Martin Swift wrote:
Hi Rob and gang,
<snip>
Perhaps, we should rather have the server administrator send a single, to-the-point email stating that this person has been in breach of the terms of usage (I'm assuming there are such) and that continued abuse will result in being barred from using the server.
Cheers, Martin
OK, here is the original e-mail:
<MESSAGE>
(from bushi_bashir2010@yahoo.com)
Hi there,
I hope this email will find you in good health. I am working on a website of "Computer Networking".
I need to have Unique articles for my website on any topic of computer networking, hardware, wireless networking computer troubleshooting, data communication etc.
In return I will give you permanent credit in the form of a link to your URL with every article you provide for my website.
I will also promote your Computer Networking related books on my website if you allow me. Hopefully you will get good traffic towards your website(s) through my website.
I will be very much thankful to you if you can provide me any kind of help in this regard. Looking forward to have a positive reply from you.
Best Regards
</MESSAGE>
If you are talking about a server administrator, who might that be? This was sent via the web interface on en.wikibooks, of which I'm an administrator there.
My main point is that I believe that this individual has likely spammed privately several individuals on not only Wikibooks but other Wikimedia projects as well. This must have been a fairly tedious process, as the MediaWiki interface is not really set up to send bulk e-mails, but there are some motivated individuals.
My experience with yahoo is that they don't really care when these things get sent, and shutting down the account will do little good, as least from their perspective. This is a throw-away e-mail account that is here one day and gone the next. I know, I've made a few myself (mainly as an anti-spam measure when I've used them). Still, I suppose that in this case it might be worth it to try.
-- Robert Horning
P.S. I forgot the Wikimedia mailing list server strips off all attachments.... this was previously a forwarded message.