This post originated from an RSS feed registered with Ruby Buzz by Jim Weirich. Original Post: Cautiously Optimistic Feed Title: { | one, step, back | } Feed URL: http://onestepback.org/index.cgi/synopsis.rss Feed Description: Jim Weirich's Blog on Software Development, Ruby, and whatever else sparks his interest. Latest Ruby Buzz Posts Latest Ruby Buzz Posts by Jim Weirich Latest Posts From { | one, step, back | }

For example, if I wish to link to http://onestepback.org on a wiki page, then I must spell the link as HTTP://onestepback.org. Otherwise the updated page will be rejected.

Since the wiki spammers currently use lower case for "http", their page updates are rejected. Now this will only work until the spammer catch on and start uppercasing the HTTP. As long as the number of sites that enforce this rule is small, it should be a while before they catch on (one hopes).

Since I have implemented this patch a week ago, I have had only one instance of spamming. Yes, the spammer used an upper case HTTP. I don’t know if that particular spammer always uses upper case, or just responded intelligently to my error message. But that hasn’t been repeated. Like I say, I’m cautiosly optimistic.

You can find the patch here:

• http://onestepback.org/packages/usemod_antispam.patch

The patch was created against version 1.0 of UseMod wiki.

By posting this, I’ve (probably) increased the number of sites using this anti-spam technique and have brought the day closer to when the spammers figure it out. Oh, well. We will worry about that when it happens.

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