OMG!!! NOW this is real terrorism!

[Kruno]

Sorry, I panicked. If done right it could be one of the best idea yet.
http://www.research.microsoft.com/research/sv/PennyBlack/

[sonaboy]

As much as i hate spam, and i've gotten enough of it to feed a small country, this idea sounds good at first, but quickly you begin to understand many of the darker implications.

The classification of spam is a grey area. Obviously mails that try and sell you certain unsolicited services can be considered spam, but what about things like grassroots political petitioning and other types of informative mass mails from public services, citizen groups, Amber Alerts, etc.
These groups rely on cheap methods of information transfer that the internet provides. Take that away, and some of the smaller public voices that need quick dispersion to gain momentum, grow even weaker.
On the subject of public services that email policy changes and programs and such, the costs of this fall BACK on public funding by taxpayers.
I feel that this type of program would only end up costing the CONSUMER more in the end, and not deter most spam in the long run.

I throw out all my junk snail mail myself, I do it in my inbox. I'd rather make my own choice about what should be classified as valuable information, not a "ticket service" or some lame, thinly veiled name for an media agenda setter.

[DaveW]

You know that Microsoft financially supported Al Queda at one point, right?

[ASCI Blue]

Now MS wants to control my e-mail. Sweet.

[sonaboy]

Originally posted by DaveW
You know that Microsoft financially supported Al Queda at one point, right?

As did the entire US Administration, at the time.
We supported them and put them in power during Afghanistan's war against Russia during the late 70's and 80's.
Basically the entire Afghan regime was residue from the Cold War.
You can't really blame Microsoft for supporting a government that OUR government supported. They weren't our enemies at that point.