* * * My Words, My World, My Way * * *

Please Write: ALewisPDX@gmail.com

Friday, February 08, 2008

Moderator Approval and Visual Verification -- Why?

Alright kids, I don't often get off on a rant about too much (well, that's not entirely true, but don't hold it against me)...but here goes. What's up with many of your blogs requiring BOTH entering a visual verification code AND still being required to go through moderator approval? Sounds like you're trying to protect Fort Knox or something. I don't have either. It's so easy for me and for my commenters. And I'm considering not reading those sites that require me to spend extra time entering all of those codes.....I mean, I read more than 100 blogs a day and the extra keystrokes and can be a daunting task sometimes. I'm trying to simplify and be less complicated this year. I've had only minimal spam comments or abuse on my comments. And it's as easy as deleting them. So, give it some thought, would you? Oh and, yes, I know that it's your site and you can do what you damned well please.....I know all of that. I'm just asking. Begging? Hoping? I could possibly understand you wanting one or the other, but both? And you could just throw caution to the wind and do away with any of it.....for the sake of your readers, I beg you! And you know that I love you all so don't be trying to pull the "You don't love me" card. It just won't work. Cause you know that I do!

28 comments:

Brad said...

For over a year, I had no verification for comments on my blog, then slowly, but surely spam started seeping in. It takes a while for the spambots to find your site, once it starts, it only gets worse.

So, reluctantly, I turned word verification on last year because removing the spam from comments became too much of a hassle and was too time consuming.

Heehee. I had to simplify my life, you know?

Dave2 said...

Word verification only stops computerized spambots... it doesn't stop hate-mongering morons who have nothing better to do than surf blogs leaving horrible comments. So, much as I loathe the need for word verification and moderation, I understand the need for it.

I use an alternative to word verification, but would never dream of letting my comments go unmoderated. It's a sick sad world out there.

WAT said...

Just for that, I'm gonna require retinal verification!

HA!

Steven said...

I so agree with you Lewis and it was something that I inquired about early in my blogging days, but never implemented. The problem that I run into is that I can be long-winded sometimes in my responses (like now), and if I don't correctly enter the word verification, what I entered as my comment is sometimes lost. So I tend to "copy" my comments before I enter the word verification.

Breenlantern said...

fine, I took the $%^&*$#@ moderating tools off, but so help me, if I get inundated with spam, it's your ass over a barrel...actually, that sounds kinda sexy...now, about you wearing a tie...

Java said...

Yes, darling, I know you love me. It's wonderful.
I use word verification 'cause I was getting spammed. But I hate it. If all the verifications were easy, like oaqqv, I could do that. But it seems the more tired or drunk I am the harder the word verifications are. What's up with mpqttvewp all squished together? I can't do that, dammit! I think blogger should only use short simple strings of letters. That should help keep spam at bay yet still be easy enough for my simple mind to use.
And I love you, too.

TJ said...

I agree with you. It's so easy just to hit "DELETE". I don't know why others go through all the trouble. I mean isn't that what comments are all about? Anyway, I must run now to go make sure I don't have my verification and comment approval turned on. ;)

Cooper said...

I'm sorry, Lewis but my recent implementation of comment approval has become very necessary for reasons I won't go into here. It's not a choice I wanted to make. I know it's easier not to have any comment barriers at all, but it's something I really had to do. I'll be sad if you stop reading me, but I understand.

Trailhead said...

You don't love me!!

Hee. I don't moderate comments because I don't get very many nutjobs. But I do have word verification on because at my old blog, the spam began to proliferate very, very quickly early on. It got so bad that it began to disrupt the flow of my comment threads, and I can't have that, because my commenters are BRILLIANT. Ahem.

That said, I'll think about turning it off. I hate it myself, especially when I can't figure out what the stupid fracking letters are supposed to be, which is almost always.

bridgeout said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
bridgeout said...

