The User Experience with Filter Appliance Report presents findings of users of filter appliances. The average Spam Index, the standard deviation of Spam Index and the percent of users that are Very Satisfied with their email experience are compared with the results for challenge-response users.
As well, this report contrasts several features of filter appliances with challenge-response systems. Clearly the gap between the expectations placed on spam filters and their actual performance as measured by the users of these products is large. The analysis of content is not as effective as simply following email handling workflow rules.
Other key findings include the observation that filter appliances by design consider every message, from every source suspect. They also regularly trap good email and deliver spam leakage to users. Users waste more time checking filter folers for good email and deleting spam from inboxes than other technologies.
Clearly, filter appliances are not effective according to measurements by users represented in the Spam Index. Appliances are out-matched by challenge-response technologies in three features as measured by the users who use them – average Spam Index, standard deviation of the Spam Index which measures variability in the Spam Index, percent users very satisfied with their email experience.
This report also compares the features of filter appliances and challenge-response systems.
