How effective is Bayesian filtering?
According to Paul Graham, Bayesian filtering can achieve a 99.5% success rate. This means only 5 of every 1000 spams get through. If you receive 20 spams per day, Bayesian filtering should be able to reduce this to one spam every 10 days or so. • Should I use other filters with Bayesian filtering? We suggest that you enable as many filters as possible when you first start using Bayesian filtering. Because your Bayesian filter must first accumulate a history of good email and spam, Bayesian filtering will not activate the moment you select it. Rather, the filter will start accumulating statistics immediately and will implement Bayesian filtering when it has sufficient statistics to do so. You will receive an email to notify you when Bayesian filtering starts operating. Until then, enabling the other filters will allow the system to catch most of your spam which itself will help teach your Bayesian filter. Once the Bayesian filter is operating you may still want to leave the other filter
