Best, simplest Anti-spam tool I have found

[Kim]

**** to make it perfectly clear for the pedants out there... this is MY personal opinion, Yours may vary ***

Like many of you I have recently suffered a spate of Spammers, mainly spam bots of the X variety!

After trying a number of different add-ons that I either couldn't get to install, or which just didn't work, I was lucky enough to be contacted by an old friend Dan Cryer, who has created a service, that is I believe exactly what XF needs, should in fact be built in.

http://spam-service.block8.co.uk/

This service is totally free, dead simple (sign up at the above site, download the package, unpack somewhere logical, then get a license key, and just upload the B8SpamService folder into the library folder and install the add on via the browse function in the ACP, then input the license key into the Options/Block 8 Stop Spam, and you are done! ) and adds no drama or extra effort to your life!

Utilizing the StopForumSpam, CloudFlare and their own database to prevent spammers from registering in the first place in a seamless way.

So far in the few days I have been using it, not one spammer has registered! Woo Hoo! Exactly what I was looking for, something simple, clean, easy!

Check it out if you are after the same anti-spam capabilities!

Cheers and Thanks Dan for a great product!

 

[Brandon Sheley]

I signed up and will check it out later

 

[TheBoss]

Thank you for sharing this.. signed up and checking it out now...

Regards...

 

[craigiri]

If he is just using other db's....can you explain why this is better than the services most of us already use (add-ons, etc.)??

 

[vVv]

Oh right, I remember him talking about that before.. (Just didn't do anything with it or about it, cause he mentioned word "fee". And me has no money.. lmao)
http://xenforo.com/community/thread...the-usual-spam-today.40965/page-5#post-445482

Will check it out then..

 

[Kim]

If he is just using other db's....can you explain why this is better than the services most of us already use (add-ons, etc.)??

Not sure why I have to explain anything to you - use it or not, I don't give a damn, just offering up my experience, I am not profiting from this in any way.

But for the record if you read what I said...

Utilizing the StopForumSpam, CloudFlare and their own database

It's not just Stop Forum Spam, nor Cloud Flare, but utilizes them both along with their own database to stop registrations.

If you are happy with your current solution, keep using it.. sheez.

 

[craigiri]

Kim, removeth thou chip from thy shoulder - I was simply asking for the technical explanation. Dang, it seems like you ARE invested in this...at least emotionally!

I certainly know I don't have to use it. But when something is promoted as the "best", it's important to understand why. Having read the other threads that v referred to, it does not seem as it has anything head and shoulders above the other methods. In fact, that's exactly what the author says:
"It really is just another option, it may or may not work out better for you than any other addon"

Sorry that my quest for factual info was so off putting.

 

[Forsaken]

Kim, removeth thou chip from thy shoulder - I was simply asking for the technical explanation. Dang, it seems like you ARE invested in this...at least emotionally!

I certainly know I don't have to use it. But when something is promoted as the "best", it's important to understand why. Having read the other threads that v referred to, it does not seem as it has anything head and shoulders above the other methods. In fact, that's exactly what the author says:
"It really is just another option, it may or may not work out better for you than any other addon"

Sorry that my quest for factual info was so off putting.

Having talked to Kim and how most of the current solutions just don't work for her, I can only say that this has been the most painless and easiest for her (And myself in fact) to deal with.

That said, best is subjective, and it is the best for her. It isn't much different than other solutions, but I've noticed a lot less spam, and it has less effort on my part to deal with things, which I appreciate (It really is just set it and forget it).

 

[Kim]

Kim, removeth thou chip from thy shoulder - I was simply asking for the technical explanation. Dang, it seems like you ARE invested in this...at least emotionally!

I certainly know I don't have to use it. But when something is promoted as the "best", it's important to understand why. Having read the other threads that v referred to, it does not seem as it has anything head and shoulders above the other methods. In fact, that's exactly what the author says:
"It really is just another option, it may or may not work out better for you than any other addon"

Sorry that my quest for factual info was so off putting.

LOL No Chips, nor investment, nor do I need your patronising tone frankly, I am not here to promote or sell you anything, nor do I need to justify my opinion to you.

I most certainly did not promote it as the "BEST" solution, I said it was the...
Best, simplest Anti-spam tool I have found

Emphasis on "I have found" - having tried numerous, or been put off trying numerous so called anti-spam solutions by the lack of support, or because they just do not work, or cannot be installed, or the author is a known tool of the highest magnitude, to find a solution that is so very simple, and works effortlessly in the background is for me in fact "THE BEST, SIMPLEST ANTI-SPAM TOOL I HAVE FOUND".

If you do not agree, that is entirely your right to do so, but it is not my requirement to have to explain the technical details of something I did not write, nor am I involved with in anyway, so you can judge whether it is "THE BEST" or not based on your own perceptions. Good grief.

Would it make it easier for you to understand if I put in the disclaimer that it was *Personal Opinion* having had a problem that was so easily solved, it is the best and simplest as far as I am concerned.

Enough of this nonsense anyway, as I said, as the author said, as you said yourself.. you can use it or not, you can form your own opinion as to it's value, you do not need me to assist you with that, so why are we arguing.

