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Common Sense Approach to Search Engine Optimization
Most web surfers start their sessions at a search engine or a web directory. There are a number of different methods you can use to capture their traffic and drive it to your site:
Stick to the big names: The two largest directories:...
Data Recovery Software: At your Rescue
* Feature Set * Installation * Effectiveness * Search
Capabilities * Support Tools
Computers are an integral part of our lives. They are used at
every juncture, and of course play a major role in businesses.
In fact, the smooth working of...
Lavasfot Ad-Aware - Free Spyware Removal
Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal is a free for personal use spyware removal tool is widely regarded as a top anti-spyware application. It has been downloaded hundreds of millions of times, which is a testament to its strong reputation. This article...
PC to Phone VoIP over Dial-Up
So you've heard that you can use your computer to make cheap long-distance calls over the Internet. Maybe you've even tried it. Chances are though that if you've attempted VoIP calls over a dial-up connection, you've experienced intermittent...
Transportation Software
Transportation Software
Transportation Software is a broad term. Large shippers and
carriers began developing transportation software in the 1960's
when mainframe computers became more widely available and
affordable. Large LTL carriers such...
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Bayesian Filters
A common problem with filters is the fact that they are a one-size-fits all solution to SPAM. The rules are concrete and only change based on input from updates from the Anti-spam service.
SPAM changes too quickly to make that method effective. Additionally, what is SPAM to you may not be to someone else. That is where Bayesian filters come in.
They are very effective at eliminating SPAM and have very low false-positive rates for their users.
Bayesian filters are based on Bayesian logic, a branch of logic named for Thomas Bayes, an eighteenth century Mathematician.
This type of logic applies to decision making by determining the probability of a certain event based on the history of past events.
Using this as a model seemed a logical step for SPAM filtering. If you can predict what SPAM will look like now based on what is has looked like in the past, you are halfway to the solution.
To finish solving the problem, Bayesian filters were developed to be dynamic and continue to be effective as the SPAM changes.
Bayesian filters are content based. They look for characteristics in each email that you receive and calculate the probability of it actually being SPAM.
These characteristics are generally words in the content and the header file information that each email contains. They can also include common SPAM HTML code, word pairs, phrases, and the location of a phrase in the body of the email.
Typical words in SPAM would be "Free" and "Win", while "humility" would probably not appear. The filter begins with a 50% neutral score for the email, and then adds points for SPAM characteristics.
Likewise, deductions are made for non-SPAM characteristics present. The total score is calculated and then action is taken based on its likelihood of being SPAM.
The filter does not assume that all arriving email is bad, rather that all email is neutral and should be considered equally.
Bayesian filters are better
than traditional content scoring filters in that they are trained by you to recognize your email.
A doctor, for example, might have many emails legitimately using the word "Viagra". A traditional content scoring filter would probably shoot that email to the SPAM folder, or delete it.
This would result in a high false-positive rate for the doctor, even if you don't want Viagra emails. The filter will build a list based on the doctors email use and corrections to incorrectly marked email.
The initial training period may be a little time consuming, but once complete offers a tailored solution to SPAM control for each user.
In addition to protecting the good email, the filter makes it difficult for Spammers to trick as every filter will have individual requirements.
That being said, Spammers do have a few weapons in their arsenal to attempt to circumvent Bayesian filters. The easiest would be to create SPAM that looks like an everyday letter.
This would remove their ability to use typical marketing techniques and so is not as likely with normal commercial email. For the purveyors of fraud, however, this would be easier.
Spammers could also so weight a message with a common good word, or distort the bad ones, that it becomes scored as neutral or lower and get through.
Once correctly marked as SPAM by you, though, the filter will adjust and not be fooled again. This automation and ability of the software to grow as you and SPAM change over time is key to the significance of these types of filters.
Widespread use of good Bayesian filters will not only eliminate SPAM on your end, but would reduce the practice of Spamming altogether. If they cannot get the mail through, they are just wasting their time.
