On 2/1/04, ewen(a)naos.co.nz thus spake:
It was suggested that the "only" fix to this problem was to kill the end to end Internet, making the "Internet" a core exchange network (a la telco style), and allowing users only access to a local proxy at their ISP for a very limited set of services.
I suspect a combination of the two approaches makes sense. Assuming the signal-noise ratio becoming so skewed that Dean's Nana goes back to the PSTN, a core-exchange setup would allow the ISP to provide a value- add (and charge extra for it). It allows Nana to have a usable signal- noise ratio, presumably relieves her of worries about windoze virus-du- jour, and it allows the 1337 to have a normal (and assumedly cheaper) connection. In combination with some sort of ban list, n00b5 who opted for the cheap connection and got 0wned would theoretically get pushed into the core bit or disconnected altogether, and those wishing for legos and competent to play with them are still set. Obviously the default would be to put n00b5 into the core-exchange group. I do suspect that once the noise level gets too high the non-1337 will be actively seeking a solution and be more than happy to pay for it-brightmail is an excellent example of an early implementation of this(non-1337 fork over extra cash for an ISP offering a brightmail policed account, 1337 implement spamassassin or some other procmail sanitizer type solution). So I suppose what I'm proposing here differs from your proposition mainly in that I think there could be a place for a core-exchange, in addition to a 1337 opt-out. I don't think that using existing firewalling and such will be sufficient, precisely because of the tunneling holes. If an ACL is the primary method of protection, the spam/malware crowd will just find a way to tunnel their wares. A core-exchange type setup would presumably make it very difficult to get into the exchange without coming from one of the big players (such that I guess you'd have to somehow tunnel into the core, gain authorization, and distribute to the core users-a properly designed core system would make this a tall order). I do see one obvious problem though-deciding what sort of transgressions are sufficient to force n00b5 into core-exchange would be troublesome. Also, one would hope that there would be some way for them to redeem themselves. Some n00b5 get 1337, and being banned for life because they were once 14 and king of the world would suck. Perhaps some sort of PGP-ish web of trust solution could work. Though that raises a lot of administrative problems as well. And maybe this is all just hot air and the 1337 will find their Valinor. Regards, Ed Hintz ed(a)hintz.org