After he got about a million emials in a series of back and forth discussions, John van Zelst wrote:

Sun, 30 Jan 2000

Dear Sir ,

   Whatever reasons you had for your email , I complain on the lunacy to email such a message as per a CC address list , instead of per a BCC address list, to a couple of hundred of people .

   You are endangering my already grossly misused email address , by your totally unnecessary use of the open publication of all the email addresses this message was forwarded to .

   This message I am sending you in reply is copied to all involved , but with all addresses on the BCC list , JUST AS YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE .

   The proliferation of email addresses is phenominal and frightening, therefore please note:

• IF you receive an email with your name as one of the many CC names on the forwarding list , email the sender and demand that next time he/she will use the BCC column ( which does the same job , but without showing all these email addresses ) .
• If you send an email to more than a couple of people : use the BCC column also , instead of the CC column .
• EVERY modern email program has a BCC column ( you may have to look for it under options ) . USE THAT BCC COLUMN ! And tell others to use it too ! It is in your own interest .