Playing Whack-A-Mole with Spammers

[Chenier]

I hope CAPTCHA would only apply to account creation, and not edits. These things are dreadful...

[Indirik]

I think that one option is to only use a captcha if the edit includes external links. I agree that random captchas or on every edit would only piss off the regular users.

I do like the idea of the question about the game created by us, rather than random words or math problems. You could create something blindingly obvious to all BattleMaster players that a non-player would not really be able to answer.

[Tom]

sounds like a good solution. I'll keep it in mind. I would want for it to have a bit more intelligence, like stopping to ask users after the 10th time or so. But it's definitely a good start.

[Ramiel]

also if they uplaod pics would be awesomesauce

[De-Legro]

I think that one option is to only use a captcha if the edit includes external links. I agree that random captchas or on every edit would only piss off the regular users.

I do like the idea of the question about the game created by us, rather than random words or math problems. You could create something blindingly obvious to all BattleMaster players that a non-player would not really be able to answer.

Yes the one I linked to can target only posts that contain external links. If Tom wants some other options, I could certainly look at updating the existing extension to suit. It also allows for the Captcha to be a series of questions set by the wiki admin, so none of those dreadful images that make me think my eye sight must be deteriorating

[Tom]

Basically, what I think would be perfect is something that affects only new accounts on their first 5-10 edits. After that, the extension should assume that he's ok because if he wouldn't, we'd have locked him by then.

[Ramiel]

I feel sorry Indirik who I notify asap when I find a bot, he must be tired of Bot killing by now :D

[Indirik]

Meh, it's pretty quick with that new Nuke extension Tom put in. Bedwyr gets some of the, too.

[Tom]

so for starters, should I add that extension and set it to account creation only? See what effect it has?

[Chenier]

Better start small and increase from there, I figure, so as to minimize nuisances to users.

[Tom]

ok, added. please test. should work with mostly the default settings, i.e. only trigger on account creation or adding a URL and not for users who confirmed their e-mail.

[Indirik]

I may be jinxing things here, but this appears to have worked. We have not had a case of spamming in the past 7 days.

[Ramiel]

I may be jinxing things here, but this appears to have worked. We have not had a case of spamming in the past 7 days.

* Ramiel does the anti-jinxing ritual JiC

[De-Legro]

Looks like a new bot has gotten around the system.

[Zakilevo]

Huh. Bots are capable of learning?