[aprssig] Email addresses in APRS

[Gary]

You argue that standardizing on an email format within APRS messages will facilitate misuse of that
info while I ask why include an email address at all? Why put an email address in there anyway if
not to invite email which, in most cases today, is communication via the internet. In many cases,
including Bob's Dallas thread, there is info that can be of more immediate help to a traveler than
an email address. The boundaries of this thread are not yours alone to define so my question is
valid, relevant, and intended to broaden the pool of answers to this potential problem of spamming
email addresses from APRS messages.
Gary R.
N6LRV

-----Original Message-----
From: aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org [mailto:aprssig-bounces at lists.tapr.org] On Behalf Of John
Habbinga
Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2008 10:07 AM
To: TAPR APRS Mailing List
Subject: Re: [aprssig] Email addresses in APRS

> In setting a standard of including an internet email address in an APRS message we're, in a sense,
> encouraging further communication via the internet when, I think, we should be focusing these
> messages on alternate amateur modes of communication first, maybe internet second, then maybe
phone
> numbers third, etc. Afterall, the purpose of these messages is to inform travelers, those in need
of
> assistance, etc. so we should provide info that is most helpful to them at the moment.

This thread is not for setting a standard of including an internet
email address in an APRS message.  It is merely a discussion of how to
format email addresses over APRS to avoid spam and to be easily
recognized by the receiver.  It is not about encouraging communication
via the internet.

My argument is that we don't need a standard because establishing a
standard will only make it easier for spammers to identify a valid
email address.  When I send my email over APRS, I just send
kc5zrq at gmail.  I figure the recipient can figure out to put .com at
the end.