Bot Searches

[HeroOfCrapsalot]

Bot Searches

I think their should be a "Registration Team" to make sure bots aren't breeding on the forum like Catholic Bunnies. Maybe some sort of questionairre upon registering or an interview. Any ideas or approval?

 

[ScareCrowReturn]

Re: Bot Searches

Too much effort.. maybe.. And If we find a bot, then the ban hammer shall strike down upon him.

 

[Dentie]

Re: Bot Searches

would take to long for some ppl

 

[HeroOfCrapsalot]

Re: Bot Searches

I'm gonna crunch some numbers and see exactly how possible or impossible this feat is to accomplish.
Things to figure out:
- Registrations per day/week on average = Around 35 per day for the last two months.
- # of volunteers (Will estimate) = Current estimate is 10 - 20.
- #of users online per hour on average = around 1300 users (50-60 members, 1240-1250 guests)

 

[Dark Drakan]

Re: Bot Searches

Would take to much time and some members register merely to gain a hint or quick solution to a problem not to face the Spanish inquisition.

 

[Fabled Ravrn]

Re: Bot Searches

It would be simple just to add something like "Enter the characters shown in the picture" or something.

 

[HeroOfCrapsalot]

Re: Bot Searches

Would take to much time and some members register merely to gain a hint or quick solution to a problem not to face the Spanish inquisition.

Excellent point....

It would be simple just to add something like "Enter the characters shown in the picture" or something.

That's probably a better idea.

 

[Dark Drakan]

Re: Bot Searches

It would be simple just to add something like "Enter the characters shown in the picture" or something.

If it was something we could add to the registration process itself then that would work. However for them to have to go out of their way to somewhere else on the boards to do this it isnt really a feasible option. Vbulletin only allows things like numbers and shapes to verify registrations and lots of spam bots these days can recognise the numbers anyway so bypass this way too.

 

[Steve]

Re: Bot Searches

Nice idea, but I think a staff team dedicated to sniffing out bots isn't entirely necessary. The current anti-spam/anti-bot filters in place do a pretty damn good job of catching the majority of spam. We also have CAPTCHA and reCAPTCHA (Google 'em) systems enabled, as well as a requirement for all newly registered members to verify they are indeed human, via email.

They're not foolproof but they do a pretty good job at what they're designed to do. If ever a bot slips through the net then we usually clean up any of their mess that's left behind. If ever you come across 'em before we do then just flag the thread and one of us will sort it.

 

[xNightmare]

Re: Bot Searches

What the staff are doing now is just fine with me. When a bot posts, it can easily be recognized as a bot most of the time and they deal with it.

I've little doubt in my mind that bots make up the majority of most vBulletin forum populations, so weeding through them to find every last one would be a near impossible task. But hardly any of them ever post. Example, search for members with the gamertag "USA". There will be tons. Many of them have never posted and haven't even been around in ages, they have done no harm except drain some resources. Banning them now would have no effect.

And some of their gamertags have the names of countries in them too.

 

[Ithan]

Re: Bot Searches

And some of their gamertags have the names of countries in them too.

That's because of how they fill out forms, the gamertag is where location normally is.