due to the
Sport exhaust not being available until then. That will
make it a February delivery.

So I am still looking for a new home for the 2001 Box.
Still has only 15,000 miles on it.

So if you know someone who wants a perfect one, let
me know.

Also, PCA should be calling me on Monday to make arrangements
about piciking up the new Cayman S from the raffle. That's
when the drawing is, right? I wonder if I get to pick the color?

Oh well, enough rambling here -- I will call you later...


- Mark