A couple of our favorite Boulder haunts that offer WiFi access have begun to restrict sending email via Outlook or Mac Mail, essentially blocking the SMTP ports. Seems some jerk — or series of jerks — decided to use these public WiFi points to send important messages about Viagra, hot singles looking for dates in our area or OEM software at great prices (read: spam).
Now, we fully support capital punishment for true spammers (OK, kidding, but not by much), but it also seems to us there’s a better option to stopping the practice from a public WiFi spot.
While the solution is to simply use a Web client to send while there, this is more than a little inconvenient for those of us who rely on a local mail client for tracking correspondence. Depending on the time of day, email access (send and receive) is more important than access to the Web and it’s nice to count on that access between meetings across town from the office.
For businesses that offer free access in the hope we’ll buy a latte or two, I’m pretty understanding of using this tactic as a spam fix. However, when we pay for access (e.g., T-Mobile outlets at Starbucks), it seems there’s a better way. Look into a firewall or another program that can tell the difference between someone sending out a series of quick emails, even one every 30 seconds or so, and a barrage like a spammer would cause.
If I’m paying, can I please send email my way? If I’m off base, someone let me know.
1 response so far ↓
1 Bill Green // Mar 28, 2008 at 10:42 am
SMTP blocking bothers me immensely and was one of the driving forces behind my recent purchase of a wireless broadband card. I can understand that blocking is a necessary evil of the current state of the Internet, but really it just keeps honest people honest and devalues the service and its provider. Why would I go to a coffee shop that I know blocks SMTP when I know I can work out of one that doesn’t? Yes, I am complaining about the “value” of a free service, but ultimately the business owner is the loser because the customer can and will take their business elsewhere. People go to coffee shops for the wifi and a place to work, not because of the coffee or the barista’s taste in Indie rock.
I’m a big fan of the digital nomad lifestyle and I’m willing to bet that one of the reasons people in the startup technology world flock to Gmail and Google apps is that it is one of — if not the only — integrated office suites that you can just log in and go, regardless of network restrictions.
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