Unfortunately, providers seem to prefer unilateral heavy-handed behavior rather than acting professional. They prefer working out solutions in isolation or in small closed cabals working in secret in backrooms rather than working open to public scrutiny in an association. They prefer to operate in an environment in which there are no agreed policies for Internet email exchange rather than having a viable Internet email system in which everyone works together to add value to the users. They prefer to play secret games with blacklists, bayesian filters, hodge-podges tacked onto the Internet's DNS systems, and other antisocial behaviors rather than openly saying that people must meet certain standards in order to *SEND* email.
Why do you believe more red tape will mean better service?
You misunderstand me. I believe *LESS* red tape will mean better service. Today, an email operator has to deal with numerous blacklisting and spam-hunting groups, many of which act in secret and none of which have any accountability, either to email operators, email users or the public. I'd like to see all of this inscrutable red tape swept aside with a single open and public organization that I have been calling the Internet Mail Services Association. This will mean less red tape, more transparency, and more accountability. --Michael Dillon