[X-Apps] Junk filtering strategies in Mail

[John Pariseau]

I created several rules, two "Inappropriate Words" filters, and one for 
phrases. It catches most spam, and the rest is tagged by Apple's Junk 
filter.

The rules actually delete the messages, while I let the Junk filter 
just tag them.

I have issues, however, where messages are encoded such that the 
filters for words that I set up do not catch them! I am not too sure 
how to get around this. If you take a look at the raw source for such a 
message, you get a whole block of gibberish.


> Then I transfer to a specific mailbox, so that I can check them out to 
> make sure there isn't legit e-mail getting through.  (I also keep spam 
> to help test and train other spam filtering software.)
>
> I think Mail does an excellent job, considering just how difficult it 
> is to write software to be "smart" enough to catch spam.  IMO, 100% 
> accuracy for filtering spam is unattainable.  People who think 
> otherwise should try writing their own software to see the challenge 
> involved.  But again, that's MnsHO*.  I'm happy with the ~95% accuracy 
> that Mail is providing me.