Bayesian Filtering For Dummies

Dynamoo writes "Bayesian filtering for spam is awfully clever stuff, touched on by Slashdot several times before. There's a very accessible article at BBC News explaining in fairly simple terms the drawbacks of current keyword-based filtering. It's slightly ironic that the BBC, through the commissioning of Monty Python, also gave 'spam' its name. Those Vikings have a lot to answer for."

Comments

Yes, we must filter out the dummies

[Anonymous Coward]

I suggest Slashdot immediatly implement this "Bayesian Filter for Dummies" to remove most of the trolls, etc.

Re:Yes, we must filter out the dummies

[Anonymous Coward]

Wiping out all of the comments just because of the trolls seems a bit extreme.

Re:Yes, we must filter out the dummies

[dark-br]

Would it work for editors too? If so *please* implement it!

Re:Yes, we must filter out the dummies

[milkmandan9]

I suggest Slashdot immediatly implement this "Bayesian Filter for Dummies" to remove most of the trolls, etc.

So, tell me...would anyone be left?

Didn't think so.

Dialect or typo?

[isomeme]

From the article's subhead:

just as paper junk mail buried many a front door map

Is that yet another weird British idiom, or simply a typo for "mat"?

Vikings?

[cperciva]

I'd say that the BBC has more in common with the Normans, actually.

Ironic?

[popeydotcom]

Interesting yes, ironic, no.

What's your name, Alanis Morissette ?

Reminds me of a story

[joelt49]

This whole spam thing reminds me of a story I read while in 7th grade. In it, the postage for sending junk mail was decreased to practically nothing. Then, junk mail buried America. Hundreds of years later, archeologists came back and investigated the remains. Their conclusions about our society are kind of humorous. However, the idea of junk mail burying us when the postage goes way down has kind of been proved with spam. Maybe a small tax for spam wouldn't be a bad idea.

No no no, Bayesian Filtering *OF* Dummies please

[corebreech]

Thank you for your support.

Do spammer's techniques work on slashdot ?

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

Viagra often spelled V-l-a-g-r-a online

I-f I t-r-o-l-l l-i-k-e t-h-i-s, w-i-l-l i-t p-a-s-s S-l-a-s-h-d-o-t.'s t-r-o-l-l f-i-l-t-e-r ?

Re:Do spammer's techniques work on slashdot ?

[Anonymous Coward]

1. refresh slashdot page once a minute
2. wait 15 seconds
3. ???
f-r-i-s-t p-o-s-t!!!

i-m-a-g-i-n-e a b-e-o-w-u-l-f c-l-u-s-t-e-r o-f B-a-y-e-s-i-a-n F-i-l-t-e-r-s!

Re:Do spammer's techniques work on slashdot ?

[MyHair]

S-t-e-p-h-e-n K-i-n-g i-s d-e-a-d a-t 5-2 !

B-S-D i-s d-y-i-n-g ! N-e-t-c-r-a-f-t c-o-n-f-i-r-m-s i-t !

Re:Crude but effective

[wiggys]

You know, I think you're on to something there. I sent you an email offering you money so I can sell the idea... but I've a feeling it's been classified it as spam. Shame!

Re:Crude but effective

[marko123]

I used a similar "Crude but effective" technique at work. I had a job where most days were bad, but some were good. So I told my boss to go fuck himself and now I don't have any bad days any more. Of course, my false positives (the good days) are also gone.

Human filtering

[stile]

Great. Wanna filter my email for me? ;)

"Alanis irony"

[Danny Rathjens]

That's what we refer to as "Alanis irony", 8^)

No Junk Mail please....

[TomMajor]

On my mailbox outside my apartment I have a "No Junk Mail please" sticker... This actually works. I tried to put the same sticker on my pc, but the junk mail just keeps on comming... I don't understand....

Re:Speaking of dummies...

[MechCow]

I thought words were defined by how they are used. It would be ironic if you work for webster.

Re:Here's one I've used

[swillden]

>I wonder if there are any other uses for this kind of thing?

Yes, there is:

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=venue+group:comp
.lang.python&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&safe=off&selm=mail
man.1048821167.17118.python-list%40python.org&rnum =1

You mean like automatically deleting unusable links so we don't have to try to figure out how to get them to work?