On Wed, 2010-04-07 at 11:38 +0100, Ned Slider wrote: > Alex wrote: > > Hi, > > > > Last October Marc posted the following URL that compared the various RBLs: > > > >> http://www.sdsc.edu/~jeff/spam/cbc.html > > > > It seems barracuda is still leading, but is that also everyone's > > experience? Can anyone provide details on how Jeff computed this > > information and is it as cut-and-dried as this makes it seem? IOW, > > barracuda, the free service, is "better" than all the rest... > > > > As others have noted, FPs are not taken into account so one must > consider that. > > Last year when the barracuda config was first posted to this list, I > implemented it on my personal mail server with a very high score so as > to trigger automatic quarantines for all mail hitting the list, and have > since checked all hits by hand. I currently use zen.spamhaus at the smtp > stage to reject spam, so hits against barracuda only comprise of those > that are "missed" by zen. I was particularly interested in FPs. > > During the last year I don't think I've seen a single FP hit against > barracuda :surprised: That said, I still haven't found the confidence to > implement it at the smtp stage for outright rejection but the numbers > I'm seeing do tend towards telling me the list is of generally high quality. > > In reality I make use of Barracuda first at SMTP time, Spamhaus after and have done so since 2008. I've never seen a FP from Barracuda in that time.
I'm no fan of Barracuda - and that is widely documented. However, they are a legal, professional business that is accountable. Spamhaus, on the other hand, are not. Whilst their efforts in blocklisting are laudable and noted, they appear to operate in a somewhat underground manner without any proper base or contact details - not unlike gypsies. Until they become fully legitimate and accountable their business credibility will remain in question. With Barracuda, yes, you know they are selling GPL code, you know that one of them is a former spammer, you know about 'emailreg'. They make no secret of it. You don't, however, know about just who is pulling the strings at Spamhaus. On several occasions in the past I have received obvious and clear spam from the likes of IHM in Nottingham, B2B deals, and uncounted attacks from Emailvision in France all of which pass through Spamhaus and have you saying 'Why is this?' I have found (and I fully expect another round) that if you bad mouth or question Spamhaus you are subjected to abuse, port scans, publication of personal data in news groups and the like. As far as the Barracuda list is concerned, I have total confidence in it, and the company that operates it. Given the number of anti-spam appliances they have in the field doing a very good job with it I would say 'have confidence in it'.
