Happy BillG-Scheduled Spam Solved Day!
“Two years from now, spam will be solved,” Microsoft’s Bill Gates said [at the 2004 World Economic Forum in Switzerland].
So is it? Weeeeell…..
To “solve” the problem for consumers in the short run doesn’t require eliminating spam entirely, said Ryan Hamlin, the general manager who oversees [Microsoft]’s anti-spam programs. Rather, he said, the idea is to contain it to the point that its impact on in-boxes is minor.
In that way, Hamlin said, Gates’ prediction has come true for people using the right tactics and advanced filtering technology.
Ha. I am reminded of ‘weapons of mass destruction-related program activities’.
As one slashdotter says, ‘when you fail, try try again; or conversely, change the requirements and make it look like a success, which is exactly what BG has done.’
It’s not washing, though, unsurprisingly. The poll on the same page, asks ‘do you agree with Microsoft’s contention that the spam problem has been “solved”?’ Right now, with 1169 votes, it has 7.2% (in other words, the MS employees) agreeing, and a whopping 92.8% not going for it.
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