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Posted by Brian Cryer on 02/06/06 18:55
"Paul" <paul@all-the-johnsons.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1139238676.28962.72.camel@mrwibble.mrwobble...
> Hi,
>
> This is probably out of the realms of "straight" html, but here goes.
>
> Does anyone know of a browser safe method to prevent spam harvesters
> from chomping through a website to obtain email addresses?
>
> I can do it in JavaScript, but I'm trying to ditch the JS I have from
> the website.
>
> As I see it, the problem is that if the harvester chomps page by page
> looking for <a href="mailto:...">...</a> then it doesn't matter if the
> solution is PHP/MySQL generated or inserted via some cgi script via a
> server side include (or similar), the address will still be there.
>
> I don't want to resort to anything too evil...
>
> TTFN
>
> Paul
> --
> "Logic, my dear Zoe, is merely the ability to be wrong with authority" -
> Dr Who
I don't know of any "perfect" way. The options I'm aware of:
1. Don't put your email address on any webpages. Advantage: Fool-proof.
Disadvantage: no-one can contact you.
2. Use a mail form rather than an email address. Disadvantage: Limited
really to only one contact and doesn't stop spam!!
3. Use JavaScript (which you already know of). Disadvantage: Doesn't work on
browsers that don't have JavaScript enabled, and very easy to work round.
4. Use an image of your email (and don't include the href bit). Advantage:
Difficult to harvest, but its only time before harvesters can recognise it.
Disadvantage: user has to copy your email address and this is likely to put
people off.
5. For your own email use webmaster@..., doesn't stop spam, but for my
website I get very little spam on my webmaster account.
There must be other ideas out there, but those are all the ones I can think
of. As you can see, none are perfect.
I use a spam filter for my email, but the trouble with having contact email
addresses on a website is that you can get legitimate emails from anyone in
virtually any format and I find my spam filter catches some legit emails and
tags them as spam.
If you find a perfect solution please let the rest of us into the secret.
--
Brian Cryer
www.cryer.co.uk/brian
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