Only 11%... ? Given the average user education and the fine psychological tools used by spammers, I'd say 11% is still low... Aren't TV advertisements a form a spam...? I hate those... That's why I like the internet more than TV - I get where I want and can ignore advertisements when they pop in, while I can't do it while watching a TV program.
I have a remote that I use to change the channel during commercials. That said, I agree, TV is terrible!
I heard a spokesman from the FBI pleading with Americans to stop sending money to Nigeria, and other scam emails, since the FBI has to investigate the fraud, and draw from resources better spent fighting terrorism.
In the future there is a portable interactive media device that recieves radio, television, email, chat, communications, phone calls, data, news, weather, (and probably porn) from a central feed and delivers through a number of other supportied accessory devises and can be customized to the end users needs/preferences. Entertainment? Imagine not having to wait until Prime Time to watch some show, do a search for keywords "Comedy Classic Rozanne" Bam up pops an episode archive - select the episode "Dan closes the bike shop", select the feed destination "Living Room Entertainement Console" The edpisode plays, uninterupted as 'Viewer Credits' are deducted from your pre-paid ISP (Interactive Solutions Provider) Music? Select the proper icon and links to millions of tunes opens and begins playing your favorites direct to your Bluetooth enabled earbud implants. Simultaniously it casts a vote for the band playing this song, and pushes them into the next the next popularity tier increasing their bandwidth, and promting the recording studio to re-sign them for another term. Communications? A quiet 'bing' and a glowing image indicate a communication is in transmission - click - its a fax from the Global Police, you've just passed a speed trap, they have ticketed you, tried the case electronically and deucted the appropriate fee from your Google Wallet. 'bing' another transmission this time its a call from your insurance broker advising you that your rates have increased...again. 'bing' another transmission, just in time, some great news - you've just won a free vacation and a discount on Canadian Viagra - oh and is that a telemarketer on the other line..? The more things change....
I agree that there is way too much spam hitting everyone inbox. Having said that however, I have to tell you that I'm earning more than $50,000 per year on things that I originally learned about from Unsolicited Email. Advertising in Magazines and other media is unsolicited, but often we learn about very useful products and services. To refuse to buy something simple because we learned about it via unsolicited email is also idiot in my opinion. What we have to do is filter and evaluate all data. How can you learn about something you didn't even know existed unless someone sends you some unsolicited information about it.
That is the same 11% that can't figure out that onramps are there for you to accelerate in order to reach the speed that matches that of the traffic on the freeway. (Sorry for the rant, I had to enter the freeway today and was only going 35 when I made it to the merge area thanks to one of these spam opening jackasses and almost got eaten by a truck) yeah... idiots.
My inbox is used for business. Would you like to have people bursting in your office and giving you fliers promoting viagra... porn... ink cartiges, etc????
I think it might be AOL, and God knows I can't stand the comapny, but hey have a great TV spot that shows the guy waking up and having a "grow hair in minutes" poster blocking the door that he has to tear through. He goes through this kinda thing all day and it makes the same point fryman is making. It just isn't ethical.
Atleast you've got one, they don't seem to care that I'm not even the target market Atleast the TV ads are paying some of the expenses of the TV station. I don't see spammers contributing... anything...
I would tend to say that I am one of these idiots- BUT, I am prevented from so doing- BECAUSE, I just realized that I belong to a DIFFERENT group of idiots, because I got scammed by a guy who was selling stuff from the back of a van, lol.
As long as spam keeps working they will keep doing it. 11% isn't a bad conversion rate at all. So educate everyone you can. I get emails from my boss asking me if we should follow up on certain emails he gets. They are the emails that say .. "your site isn't listed in the search engines ... submit them today with our software/hire us" And it's hard not to fall for those bank or ebay or paypal fakes sometimes. There will always be n00bs on the Internet. *shrug*