User: stephendavies

Do the imperfect? or don't do the imperfect

On: ZDNet Australia Interviews Richard Alston

When Alston's asked about censorship, he makes this comment:

The simplistic notion that because you can't achieve 100 percent success in closing off any particular Internet site is a reason for not doing anything is not an acceptable explanation

(and similar words at the start of part 2)

It looks like he views the imperfect solution as superior to doing nothing.

But when asked about spam, and plans to legislate about that, he says:

If it's interfering with the critical infrastructure I suppose yes, but if it's interfering with normal commerce - well, you do what you can. But you don't want draconian solutions that are worse than the problem. It's a nuisance at the moment but if it started to clog up the system then we might have a very different view.

(Really not sure exactly HOW much spam would be "clogging up the system"!)

These statement seem inconsistent to me. What do others think?