Re: [boost] Problem with the Boost Wiki?

From: Jeff Garland (jeff_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-06-18 22:03:46

Gennaro Prota wrote:
> On Sun, 18 Jun 2006 15:38:45 -0400, David Abrahams
> <dave_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> 
>> Jeff,
>>
>> I still don't understand why we don't have a simple "register and
>> reply to an email before editing" interface as so many public sites
>> do.  This constant battle against wiki spammers hardly seems worth the
>> trouble.
> 
> Indeed. And also having the user to enter the text content of a raster
> image (some Wikimedia wikis do this when links are added to a page,
> for instance) after any edit.

A captcha test might be a reasonable way to cut down on the robo 
spammers.  But realize, there are lots of spammers out there and there 
are strategies for defeating captcha as well.  And captcha is a problem 
for the visually impaired and dyslexics.

For the most part, spammers currently get one shot at the Boost Wiki and 
then they are shut out via content banning -- I won't describe the 
details in public, but it is very effective.  Yes, if they change their 
content then they can respam, but I typically IP ban as well. That said, 
the "big guys" have lots of bot machines to spam with, so IP banning 
doesn't do much.  Anyway, what I've seen is that after a few tries when 
the spammers see quick reversions and content banning they give up...

Jeff