Okay, then use a cryptocurrency to prevent spam. In fact, you could use Bitcoin. The way to prevent spam is simple, which is attach a cost to an electronic action. Spammers are successful only when their cost to spam is negligible.
They did, it's called ripples or XRP.
I'm not sure you understand. Don't you know if there was a hole discovered in Bitcoin which allowed the 21 million to be increased without network consensus it would shake our community to its roots? Possibly even destroy it if it couldn't be patched?
Even if this happened, it would have negligible impact on the network because XRP is not a speculative currency. It would certainly affect the value of XRP but XRP values do not determine the success or failure of the network.
The market is supposed to verify the goods they are being sold are as claimed. The better question is why do you and other seem to suggest we shouldn't care what's going on with XRP?
The original Ripple was brilliant IMO. I was a fan. That did what the current Ripple does and without any underlying currency. The function Ripple purports to solve is real and is a need. I would love for it to be solved. It's unfortunate that instead of focusing on that there seems to be elements of greed and non-transparency seeping in. That sucks.
That's your personal opinion. I don't share that view and have no issues with RL's turning a profit off XRP, should it's value rise one day. The reason people shouldn't care about XRP is it's not a speculative currency and it doesn't affect ones ability to utilize the network. It has a very specific function and I know for those that only know "bitcoins" that it's hard to understand anything else. Ripple is payment network first....XRP second. The reverse is true for Bitcoin and that's why people get hung up on XRP.