Good Day to you sir.

 

[Shelley]

Kim, removeth thou chip from thy shoulder - I was simply asking for the technical explanation. Dang, it seems like you ARE invested in this...at least emotionally!

I certainly know I don't have to use it. But when something is promoted as the "best", it's important to understand why. Having read the other threads that v referred to, it does not seem as it has anything head and shoulders above the other methods. In fact, that's exactly what the author says:
"It really is just another option, it may or may not work out better for you than any other addon"

Sorry that my quest for factual info was so off putting.

Again, Best I have found emphasis being "best what kim has found/used has experience with". Example How many times have I being participating in a thread title "Best graphics editor" and it's the same response I give "a graphic editor is only as good as the person that uses it" meaning what might be best for me, may not be best for others and this is along the same lines of the title. It works great for kim, she is sharing her experience to others because last time I checked many people are still having trouble with spam.

Kim can I ask a favor? I'm too lazy to click the link to read up on the service, would you mind clicking the link for me and doing all the leg work?

 

[Kim]

Anyone else being hit with more than the usual spam today?

There was quite a lot of discussion about this in the other topic. In short, I can't really compare between this and XenUtils, as I've not used XenUtils, however here's a couple of differences:

• We use a different set of spam service providers (currently StopForumSpam, CloudFlare, SpamHaus and a couple of others)
• Being a hosted service, rather than just an addon, allows us to change the service as and when patterns in the spam registrations we're seeing change. We can add our own algorithms, remove ones that don't work, add new third party providers, and so on.
• We maintain our own database too (as well as feeding data back to SFS, CloudFlare, etc) - and can use that to catch some spam registrations that they miss.
• We can change how much we trust each individual service at any given time, as it becomes clear which are providing the best service at that time.

It really is just another option, it may or may not work out better for you than any other addon. I guess since it is now free, the best way to decide is to give it a try and see how it fares for you!

Would anyone be interested in testing a new Xenforo spam service?

It basically comes as an addon which checks all new registrations against our internal database and a selection of other sources (including StopForumSpam and CloudFlare) and advises whether or not the registration should be allowed. When you use the spam cleaner and ban a member, it reports it back to us as a spammer. For every forum using the service, it becomes stronger.

If you are interested, drop me an email: dan@block8.co.uk

For the record Dan has already explained the differences, but if you have any further questions, please ask Dan, as it is his baby.. not mine.

I missed his posts in that monster thread, and would have missed this service completely, as frankly all of those Spam topics are so full of utter BS and post after post of blah blah, something I am not prepared to waste time sifting through, which is exactly why I posted up a brand new thread with my positive experiences of this service.

I am just spreading the lurve for a product that worked straight off the bat with very little work on my part - and oh how I love that!

 

[DRE]

Damn ya'll giving her such a hard time.

*throws snowballs at ya

 

[DRE]

I mean I don't think I need this cause I use keycaptcha but I am curious. Does it block them before they can even attempt to register?

 

[Kim]

I mean I don't think I need this cause I use keycaptcha but I am curious. Does it block them before they can even attempt to register?

I believe so, so your potential new members don't have to jump through hoops or what not to join, as soon as the bots try to register with a known IP or email they are stopped at the door.

For any technical questions, Dan is the man to talk to, I will point this thread out to him and I am sure he will be able to answer them for you.

 

[Kim]

Kim can I ask a favor? I'm too lazy to click the link to read up on the service, would you mind clicking the link for me and doing all the leg work?

LOL you crack me up Shelley

 

[DRE]

I believe so, so your potential new members don't have to jump through hoops or what not to join, as soon as the bots try to register with a known IP or email they are stopped at the door.

For any technical questions, Dan is the man to talk to, I will point this thread out to him and I am sure he will be able to answer them for you.

Okay you answered my question. Basically Key KeyCaptcha blocks them at the same point as this service your talking about.

 

[Kim]

Okay you answered my question. Basically Key KeyCaptcha blocks them at the same point as this service your talking about.

I am sure you are right, I personally couldn't get keyCaptcha working on my site, so hence why I love this option

 

[Forsaken]

I am sure you are right, I personally couldn't get keyCaptcha working on my site, so hence why I love this option

I had a lot of errors that prevented new members from signing up (On Xenique and on new site).

I also don't like how many captcha's aren't accessible to a lot of people with disabilities.

 

[Mouth]

I don't know ... entrusting your anti-spam to a consulting company that specialises in digital marketing and social media penetration for businesses and corporations.
Smells a lot like entrusting the honey pot under the care of the bear to me.

We work with closely with some of the best agencies, consultancies and freelancers in the country to provide a broad coverage of digital services from web development, to social media strategy, digital consultancy and more.

 

[Kim]

I don't know ... entrusting your anti-spam to a consulting company that specialises in digital marketing and social media penetration for businesses and corporations.
Smells a lot like entrusting the honey pot under the care of the bear to me.

Don't worry too much, tin foil is pretty cheap



I doubt a small UK based web tech firm is anything to be too concerned with myself lol, hehehe

LOL.. but seriously, exercise your normal judgement when using *any* service... if it is not for you, then move along citizen.