Subscribe to RSS 2.0Signal to noise ratio
It looks like we're currently getting one to two real comments each day plus one to two hundred spam comments. That doesn't seem right. Plus the number of spam comments seemed to spike sharply after I first wrote about spam. Maybe I shouldn't use the word any more. In future I'll just refer to 'reconstituted meat products' (RMP).
Anyway, if the RMP levels continue to rise we might have to start using one of those read-the-woosy-text things to screen out the robo-junk - or, if it's ready for the market and not too expensive, one of those spot-the-cat thingies. As for the fact that we only get one to two comments per day, I'm thinking some sort of pay-by-the-word cash incentive might work. Although even that's not guaranteed; as soon as Em announced a prize for the 1000th comment, people stayed away in droves. No, I suppose it will have to down to good old-fashioned engaging with our audience and raising topics on which they have strong views. What a pain.
Comments: 9
Here where I live, in ye olde baronial-type Scottish estate land, our local website has introduced a spam filter asking users to name the real Sir A (Local laird). Is it...
Sir Andrew McNabb
Sir Arnold Lane
Sir Archie Grant
Sir Amy Winehouse
Sir Anton Decland
Sir Aaron Ajeestring
Cheap and cheerful!
Posted by: John A-W on November 14, 2007 08:28 AM
John, that is such a cool idea. We could ask a literary quiz question that you have to get right before you can post. Oh, if I only I didn't hate perl so much I'd write a Movable Type plug-in right now. Hmmm. Maybe time for me to write my own blog-serving CMS.
Posted by: Rob on November 14, 2007 08:49 AM
I always read yours and Em's comments and enjoy them hugely. There are two main reasons why I don't often post a comment. Number one is because I don't want people to think I'm a sad person who does nothing but post on other people's blogs and number two is if I did I'd never have time to eat or wash. And you wouldn't want a wiffy skeleton on your conscience now would you?
Posted by: Sally on November 14, 2007 11:10 AM
I much prefer the puppy/kitten or even the RMP/vegetable for variety. In fact there must be quite a few possible picture combinations that could add entertainment value.
Posted by: Denise on November 14, 2007 11:34 AM
Given that the reason my comments are few and far between is due to my sense that I'm not smart enough to add value to most of the conversations, I fear a quiz would keep me lurking.
Posted by: Auntly H on November 14, 2007 12:52 PM
I, however, am a sad person who has little to do but post on other people's blogs. I like the literary quiz idea, but it's sort of exclusive, don't you think? If you have a puppy/kitten quiz, daft people who don't read could post about their AWE$0ME BOOK REV1EW BL0G LOLZ!!!1!
Posted by: KatharineC on November 14, 2007 01:36 PM
But H! You're brainy and, like, design things and stuff!
(Although I did think about using a really really advanced quiz to filter comments so that only genius commenters get to post - but I'll have to wait until a lot more people show up before I can start whittling them down like that.)
Posted by: Rob on November 14, 2007 02:35 PM
On the blog I edit we use a "wobbly letters" thing but it doesn't catch all of them. Until recently we were getting 5 or 6 a week, but I've just deleted 30 that appeared in the last 10 hours. So maybe they're getting clever. Or using real people to do them! What a way to make a living.
Posted by: leila on November 14, 2007 02:58 PM
-blush-
Posted by: Auntly H on November 15, 2007 03:02 AM