Technical Questions

OK, I got a cable to connect my Motorola V[erizon]265, and it makes an effective USB connection from my cell phone — but as far as I can tell, one of the corporate links in this chain has set up the phone so that the photo images on the phone are encrypted and inaccessible apart from the proprietary software that Verizon sells. And the proprietary software is, so far as I can tell, Windows-only.

I had another question, but it slipped my mind.

[Later:] OK, I remembered. I’m getting sick and tired of deleting comment spam, so I’m thinking about replacing the built-in comment function (that I moderate anyway, by hand, relatively laboriously) with a link that sets up an email to me, with a subject line that included a keyword such as “feedback” (for filtering purposes) and the title of the post, and then invites you to send me an email with your comments. I can filter them at this end, add them by hand to the original post, and make sure formatting works out. I won’t take significantly longer than the overburdened “accept” button of my Moveable Type installation, and I wouldn’t have to spend valuable time every day deleting comments (and it would significantly diminish the burden on the ISP’s s server). So, first of all, does this make sense in general? And second of all, does someone with the chops to do it right know in a flash how to code that, or shall I exercise my overaged script kid capacities to try it myself?

That was it.

5 thoughts on “Technical Questions

  1. Probably too big a switch for just comments, but I haven’t had to delete a comment spam for months, with WordPress’s built-in Akismet anti-spam (knock on wood). I moderate all comments that include a link, and do have to check that from time to time. But for regular comments, I haven’t had any problems.

  2. I seem to remember there was an MT plugin called “MT-Approval” for MT3 that worked to improve the comment spam problem. I think spambot comments tend not to use the form interface on each page, and the plugin allows you to filter comments on that basis.

    I haven’t used the plugin, nor know if it is still available, but it might be something to try before switching everthing over to something like an email system.

    I’ve also had success with plugins that allow me to close comments en masse after a set number of days. Spam seems to arrive mostly on older comments for me. Having only the last 14 days open tends to minimize the target.

  3. Okay, this is perhaps to elem. a question for this conversation. But I like the technorati threads that you have embedded in your code. What is the html/css for that? I would love to add it.

    You may already do this, but any post more than five days old is no longer a concern for me. Typically I close the comments after that. I found that helps a great deal.

  4. Oh, you got to hate those locked down mobile phones. I just don’t get it. Why lock one in so tight, surely operators that leave some interfaces open will attract more customers? I think it’s really at its worst in the US. In SA none of our service providers can lock down their phones, people will refuse to use them and go straight to another service provider. In Europe I sense it’s more like it is here. Can you buy a phone and airtime seperately there? Please do stand up for your rights to open interfaces!

    I also like the comment about comment spam. Do what you have to, my lesson from this is that I sacrificed the look and feel for an asp blogging service that gives me free add-ons that save me the hassle from having to deal with these things. ASP model will be increasing… just makes sense. Reminds me of socialtext?

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