Stop the madness!!!
Moderator: MaxCoderz Staff
- kv83
- Maxcoderz Staff
- Posts: 2735
- Joined: Wed 15 Dec, 2004 7:26 pm
- Location: The Hague, Netherlands
- Contact:
Stop the madness!!!
Yes, as you can see they figured out our anti-spam-bot-mod. It didn't thake them too long also it seems that they are hiring people to register and advertise. So how to stop them once and for all? If you got any clever idea's, i would glad to hear them.
The only option I can think of is to turn on the "activate account by admin" option. this way we can "check" whether a user is valid or not.
I would like to know how you guys think about that? (Please also post why you think so when you vote )
The only option I can think of is to turn on the "activate account by admin" option. this way we can "check" whether a user is valid or not.
I would like to know how you guys think about that? (Please also post why you think so when you vote )
I say no, because frankly, spam is less irritating than having to wait getting a registration confirmed.
What are your current anti-spam measures? What about letting users be activated immediately and then, whenever an admin gets some spare time, check newly registered members. If a user looks suspect, remove the user and all started threads or posts (maybe put all of it in a separate section of the forum called "Junkies?" ).
What are your current anti-spam measures? What about letting users be activated immediately and then, whenever an admin gets some spare time, check newly registered members. If a user looks suspect, remove the user and all started threads or posts (maybe put all of it in a separate section of the forum called "Junkies?" ).
- kv83
- Maxcoderz Staff
- Posts: 2735
- Joined: Wed 15 Dec, 2004 7:26 pm
- Location: The Hague, Netherlands
- Contact:
No, that won't do. People only register to get their link here to get high in google. So by allowing them to post, they achieve their goal.
I know it's rather irritating, on the other hand almost everyone of the communit is already signed up (to bad for new members though)
We took already measures like not allowing to signatures and website-links in your profile before you post 5 times. Also we try to delete all users and dissalow their name in the future. However, that is manually work and can take up some time ... 2~3 hours a week, which could be spend on rather more intresting/importent stuff
I know it's rather irritating, on the other hand almost everyone of the communit is already signed up (to bad for new members though)
We took already measures like not allowing to signatures and website-links in your profile before you post 5 times. Also we try to delete all users and dissalow their name in the future. However, that is manually work and can take up some time ... 2~3 hours a week, which could be spend on rather more intresting/importent stuff
- Jim e
- Calc King
- Posts: 2457
- Joined: Sun 26 Dec, 2004 5:27 am
- Location: SXIOPO = Infinite lives for both players
- Contact:
well...Rezek came up with an oversimplified method to beat the bots from registering. Basically if you include something that is new that bots aren't going to recognize in the registration form, then a bot can't register. Ours is maybe to simple, yet is effective, we have had only 1 advertiser register and he didn't seem to post any links, just handed out a lot of info. So human poster or exceedingly clever bot.
But in any case, we've been using ours for just a little over 2 weeks now, and only 1 bot has registered. Although our number of New forum members has almost completely stopped, its nice not being molested by spam bots offering me a bigger penis.
Also You should kill the already existing bots in your member list, some are just ticking time bombs. I don't believe the bot mod looks at old forum members. I went through our list and killed off about 60 people. If the ratio holds up, you being three times as popular, 180. Good luck with that.
Then there's always just having the staff give the old Evil Eye to all new registrants.
But in any case, we've been using ours for just a little over 2 weeks now, and only 1 bot has registered. Although our number of New forum members has almost completely stopped, its nice not being molested by spam bots offering me a bigger penis.
Also You should kill the already existing bots in your member list, some are just ticking time bombs. I don't believe the bot mod looks at old forum members. I went through our list and killed off about 60 people. If the ratio holds up, you being three times as popular, 180. Good luck with that.
Then there's always just having the staff give the old Evil Eye to all new registrants.
The only way to truly filter registrants is to impose restrictions on members. I guess this forum is intended to be rather open, so spam will always get through.
Google-cheating is of course sad, but it's ultimately a problem that Google should tackle. Since spam will get through anyway, there's no point letting small forums like this adapt to how Google figure out what sites are important. Cynical but logical, that's computers in two adjectives
Google-cheating is of course sad, but it's ultimately a problem that Google should tackle. Since spam will get through anyway, there's no point letting small forums like this adapt to how Google figure out what sites are important. Cynical but logical, that's computers in two adjectives
- Jim e
- Calc King
- Posts: 2457
- Joined: Sun 26 Dec, 2004 5:27 am
- Location: SXIOPO = Infinite lives for both players
- Contact:
How do you know they are human?yeah, I already started to kill some members with 0 posts a strange profiles (like hobbies: renting cars).....
However, your mod won't last long. Bot-makers will adapt if, it fails to often on your site... so that is a ticking-bomb aswell. Also there a lot "human-bots".
I hate all those guys.
The whole idea is that bot makers don't give a sh*t about little sites. Theres probably thousands of failed attempts for all these bots, I doubt a few from us will cause attention. Yes it will eventually fail, but for now it is a working solution.
Edit:
I put this in to kill potential bots faster.
http://www.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic.ph ... 23#2208423
I think admin check would work. Expecially now that we have 3 of them, once someone registers, they would probably be admin-approved pretty fast. Could you make it so all they require is the approval of any of the staff? There's usually someone on from that category, and that would allow new people to be allowed with very little delay.
In Memory of the Maxcoderz Trophy
- Jim e
- Calc King
- Posts: 2457
- Joined: Sun 26 Dec, 2004 5:27 am
- Location: SXIOPO = Infinite lives for both players
- Contact:
Thats a good point, How will you know a bot from a real person? Names can't really be trusted. Like dg10050, I had my finger on the button to delete him, but he turned out to be real.
Bots are smarter these days, they aren't filling in the forms in the profile. Its really just a name now. Unless its sexygirl129102, i dont see how you could tell.
By the way, does any one have sexygirl129102 email, she sounds hot.
Edit:
AngelyXXX
hmmm?
the anti bot mod just sucks.
Bots are smarter these days, they aren't filling in the forms in the profile. Its really just a name now. Unless its sexygirl129102, i dont see how you could tell.
By the way, does any one have sexygirl129102 email, she sounds hot.
Edit:
AngelyXXX
hmmm?
the anti bot mod just sucks.
- kv83
- Maxcoderz Staff
- Posts: 2735
- Joined: Wed 15 Dec, 2004 7:26 pm
- Location: The Hague, Netherlands
- Contact:
You can tell 9 of 10 times by the intrests and hobbies
As I said, they let real people do the job for a great share of their registrations. This means you can't do anything with images or other simple stuff. Maybe require them to write a z80 routine
@Anykey: Yeah, stupid us. But we delete topics now, so it should get cleaner with time again
As I said, they let real people do the job for a great share of their registrations. This means you can't do anything with images or other simple stuff. Maybe require them to write a z80 routine
@Anykey: Yeah, stupid us. But we delete topics now, so it should get cleaner with time again