I've HAD IT with spam!

I've HAD IT with spam.

Ten years ago, I thought it was cool to have my own domain, and these great email addresses. Now, I have to admit that the spammers have got too much, and something has to change. We are experimenting with passing Ruth's email through Google's gmail, but automatic spam filters - even google's - are imperfect: they send good mail to the spam folder, and allow some junk through. After several months' use, this seems to be pretty successful, actually.

Therefore, I have to tell everyone to use a new email address for me. But how do I avoid this happening again?

I could tell everyone to use the same email address for me.

But then, the moment it was leaked to spammers, I would have to tell EVERYONE to change again.

I could give everyone a unique email address for me, so that only the person who leaked it to spammers would have to change.

But, I can't reasonably create THAT many email addresses.

I could forward them using an automatic forwarding feature, but if I composed a mail, my mail client wouldn't fill in the "from" address properly. (This solution does actually work for subscriptions where I never SEND emails with that address.)

This is the only way. I create ten to fifteen random email addresses, and issue them to groups of people.

With this solution, if spammers get hold of one address, only the small group has to update to a new one.

This solution has been working very successfully for a while now. It's extra effort for me, but virtually transparent for others, which is what matters.

I have not had to discard an email address because of spammers yet.

In retrospect, using numeric addresses was a mistake because sometimes MY mails are classed as spam by the recipient's mail server. Newly issued addresses will be random Pokémon names.

Email etiquette

This applies to everyone, not just me; it's a matter of politeness, and not being promiscuous with people's Internet identity.

Don't pointlessly share someone's email address with a website, especially if it's unknown. Don't "email this page to a friend", just send them the link.
Don't send people "funny postcards". Although "Blue Mountain" appears to be safe, most people will ignore these (if they have any sense) or think they're scams.
Only "cc:" somebody if you need the group to reply-all, for example to set up a party or meeting. Otherwise, use "bcc:".
Don't publish your, or anyone else's, email address on a website, unless you know how to obfuscate it (see my address at the bottom).
In general, chain letters are bad anyway, but including someone's email address in one is a disaster.

Well, how do I send you an email, if you didn't give me an address yet?

Excellent question. I'll give you a temporary address. It's

and I will be very glad to hear from you. However, don't put this one in your address books, because the moment the spam starts, it'll be changed. Let me reply to you with a permanent address.

Thank you for reading, I apologise for the weirdness, but my life is too valuable to spend fifteen minutes a day clearing spam! - Andy 2008-08-08.

Did you send me an email with a Confidentiality Notice? Please read THIS.