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Wednesday, February 23, 2011

experiment "FAIL"

You may or may not have noticed - but I recently turned off the word verification requirement for my comments...

Bad News: those of you who reveled in that 4 seconds I saved you per comment - it's going back on.

Good News: SEO (search engine optimization) really works.

As a matter of fact I've found out that Asian Dating Websites LOVE to leave links on past posts written by ManOfTheHouse about the gorgeous views on his latest hike. Russians too... they love this post abroad... of course, I have no idea what they've SAID about it...

Online Pharmacies and Software Utility companies think that my post about how to cut my hair (written years ago... I'm not cutting it again) is so amazing that they want to add their two cents (and their 50 links) and I quote. "Well-mannered afternoon, tons thanks in the interest putting up and developing such a wonderful resource" They love me, they really love me! (now if they just spoke English...)

iPhone advertisers and the Dixon Pencil Spambots were both attracted to my fastest blog post ever... glad it made them laugh too...

Online Casinos would love to reach the same readers that find my post about the purchase of a new Jacuzzi brand toilet...

and... well... even I am not sure about some of those links and where they lead... let's just assume they're nice wholesome links to nice wholesome businesses - despite the URLs... but hey - they liked my post about my car being attacked by Hitchcock inspired birds.

The Cheat Code people liked that one too...

and no... that's not all of them, but suffice it to say I'm sick of having to delete as many comments as I keep...

So - my apologies to those of you who are troubled by popping in those extra few letters when commenting - I'll make it up to you... you are allowed to leave off exactly that many letters from your comment. (Example - WV: uwjvy, Your Comment: This is Hila.....) You're Welcome.

More Good News - the word verifier occasionally makes for interesting conversations... I seriously once had one that said "ditto"... which probably would have been funny to comment on, except that then my comment would have read something like this: "ditto - haha, can you believe the WV came up with that one for me?" instead of "I'm really sorry to hear about losing your job, and your grandfather, and your keys - hope things turn up for you!"


23 comments:

MommyLisa said...

I seriously have NEVER had this problem and cannot believe that people do. My blog has been up for over three years and I have recieved about three spam comments.

gigi said...

Really? Go figure, I never knew it was so bad. Sorry about that.

Sherie Christensen said...

I'm sadly unobservant and didn't even notice that I was saving time. I'm happy to type a few letters to save you deleting lots of spam links. I just wish I could always figure out what exactly those letters are supposed to be -- though today they are really clear and even happen to contain my name. odd.

Kristina P. said...

I NEVER get those comments. I am so bitter.

Michelle said...

How do you get more than three people to read your blog? I have never had a spammy comment ever. Bummer.

Gina said...

This is so weird, I NEVER get spam comments. I have two hundred unique visitors every day, and average around 6,000 pageviews every month, and yet nobody deems me worthy of spam.

I don't know if I'm smug about beating the spam-bots, or pouting because I'm going unnoticed.

I feel like a teenager.

Saimi said...

So how does the word verification work anyway...can't anyone type those crazy letters to leave a comment? I have it but I don't know how it works...I"m stupid like that!

TisforTonya said...

Saimi - it's not a stupid question - of course, I might say that because I'm not 100% sure I know how it works either... spam-bots are programs that run around leaving comments that consist of links... some for legitimate businesses/some for viruses/some porn... they are programmed to just dump their generic comment and related links into your comment box but usually can't get past the word verification because it's not an actual dictionary word...

Barbaloot said...

I hated having to add the word verifier, but not as much as I hated getting creepy, gibberish comments. I supposed it's a necessary evil.

Joni_rt said...

I think some web hosts screen spam better than others. I turned comments off on the Media Literacy Lab podcast, because the spam was foul -- I hated even wading through it.

But my personal blogs have never gotten any spam.

Lisa said...

"Go ahead and leave off that many letters from your comment?" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...(I would have laughed more, but I'm saving those letters for the verification.) :) You are sooo stinkin' fu......

Nic said...

For the sake of answering the question, I would recommend reading about CAPTCHA and reCAPTCHA on Wikipedia. These articles talk about the reason for word verifiers and a possible beneficial use of the time spent using the word verifier to digitize books or newspapers by harvesting the brain power spent instead of it just going to thwart the smammers.

But I don't mind a few extra seconds of typing when it's a fraction of the time and effort spent in sharing my thoughts... and usually it's too small a fraction, so much so that Tonya has suggested I start my own blog and not hijack her comments area for that purpose. :)

Hope you enjoy reading the articles. :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recaptcha
(There's a link to the CAPTCHA article on the first line of this one. :) )

Heather B said...

Wow. I'm sorry you've had to deal with so many spammy comment weirdos out there. Thank heavens for WV! I've always used it, and I don't mind using it on other people's blogs, though sometimes I have a hard time figuring out what those little crammed-together letters are. Please tell me I'm not old!! Boo to comment linking spammers!

Becky said...

I turned mine off for a while and had the same problem. So I'm with you, sister!

Pinessel is my word verification for today. Sounds a little like Pine-Sol. Possibly I should mop my floor?

Unknown said...

我喜欢你的博客

;)

lori said...

I think I'd better change my name to Amy. When I try to post comments it says...sign in, but then just posts as my daughter anyway, I'll have to figure it out. For now just know that if you get comments from her, they are most likely from me.

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

Ok, that was funny.
Your word verifier isn't going to scare me away.
However....I might submit your email and SS# to the Malaysian club just for men account cuz I'm nice like that.

Saimi said...

Thanks Tonya and Nic! I feel a little smarter already!! :)

I've never minded using the Word Verification anyway, I just figure it's part of blogging and anything that involves blogging is A OK by me!!

LC said...

Are they offering you freebies and coupons? That was a whole new side of bloggerworld I was blissfully ignorant of. Guess I'll be keeping my word verif. thingy!

Jenny P. said...

I get spam comments too. Reading them is often the most entertaining part of my day. I figure since they're all being dumped in the spam category that blogger has now, it's no big deal.

I will always, always type random letters for you though. I love you like that.

Cluttered Brain said...

great just peeeeerfect.
Now I have to try and type a bunch of NONSENSE words...to comment on your blog...*sigh*
plus you tweeted at me so you reeeeaaalllly want me to comment.
I should be packing you know.
But I HAD to check twitter...
so...now I'm on your blog....
commenting...
word verification...
SPAMMERS...
I haven't gotten that many...
hmmm...
maybe the spambots are afraid of the cluttered brain.... bwahahahahaha.

Cluttered Brain said...

love you T.
See i made 2 comments on your blog, typed 2 nonsense words because i love you that much...
Feel the love M'kay?
MUAH!

Teachinfourth said...

I turned my comment verification off for one day and was instantly hit by a bunch of spammed comments. I decided for my own sanity to turn it back on.

I am totally with you on this one!