The "Blacklist" column

[stan_qaz]

I'm guessing you haven't even looked at the filter or the screenshots folks have posted at this point, that is very frustrating to me.

Rather than continuing to complain why not create the filter that has been suggested and set it the way you want it. The only thing standing between you and having what you want is that you are not willing to do it.

[Sidewinder]

I'm reluctant to set up a Blacklist filter unless I have the ability to still review an item before it is washed.

The ability that you want is clearly there. You have complete control over how you want the filter to act.

I suspect I might be too used to the things were and would like to have a similar process in 2010.

If it was going to be the exactly the same as the old there wouldn't need to be a new product.

[rusticdog]

I think I should have been more clear.

I don't want items tagged for deletion to be deleted before I've had a chance to review them. The item should only be deleted when the "Delete" box is checked and I've pressed the "Wash" button. What I would like is for the "Delete" block to be checked for all senders I've previously blacklisted. This allows me to review those items currently checked for deletion and remove the check selectively. The old MWP did this, but not all items categorized as blacklisted have the "Delete" block checked in 2010. Some do and some don't. There is also a variability about whether "Thumbs Down" is highlighted when "Blacklist" is in the Status column.

I'm reluctant to set up a Blacklist filter unless I have the ability to still review an item before it is washed.

I suspect I might be too used to the things were and would like to have a similar process in 2010.

What you're seeing is the weighting system. For example if the Bayesian thinks the email is good, but the sender is blacklisted, MailWasher (typically) would set the email as Unknown because of this contradiction. What you want to do is either :

a: Make sure the emails that are spam are being marked as such, and help improve the Bayesian accuracy. Over time, this will happen much less often.

b: Give your blacklist more weight. Under Settings >> Spam Tools >> Spam Ratings >> you could move your Blacklist slider to the full -200, this will give the Blacklist tool a very heavy weight and make situations like this happen less.

[Sidewinder]

I suspect I might be too used to the things were and would like to have a similar process in 2010.

You are likely only going to get out what you are willing to put in. Here is all of about 2 minutes work when you take the time to tell the product how you personally want it to work. It can't read your mind without your input(s). You will get out what you are willing to put in.
1.

MWP BL Filter 1.png (10.38 KiB) Viewed 8621 times

2.

MWP BL Filter 2.png (8.96 KiB) Viewed 8621 times

3.

MWP BL Filter 3.png (13.33 KiB) Viewed 8621 times

[cfheinz]

@ Sidewinder-I had, in fact studied the filter processed described. However, I was uncertain about the end result. I think I'll adjust the Blacklist Slider as my first effort.

I think a check will review that I was a very early user of the original MailWasher and am completely willing to make it work for me.

If the slider approach doesn't yield the desired result, I'll definitely take another look at the filter alternative.

[rusticdog]

I think a check will review that I was a very early user of the original MailWasher and am completely willing to make it work for me.

If the slider approach doesn't yield the desired result, I'll definitely take another look at the filter alternative.

The Slider should do the trick. The most a Bayesian will assign on the good side is +149, the Blacklist will be -200. So a final result of -51 will mean the email is always marked as spam and set for delete. The only times this won't work is if you specifically train the email as good, or if you had another filter that might adjust that final weighting.

It's a better option that using a filter in my view, as the filter just adds another layer of processing to achieve the same result. I've been meaning to write something simply that explains the weighting better, so I'll try to do that very soon.

[cfheinz]

Thanks.

I adjusted the slider after reading your note. Thus far, I've not had a sufficient number of emails to personally determine the result and appreciate your additional information.

As an aside, I've used Agent as my email client for even longer than I've used MWP. I still add filters there for the Usenet news group messages.

[cfheinz]

The slider adjustment has solved my problem.

Thanks, again.

[jerrynelson]

Does the "thumbs down" icon perform the same function.slope gameIt seems to carry forward, but I don't see automatic entries in the Blacklist file like I did when checking "Blacklist" in the pre-2010 version. The rationale that spammers continue to change addresses doesn't deal with those who repeatedly use the same email address and having a maintainable "Blacklist" allowed me to remove those previously blacklisted.

I predict that as you get more used to the most recent MailWasher version, your usage patterns will change.