About the Author
Debbie Hamstead is the webmaster of http://www.StompingOutSPAM.com Offering a comprehensive Quick Start Guide to keeping SPAM out of your inbox. She also manages http://www.nichesites4profit.com
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Tucows Downloads - Download Freeware and Shareware Software |
Download freeware, shareware, and demos. Maintains over 45000 software titles that are tested, rated, reviewed and ready to download. |
www.tucows.com |
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Free Software Downloads and Software Reviews - Download.com |
Download shareware, freeware and Demo software for PC, Mac, Linux, and Handhelds categorized into categories, plus software reviews. |
www.download.com |
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Computer software - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
This includes application software such as a word processor, which enables a ... Application software is often purchased separately from computer hardware. ... |
en.wikipedia.org |
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Shareware.com - Search for shareware programs and free software ... |
Search for shareware programs from more than a dozen downloadable software directories. |
www.shareware.com |
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Jumbo: Free & Shareware MP3 files, Games, Screen Savers & Computer ... |
Source of free and shareware computer programs and utilities for PC and Mac. Evaluate software and read product reviews. Download games and screen savers. |
www.jumbo.com |
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Computer Software in the Yahoo! Directory |
Browse categories featuring sites devoted to computer software, including shareware and freeware download sites, operating systems, desktop customization, ... |
dir.yahoo.com |
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IEEE Software |
IEEE Computer Society's magazine covering all aspects of software, including software engineering. |
www.computer.org |
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Free Downloads on ZDNet | Shareware, Trialware, Evaluation Software |
ZDNet's Software Directory is the Web's largest library of software downloads. Covering software for Windows, Mac, and Mobile systems, ZDNet's Software ... |
downloads.zdnet.com |
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FSF - The Free Software Foundation |
Free software is a matter of liberty not price. Think of "free" as in "free speech". |
www.fsf.org |
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Apple - Software |
Software products for your digital life. ... The perfect addition for professional review. QuickTime Broadcaster. Encoding software for live events. ... |
www.apple.com |
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Open Directory - Computers: Software |
In Partnership with AOL Search. about dmoz | report abuse/spam | help. the entire directory, only in Computers/Software. Top: Computers: Software (38471) ... |
dmoz.org |
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freshmeat.net: Welcome to freshmeat.net |
About: The Web browser is probably the most frequently used software today, ... Web professionals can use the software for functional testing and regression ... |
freshmeat.net |
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Software - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF) |
Listing of the GNU software packages. |
www.gnu.org |
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Sun Software |
Get enterprise-class software--Solaris 10 OS, the Java Enterprise System, ... Sun Java StorageTek Software reduces cost and complexity with a single, ... |
www.sun.com |
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Internet Real Estate.com -- owns and operates a portfolio of the ... |
SOFTWARE.COM · SWEEPSTAKES.COM · PHONE.COM PODCAST.COM ... Software.com | Sweepstakes.com | Phone.com | Podcast.com | Shop.com | Safety.com ... |
www.internetrealestate.com |
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Joel on Software |
A weblog by Joel Spolsky, a programmer working in New York City, about software and software companies. |
www.joelonsoftware.com |
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Amazon.com Software: Computer & video games, business, accounting ... |
Online shopping for computer & video games, business & office productivity software, software from Microsoft, Apple, Adobe & more; accounting, antivirus, ... |
www.amazon.com |
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IBM Software - Home Page |
IBM home page for all of its software products, including Lotus and Tivoli, with keyword search, category browse and AZ product names. |
www.ibm.com |
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Opera web browser: Homepage |
Copyright © 2006 Opera Software ASA. All rights reserved. Skip navigation. Opera Software ... Copyright Opera Software ASA . All rights reserved. ... |
www.opera.com |
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Google Directory - Computers > Software |
Search only in Software Search the Web ... Software Categorized by Letter: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ... |
www.google.com |
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