Johan Vromans E-mail Policy

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E-mail Policy

I believe that electronic mail is a very important, and convenient, way of communication. Unfortunately, the many SPAM and SCAM mails are a big nuisance. This is how I try to cope with it.

I refuse to hide my email address. I've been using this address since 1995 and I'm sure it's recorded thousands of times on those pesky ‘1 million guaranteed email addresses’ CD's.

I run a series of email filters to weed out the SPAM and other unsollicited messages. Anything I don't trust, or don't like, gets filtered into a number of SPAM boxes. Sometimes I inspect these boxes, but often I don't. However, there's one special SPAM box that I do inspect often, and that is the box that collects messages that seem interesting but are from people that I do not know. So even unknown people do have a chance to reach me.

What is the best way to get your message across?

Use this contact form.
Make the subject of the message interesting, and clear.
Make the content of the message interesting, and clear.
Send the message to me. Do not use mailing lists, BCCs, Undisclosed Recipients and so on. It lessens the chance that the message will pass the filters.
Use plain text, or a text alternative. HTML-only messages will almost certainly end up in a SPAM box.
Digitally encrypt the message with my PGP/GPG key or any of my registered certificates.
Digitally sign the message with a PGP/GPG key or registered certificate that I can verify.

How reliable is email communication?

Actually, I think it's very reliably. However, when it comes to trust or proof:

I will formally deny having sent any message that has not been digitally signed with my PGP/GPG key or any of my registered certificates.
Likewise, I will only tentatively assume a message is really from you unless you have digitally signed it.