Comments on: How to Not Lose Good Commenters - An Akismet Workaround http://www.postcardsfromthefunnyfarm.com/how-to-not-lose-good-commenters-an-akismet-workaround/ Thinking outside the box. Wondering at the world. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 19:17:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Damien Riley http://www.postcardsfromthefunnyfarm.com/how-to-not-lose-good-commenters-an-akismet-workaround/#comment-1123 Damien Riley Mon, 10 Sep 2007 22:09:25 +0000 http://www.postcardsfromthefunnyfarm.com/2007/09/09/how-to-not-lose-good-commenters-an-akismet-workaround#comment-1123 Comments on this topic here are now closed. Please visit the <a href="../../../../onlinediarists/comments.php?DiscussionID=7&page=1#Item_4" rel="nofollow">Online Diarists Forum discussion</a> to make a comment or read the thread. Comments on this topic here are now closed. Please visit the Online Diarists Forum discussion to make a comment or read the thread.

]]> By: pia http://www.postcardsfromthefunnyfarm.com/how-to-not-lose-good-commenters-an-akismet-workaround/#comment-1122 pia Mon, 10 Sep 2007 17:59:27 +0000 http://www.postcardsfromthefunnyfarm.com/2007/09/09/how-to-not-lose-good-commenters-an-akismet-workaround#comment-1122 Though I have excellent spam programs there's no way I can work around people using phony names and the courting address or the first part of my email address Two weeks ago was a particulary virulent one--had to delete over 20,000 over the course of the week Ended up deleting most of my gmails--including some very important can't be replicated ones That's one reason blog fatigue sets in The second reason is that no matter where I go--vacation right now--I have to take my blog with me simply to delete the spam Not really a vacation, trying to sell my book--which means perfecting the chapters before hitting agents as I am obsessive and care much about quality I used to be obsessive about keeping my blog up to date and did blog seven days a week for two blogs On the other blog felt obligated to cover for people with spouses and/or kids. One day woke up and thought, wait I have a life also and am learning to put me first, but that's difficult Have found that things I say, even if offhand tend to live in search engines Personally I care more that people read than comment but that's just me, and I guess I can afford that Though I have excellent spam programs there's no way I can work around people using phony names and the courting address or the first part of my email address

Two weeks ago was a particulary virulent one–had to delete over 20,000 over the course of the week
Ended up deleting most of my gmails–including some very important can't be replicated ones

That's one reason blog fatigue sets in

The second reason is that no matter where I go–vacation right now–I have to take my blog with me simply to delete the spam
Not really a vacation, trying to sell my book–which means perfecting the chapters before hitting agents as I am obsessive and care much about quality
I used to be obsessive about keeping my blog up to date and did blog seven days a week for two blogs

On the other blog felt obligated to cover for people with spouses and/or kids.

One day woke up and thought, wait I have a life also and am learning to put me first, but that's difficult

Have found that things I say, even if offhand tend to live in search engines

Personally I care more that people read than comment but that's just me, and I guess I can afford that

]]> By: Jamie http://www.postcardsfromthefunnyfarm.com/how-to-not-lose-good-commenters-an-akismet-workaround/#comment-1124 Jamie Mon, 10 Sep 2007 01:35:37 +0000 http://www.postcardsfromthefunnyfarm.com/2007/09/09/how-to-not-lose-good-commenters-an-akismet-workaround#comment-1124 I'm fortunate enough that I haven't had spamming problems. I'm sure the longer your blog is around, the worse it gets though. I’m fortunate enough that I haven’t had spamming problems. I’m sure the longer your blog is around, the worse it gets though.

]]> By: Damien Riley http://www.postcardsfromthefunnyfarm.com/how-to-not-lose-good-commenters-an-akismet-workaround/#comment-1126 Damien Riley Sun, 09 Sep 2007 20:34:25 +0000 http://www.postcardsfromthefunnyfarm.com/2007/09/09/how-to-not-lose-good-commenters-an-akismet-workaround#comment-1126 TDavid, thank you so much for that! I tend to be a religious WordPress zealot, sometimes to my own detriment. I really dig what you are saying man and I am tempted to try it. Do you have a particlular trackback plugin or method you'd recommend in concert with Captcha? Also, I feel lower and not worthy that you talked to Matt!! I have a lot of respect for the guy. TDavid, thank you so much for that! I tend to be a religious WordPress zealot, sometimes to my own detriment. I really dig what you are saying man and I am tempted to try it. Do you have a particlular trackback plugin or method you’d recommend in concert with Captcha? Also, I feel lower and not worthy that you talked to Matt!! I have a lot of respect for the guy.

]]> By: TDavid http://www.postcardsfromthefunnyfarm.com/how-to-not-lose-good-commenters-an-akismet-workaround/#comment-1125 TDavid Sun, 09 Sep 2007 19:40:27 +0000 http://www.postcardsfromthefunnyfarm.com/2007/09/09/how-to-not-lose-good-commenters-an-akismet-workaround#comment-1125 "Akismet is the most powerful and effective SPAM tool for WordPress" I've found mostly the opposite to be the case. Akismet has one of the worst false positive ratios of the tools I've seen used. I've written about it several times with specific examples and even discussed the issue with Matt. He said my experiences -- not that different from Rosemarie's -- were "statistical anamolies" or something like that. Riiight, that's why I keep reading stories like these from people I don't know. The most effective solution for dealing with comment spam? An accessibility-friendly captcha like recaptcha along with a hardened trackback plugin that checks for two-way trackbacks before approving and blocks the obvious spam keywords (and if I shared what those were here, I'd upset just about any spam filter worth its salt, so I'll pass). Note: removing the CAPTCHA requirement for commenters after a few comments is advised so it doesn't annoy/irriate repeat contributors. If you want to get rid of the spam, you need to make it difficult for the machines, but keep it easy for humans. Human entered spam -- which is becoming more popular -- can only be effectively stopped by comment moderation. “Akismet is the most powerful and effective SPAM tool for WordPress”

I’ve found mostly the opposite to be the case. Akismet has one of the worst false positive ratios of the tools I’ve seen used. I’ve written about it several times with specific examples and even discussed the issue with Matt. He said my experiences — not that different from Rosemarie’s — were “statistical anamolies” or something like that. Riiight, that’s why I keep reading stories like these from people I don’t know.

The most effective solution for dealing with comment spam? An accessibility-friendly captcha like recaptcha along with a hardened trackback plugin that checks for two-way trackbacks before approving and blocks the obvious spam keywords (and if I shared what those were here, I’d upset just about any spam filter worth its salt, so I’ll pass). Note: removing the CAPTCHA requirement for commenters after a few comments is advised so it doesn’t annoy/irriate repeat contributors.

If you want to get rid of the spam, you need to make it difficult for the machines, but keep it easy for humans. Human entered spam — which is becoming more popular — can only be effectively stopped by comment moderation.

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