I remember when the Internet was a collaborative collection of networks and network operators attempting to allow seamless connectivity among the users/content on each network. Based on the tone of this thread, those days are long gone.
How much money do I need to send each of you for forcing this email, with an opinion that is contrary to yours, to traverse your network without your expressly stated consent?
The email that you have sent us is part of a discussion. If any one of us is unhappy with your opinion or the amount of mail on this list thay can easily unsubscribe. Also keep in mind that all of us have "opted-in" for this list. The Internet stopped being free when individuals started to abuse its open policies. If we did not have theft and violence in our seciety, we would have no need for police, security, locks on doors. Digital Island violated common courtesy by not informing users that it was scanning ahead of time. Listservs like this one reach a very large number of people and could have been a start of getting information out there. I am not opposed to certain probes, I am opposed to probes that I do not know about.