[hashcash] Re: hashcash-sendmail fix and comments (Re: Re: Muttand hashcash)

Kyle Hasselbacher wrote:

>>btw you might want a lower default?  I've put ^:20:19 in
>>.hashcash/bitconf.  26 bits is a fair bit of grunt on a multi-user
>>system where you are not root.

it also pretty seriously hammers low-end users (Pentium II/333 here)

> What do you suggest?  I'm basically taking my cue from SpamAssassin, which
> recognizes 26 bits as being worth a -5 to the spam score.

it all depends on a couple of things.  If we assume we can pick a 
reasonable starting point (say 24 bits) and that we can just increase 
postage with time to accommodate increasing CPU speed, then we should 
start fairly high to defend against spammers massing machines against 
us.  If on the other hand you assume that postage rates can inflate 
naturally according to spammer activity, then we can start with 
something lower which will also make it more acceptable to the doubtful.

personally, I prefer doing the latter because acceptability is our 
biggest hurdle and credibility in terms of spam resistance is the 
second.  I found that a lot of people really don't grok stamps as 
introducer concept also don't fully understand the math and economics by 
which it becomes an antispam agent.

--- eric

-- 
Speech recognition in use.  Incorrect endings, words, and case is
closer than it appears

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