I have read the article (yeah, me slashdot newbie), but I can't see anywhere that the messages are just stored without any format. So, if they are stored as emails, its easy enough to get and remove the email address from the header (and replace occurences in the body), if they are stored as structures submitted by a form, even easier.
Even without that, its still easy enough to remove anything that looks like an email, a phone number, or an address. Is it terrible if an address that could be publicly known is removed this way? I dont see why.
This is all kind of stupid though, isnt the point of posting a comment that it is going to be read? by a human able to manually remove the address?
As a previous poster wrote, it seems they are simply overwhelmed by the unexpected number of replies. They should still hold their promise not to publish the addresses.
It's not that bad since a person submitting his address to post a comment is likely to be either using a junk email address or having done that in the past, thus the address is already spammed. Besides, it made me discover spamgourmet.
Slashdot Mirror
You're willing to get the store clerk killed just because you didnt want to be caught on camera buying rubbers?
What, the law doesn't protect you if you buy something illegal??? Harsh, man! Does that mean I shouldnt pay my dealer by credit card?
Nah, they are just concerned in letting NYT save the $ for HD space.
I have read the article (yeah, me slashdot newbie), but I can't see anywhere that the messages are just stored without any format. So, if they are stored as emails, its easy enough to get and remove the email address from the header (and replace occurences in the body), if they are stored as structures submitted by a form, even easier.
Even without that, its still easy enough to remove anything that looks like an email, a phone number, or an address. Is it terrible if an address that could be publicly known is removed this way? I dont see why.
This is all kind of stupid though, isnt the point of posting a comment that it is going to be read? by a human able to manually remove the address?
As a previous poster wrote, it seems they are simply overwhelmed by the unexpected number of replies. They should still hold their promise not to publish the addresses.
It's not that bad since a person submitting his address to post a comment is likely to be either using a junk email address or having done that in the past, thus the address is already spammed. Besides, it made me discover spamgourmet.
Or search for "Paris Hilton", realize that you are looking for a hotel and click on the "Hotel" category link. What's the first result?