As I mentioned before, I’m using Akismet as a plugin in my Spam Karma 2 setup, so that it is included as one of several (each partially effective) lines of defense that (when combined) tend to catch most of the spam pretty well.
However, the more I check through my logs, the more surprised I am by how much spam Akismet says is OK, and that OK weighting has to be balanced out by the other spam checks that are luckily still effective.
It occurred to me that Akismet is a part of my “well balanced” spam fighting solution in much the same way that Chocolate Coco Puffs are “part of a well balanced breakfast”, where when you look at the picture of the well balanced breakfast, there’s a whole bunch of stuff that’s actually good for you along side the bowl of cereal that has no nutritional value.