If you have someone that is "spamming" on your server, and you have policy against that. Is it ok to charge that client for the mess that he/she made for the clean up?

I would, but you really need to spell this out in your terms of service that the customer agrees to when they sign up. I am currently writing the Terms of Service for our company and have plans to include something like this.

If it's in the terms then you have the right to. Otherwise they aren't obligated as it's not in the 'contract'.

I think these policies are important, but they need to be spelled out in the TOS, as mentioned above. Having one of these, along with requiring a signed credit card authorization form, scares off nearly all the spammers here.

For all Hosts out there.
Don't host the domain : webpoll.com <~~ Spammer! It took me and Alabanza a few days to clean it up. Now he's gonna pay for my time.

I say charge the fargin bastages and once you've been paid, shut them down. All ISPs should have a zero tolerance for spammers. Otherwise, they become part of the problem by allowing them to continue their sleazy ways.

While it's nice to have specified policies against it on an AUP or TOS, it's probably not necessary on order to seek recompense. Businesses don't have policies against dumping garbage in their lobbies, but if you do it, you can expect to pay. That's what spamming is, at least on an electronic level.

Don't let the ice holes off easily, or cheaply. :uzi: them is too easy, :smash: them is more like it.

Spammers are the scourge of the Internet and should be treated harshly. They sure have no respect for others. Don't accord them any and think of them as people. They are humanoid, not human.

Yes, do take care of them in the proper fashion. I hate spam just as much as the next guy.

Is it just me, or does Duster not care much for spammers?

Originally posted by Duster
While it's nice to have specified policies against it on an AUP or TOS, it's probably not necessary on order to seek recompense. Businesses don't have policies against dumping garbage in their lobbies, but if you do it, you can expect to pay. That's what spamming is, at least on an electronic level. Unfortunately, legally it's not the same thing. If you dump garbage in somebody's lobby you've clearly broken the law and can expect to pay a fine. In many US jurisdictions illegal dumping statutes might apply and might mean some money will go to the building owner, but normally the building owner would expect to have to sue to collect the damages. And they'd probably win. But the law's not so clearly on our side regarding spamming -- and who wants to be forced into court to collect? -- so by all means you'd be better off to spell it out in your TOS.

If you write it to allow yourself to charge their card for such damages, you might expect a chargeback because they'll probably protest (spammers in general have thorough knowledge of loopholes). You'll have little chance of reversing a chargeback if you don't have documentation that your terms will clear up front.

Originally posted by alchiba
Is it just me, or does Duster not care much for spammers?

I don't care for them at all. They are scum. In the days of Vlad Tepes of Wallachia (aka Vlad the Impaler, aka Dracula - the historical one), Vlad would have put them to death. He had no love of thieves, beggars and low lifes. He impaled them. On one occasion, he held a banquet for the beggars, thieves and cripples (most of whom were beggars) and other undesirables. Once they were all in, expecting to be fed, the doors were barred and the hall torched.

Vlad would have taken good care of spammers. Give me that old time law enforcement.

What's the difference between running over a spammer (with a car) and running over a dog?





















With the dog, there are skid marks.

Incidentally, on Halloween, October 31, the USA network will premiere Dark Prince, the true story of Dracula. I don't know how accurate it will be (writers always take liberties), but it's supposed to be about the real Dracula, who was a lot worse than the fictional one.

Here's a bit of historical trivia for you: the name Dracula has two meanings. Dracul means "dragon" and "devil", and a means "son of". Vlad's father (and then later, Vlad) was a member of the Order of the Dragon, so Vlad was naturally Dracula, son of the dragon. However, he exemplified the devil part much more, especially as he got older, and in his second and third reigns.

He was one sick, troubled, and deeply disturbed soul.

Unlike Gore, if he claimed to invent the Internet, you wouldn't argue the point. Dracula believed in gore.

Wow.. Me never knew that.. thanx for the insight. Just by the way, where do you get all this information? :)

I've read a few books about him. One was In Search of Dracula, which examined Bram Stoker's novel and its historical basis. It was mostly about Vlad and went into great detail on his life.

Stoker chose well. The real Dracula was bloodthirsty, though he was no vampire. The setting was accurate, down to the Carpathian mountains. One difference is that Vlad did not rule Transylvannia, but the neighboring province of Wallachia, in what is now part of modern Romania. He ruled it 3 times.

The threat of the Ottoman Empire (the Turks) was always present, and may have been one of the things that pushed his psychosis deeper. He got worse over time and eventually became a danger to his own people as well as the Turks. There are many tales (and woodcuts) of him impaling even priests, mothers and their babes, for no offense at all. One priest was impaled for finding the odor of decaying bodies offensive. Another one with him at the time, wisely said no when Vlad asked him if he also found the odor offensive. The first priest was already impaled and the second did not care to meet his maker ahead of schedule.

On one occasion, when he had Turkish ambassadors in his court, Vlad inquired why they didn't remove their headgear (turbans) as was customary. They replied that it was not their custom to remove their turbans. He said that he would help them observe their own customs even better and had their turbans nailed into their heads. I guess the Turks never heard that old expression "when in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Vlad Tepes' court do as he says - or else".

He had no love for thieves, cheats, beggars and liars either. There ar emany tales, documented from various countries (including Germany) of his deeds.

Years ago, I also read Dracula, as well as Frankenstein, the modern Prometheus. They both make for fascinating reading. he heh, he heh, he heh, he heh (oops, that was Renfroe sneaking in)

PS I recommend Love At First Bite http://us.imdb.com/Title?0079489, I believe the first comedy - horror spoof Dracula movie. I particularly enjoyed Arte Johnson's rendition of Renfroe he heh, he heh, he heh, he heh

Originally posted by DynastyHost
...charge that client for the mess that he/she made for the clean up?

what "clean up" are you guys really talking about???

okie... so i admit that at the moment i know little of servers and all that !!!!!

exactly, what sort of "mess" has to be "cleaned up"???

Learner