15 replies to this topic

[Pasidon]

Well my 3 second research into these 'Googlebots' came across something interesting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Googlebot

That tells us what they're doing and how to block them. If we really consider them a pest, it seems we can easily be rid of them with the help of our techs.

[Nighthawk]

I think that's the wrong type of bot on that page there. The bot type that Wikipedia article is on about (I think) is the bot used by Google to crawl forums for search data, not our little pests.

[Solinx]

Google bots and kin are the ones you generally want to visit your site

[Ash]

I say Kill 'em all!

[Pasidon]

The database is the hive mind to the little runts... no doubt it hates me for plotting against it's children.

If the bots Wiki talks about are able to be disabled, maybe Google made a user friendly way to stop the ones we're dealing with... whatever we call these kind.

[Destroyer]

If the bots Wiki talks about are able to be disabled, maybe Google made a user friendly way to stop the ones we're dealing with... whatever we call these kind.

Indexing bots can be told "go away!" and they will listen, because Google wants to listen to webmasters, so more people use the service.

The bots that we are encountering will not listen to such commands. Their purpose is to post on the forum, and they don't like to take "no" for an answer. To combat them, you need an effective CAPTCHA.

[Nighthawk]

The database is the hive mind to the little runts... no doubt it hates me for plotting against it's children.

If the bots Wiki talks about are able to be disabled, maybe Google made a user friendly way to stop the ones we're dealing with... whatever we call these kind.

Why is it Google's responsibility to deal with them? Our infestation is nothing to do with Google. Just because the bots occasionally have "Google" marked as their location or project doesn't mean they are affiliated with Google in any way.

[Pasidon]

Well, they fooled me. Not much to accomplish by that. Though I blame the internet in general for this caliber of stupidity in programing.

[Destroyer]

Well, they fooled me. Not much to accomplish by that. Though I blame the internet in general for this caliber of stupidity in programing.

I'd argue it's rather high quality programming, able to get past anti-spam controls and able to fool the occasional forum-goer.

[Pasidon]

I didn't say it failed to baffle me. I just don't see a point in them, ergo finding stupidity in their existence. Hmm... maybe someone knows a solution to the 'mimic bots', as I call them since they try and act so human. More researching for me.

Edited by {IP}Pasidon, 14 January 2010 - 03:03 AM.

[Destroyer]

maybe someone knows a solution to the 'mimic bots', as I call them since they try and act so human.

An effective CAPTCHA.

[Pasidon]

I'll ask Yahoo Answers and see if anyone knows the right Cap' for the job.

[Phil]

That won't be of much use because we'll have to upgrade the board software sooner or later anyway. If the IPB 3 CAPTCHA doesn't improve the situation we're probably better off modifying the form inputs ourselves rather than relying on another standardised solution.

[duke_Qa]

I read an article a while back about some guy that hired south-Americans(don't remember the country, Argentina perhaps.) to post spam about his new website on different related forums. I am starting to think this is what we have on our hands here.


Is there a way to check out the new guys ip's and check if they come from the same area?

Also, I'm still all for having certain parts of the forums closed until they've accumulated a certain amount of posts. Have the mod-forums open for anyone(since the "bots" are apparently going for the parts with more views than others), and keep the "top forums" a bit more restricted with something like 20 post minimum.

[Destroyer]

I read an article a while back about some guy that hired south-Americans(don't remember the country, Argentina perhaps.) to post spam about his new website on different related forums. I am starting to think this is what we have on our hands here.


Is there a way to check out the new guys ip's and check if they come from the same area?

Also, I'm still all for having certain parts of the forums closed until they've accumulated a certain amount of posts. Have the mod-forums open for anyone(since the "bots" are apparently going for the parts with more views than others), and keep the "top forums" a bit more restricted with something like 20 post minimum.

That idea works only if 100% of all new members come to the forums only to post in the mod forums. I doubt that's the case.

Just have a competent team of moderators. It's very simple.

[Pasidon]

South American spam dealers? Well... how about that...