We use cookies to give you the best online experience. By using our website you agree to our use of cookies in accordance with our cookie policy.

croom new

Preferred Blog

Preferred has been serving the Tinley Park area since 1991, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

Tech Term: Opening the Spam Folder

Tech Term: Opening the Spam Folder

Spam is a tricky subject to talk about, as it seems everyone has a different definition for it. Yet, most have come to the conclusion that spam is a bad thing. For today’s Tech Term, we want to delve deep into the different kinds of spam out there, as well as theorize where the term even came from.

Why Spam?
Spam can lead to a considerable amount of wasted time and assets, as well as provide a convenient medium of transportation for threats like malware and viruses. So why is it named after spam, everyone’s favorite canned lunch meat? One theory claims that the folks over at the University of Southern California’s computer lab named it after spam for some unknown reason--perhaps they simply thought it was a funny analogy to make.

The more accepted theory is that spam comes from the Monty Python song. Both the song and spam messages have a lot in common, being both highly repetitive and offering no real substance.

Where Spam Came From
It’s not clear where spam messages first came from. Some believe that spam messages first became a thing on March 31st, 1993. A Usenet user named Richard Depew accidentally posted 200 of the same message to a newsgroup. These messages were then called spam by another user, and Depew used the term in his apology, cementing its terminology.

Another theory regarding the name spam comes from multi-user dungeons, or MUDs, which were a type of chat room named after the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons. These users would fill these chat rooms with a large quantity of unwanted content. Even the MUDers, as they were called, coined these junk messages spam.

There are two other theories related to spam involving Bitnet Relay, a 1980s chat system, and TRS-80, another use of the aforementioned Monty Python song to annoy users.

Types of Spam
Below, you’ll find the various types of spam that you could potentially encounter:

  • Email spam: Email spam messages are likely the most recognizable form of spam. Spam emails contain all sorts of junk that can make navigating your inbox a complete nightmare. Thankfully, there are regulations put into place that keep spam out of inboxes to an extent, but you can always integrate better solutions and software to augment the sorting of spam emails.
  • Texting spam: In much the same way, texting spam is a way to get unwanted messages through to people. It’s interesting to note that emergency texts don’t constitute spam. Similar to how email spam works, the CAN-SPAM Act also applies to text spam.
  • Comment spam: Comment spam is a bit different in nature from the previous two types. You may have noticed some comments that seem unwanted or “spammy” in nature, such as those advertising the selling of products or simply off-topic.

As always, you don’t want to be dealing with spam carelessly. If your business could use assistance preparing for spam, contact Preferred for 708-781-7110.

Managed IT Services Provide Good Value for SMBs
A “Disaster” Covers More Than You’d Think
 

Comments

No comments made yet. Be the first to submit a comment
Guest
Already Registered? Login Here
Guest
Thursday, March 28 2024

Captcha Image

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

  • First Name *
  • Last Name *

      Mobile? Grab this Article!

      Qr Code

      Blog Archive

      Latest Blog Entry

      Keyboard shortcuts are undeniably useful—to the point that some are almost ubiquitous. However, there are a lot that aren’t, and they are just about as useful. We wanted to introduce you to these shortcuts so you can incorporate them into your workflows.

      Latest News

      Preferred is rated Best Places to Work - 3 Consecutive Years!

      Preferred has been named as one of the Best Places to Work in Illinois in 2020, 2021 and 2022. The awards program began in 2006 and is promoted by The Daily Herald Business Ledger in partnership with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, MRA-The Management Association, the Small Business Advocacy Council and Best Companies Group.