WHY ARE WE STILL USING THIS CRAP?

Why the hell are we still using SMTP as a mail transport? The spec is over 20 years old if memory serves, and its very existence with no default authentication layer is probably the #1 reason spam exists today.

If it weren't for SMTP's *I'll accept and send email from anyone because I'm stupid* design, spammers wouldn't be using unsuspecting mail servers across the globe to send spam anonymously. If all outbound email had to be authenticated by the user at the server (as is incoming mail via POP3 and other methods), spammers would be out of business since there would be no more anonymous layer of mail servers to hide behind.

There was a time, about 4 years ago where I felt it was critical that *anyone* who wanted to contact me via email, should be able to. Now I'm at the point where I don't care if people can't send me email (due to spam black lists, challenge responses, spam keyword filters etc).

Unless some radical changes are made in the way email is sent and received, it's dead.

Everyday I'm leaning more and more towards a white-list/challenge-response method of keeping my inbox useful. If I don't know you or you can't be bothered to confirm who you are before you drop crap in my inbox, I don't care if I don't see your message.

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PS: Has been busy with the work lately. Sorry for the lack of updates.