Microsoft Corp.'s move to offer stronger anti-spam technology for its e-mail server software could spell trouble for companies that are trying to build businesses on products that filter out unwanted electronic pitches.
But — at least for now — Microsoft and some of its potential rivals agree that the flood of junk messages is a big enough problem that many companies and different approaches will be needed to stem the flow of unsolicited e-mail.
"We don't believe there's one single technology that's going to get rid of spam," said Francois Lavaste, vice president of marketing at Brightmail, an antispam firm. "There's no silver bullet."
During a speech Sunday at the Comdex trade show in Las Vegas, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates unveiled an add-on to the company's Exchange Server 2003 software called Intelligent Message Filter. It's expected to be available in the first half of 2004.
|