OK... I actually had to check... I forgot, but nope... done use either! ;-) LOL... it is rather cumbersome! Of course, now watch I'll start getting "spam"! :-) Oh well!

Laurie said...

K. I guess asking for two forms
of ID and a credit card number is
going to far huh?

HUGS!!
XOXOXOXOXOXO!

Anonymous said...

I'm new to blogging and you can visit anytime. I enjoyed yours as it kept my eyes rolling along and brought more than a few chuckles. I'm be back.

Nathan said...

I feel your pain, and that's why I don't have either on my blog.

And I do love you Lewis. I love you, so you're just going to have to deal with it mister!

tornwordo said...

I have to put the verification code. Otherwise I'll come home some days and there's dozens of spam comments on posts all over the archives and then I have to go delete them one by one. I don't moderate though. I don't really get that.

Anonymous said...

One reason I moved to wordpress was they have this thing called an "Akismet Spam Filter" which I can thank for filtering all but one spam comment this past year. It's been very nice to say the least. The problem I have with word verification is half of them can't be read plainly enough to re-type then I have to type another one... I really hate those "blessed" things too.

As for the comment approval, there are situations where I can see that being necessary, but there again, Wordpress has me covered! I can mark certain IP Addresses for approval, or as spam and never have to see them again, or if there are sneaky little boogers out there that continue to go to different places to do their evil deeds, I can also put any unknown commenter into a cue for approval while those I adore and love, like yourself can post without my approving every comment.

I think if you want to know my honest opinion, Blogger is a pain in the rump, but I love what so many of you hot, sexy guys on Blogger say so I keep on reading... although maybe I can persuade you to come over to Wordpress one day!

-C

Timmy said...

So far I've only had to delete a couple of comments. I guess if started to get hit with a bunch of spam I would or mean comments I might consider moderating. Come and visit any time!

Anonymous said...

I agree with you Lewis...but I see Brad's point...I've been spared from spambots for the most part...

My adventures said...

i'm not sure what moderation is, i'm not sure i have either... i've gotten 2 or 3 spams though, nothing major, just about a resort in costa rica... sounded nice too... no nastiness though, maybe i should get more controversial... oh well... let me know if i have either, ha!!

Anonymous said...

I agree one hundred percent - all the verification systems nearly drive me crazy! I'll put up with them to comment on blogs that I like, but I absolutely refuse to do the one that has you listen to something and then type it.

That said, I understand the problem of comment spam. I've been really lucky not to have to deal with it, but I know other people get tons of it.

Ur-spo said...

i've never thought of the two together until now; it does sound like a one too many locks on the door.
and 100 blogs a day is impressive; i won't kvetch about my 50!

Rick said...

Aree you this bossy in bed?

Anonymous said...

duly noted and modified. but the coment moderator stays. as the 5 spams I received today warrant. See you soon!!

bridgeout said...

OK... call it "self-fulfilling prophecy" or what have you, but since my comment on this post, I have received my first 2 EVER "SPAM" comments!! LOL!!! Oh well! :-D

Tony (LT) said...

Believe it or not, in my 3 1/2 years of blogging I have had over 70,000 comment spams (as opposed to a little over 5,000 real ones).
I know this because of a wondrful little tool called SpamKarma. It does all the moderating and I never see them. It's very rare for a spam comment to get through. I don't know if you can use it on Blogger though. But its great on wordpress

C List said...

I had the visual thing for a while because I was trying to protect myself from spam. I did get rid of it and the spam thing hasn't been a big problem. Just a couple here and there.

Ya, I can't stand when I need an approval. Are they afraid that they are going to get negative comments? Grow a set :)

Wayne said...

I don't use anything, and have had only an occasional spam comment. But then again, I'm not that very well read! ;-)

Keith said...

I don't use visual ver or moderate comments, and in my eight moths I've had no problem at all with either spam or hatemongers. I mean, not even one of either! But after reading the other comments, I wonder if I'm just living on borrowed time?