Bits and Bytes for August 31, 2004
Sendmail releases Sender ID plug-in; Enhance Interactive helps its software play well with others'; and AdStar and CityXpress team for e-commerce enabled classifieds.
Sendmail Releases Sender ID Plug-In
E-mail infrastructure player Sendmail has released an open-source plug-in that lets users of its mail routing platform check for Sender ID records. Sendmail software handles a significant percentage of email traffic.
The release is part of Sendmail’s pilot program to accelerate the development and deployment of email sender authentication. E-mail authentication is aimed at fighting spoofing, phishing and spam by verifying a sender’s identity.
By releasing the plug-in, Sendmail aims to test its effectiveness, and it’s encouraging all mail and security administrators to join in the testing process.
“We strongly urge all email senders to begin publishing Sender ID records immediately to help promote the deliverability of their mail, to better protect the integrity of their domain reputations and to join the broader industry effort to better protect email users worldwide form spam and phishing scams,” said Craig Spiezle, director of industry and business strategy for Microsoft’s safety technology and strategy group. Microsoft helped develop the Sender ID protocol.
Microsoft today is hosting a Sender ID Framework Implementers Summit with Sendmail to help educate companies on Sender ID.
Enhance Interactive Releases API for Listings Management
Paid search listings provider Enhance Interactive has released an application program interface (API) that lets third-party software developers tie into its listings management system.
The move is aimed at making it easier for agencies and larger advertisers to manage larger and more complex campaigns with Enhance. Competitors Google, Overture and FindWhat.com already offer similar capabilities.
“Even medium-sized advertisers are starting to deal with their data and manage their listings within their own systems,” said Christopher Stevens, Enhance’s chief operating officer.
AdStar and CityXpress Enable Classified for E-Commerce
Online classifieds player AdStar has teamed with online auction player CityXpress to e-commerce enable newspapers’ classified ads.
The new service is designed to enable AdStar’s newspaper customers to better compete with eBay, Craigslist, and other locally-focused players.
“This technology allows newspapers to compete directly with online auction sites by converting their ‘read-only’ online classifieds ads sections into virtual online marketplaces,” said Leslie Bernhard, president and chief executive officer of AdStar.
