Saturday, November 3, 2012

Quilter's Public Service Announcement: A Word about Word - Verification that is

This is a Quilter's Public Service Announcement!

I've been up for a couple of hours already this morning and I got all caught up on my blog reading through Google Reader (I hope at least, if it isn't again doing that problematic thing of not showing me all the unread posts). I don't comment on all the posts but do quite a few, depending on whether or not I have something to say. While posting said comments, I do come across a number of blogs that use Word Verification.

So what I'm writing about here is directed to those of you that have it turned on in the hopes that you will turn it off for good and help make it easier for those of us that would like to comment on your blog posts.

In my experience in the almost 1 year since I started this blog, when I allowed anonymous commenters, the spam was coming through a lot but once I changed the settings to only allow Registered Users or Google Account owners to comment, the spam ceased 100%. No more unwanted and real PITA comments about questionable pharmaceuticals for various physical issues of the very personal nature, mysterious requests for help gaining access to funds held in banks in foreign countries,etc.

How to accomplish this feat, you ask?

1) Log into your blog account
2) Go to Settings
3) On the left side of the page, you'll see Posts and Comments, click on that
4) Scroll down until you see this

Put a check mark in the Registered Users button or the User with Google Accounts button, either accomplishes the same goal. I have Registered User checked on my settings.
5) Make sure you click Save Settings

There! You are all done. And now you will make those of us that would like to comment on your blog so much happier. Who knows, you might even get a lot more comments on your blog now.

Thank you from all of us who like to encourage and applaud fellow quilters in blog land.


7 of you added your own colorful comments:

quiltmania said...

I applaud you for righting this post. I hate word verification as often it is impossible to decipher. If I don't get it on the second try, I skip commenting!

beaquilter said...

yay!! I often don't comment if it's word verification, if I catch it early or if it kicks me back after trying to read the tiny pictures, then I just leave the page..

Melinda said...

Thank you dear! I haven't been having any spam issues but I also don't remember if my word verification is on. Headed back over to check everything out!

Annie said...

You go girl! You'd think enough bloggers have posted about this issue to get the word out everywhere. Yet there are so many with word verification still enabled. I've threatened to stop commenting. Now I'm going to follow through with my threats. I just don't believe in passing the frustration on to others rather than deal with it myselft. And it's SO easy to deal with! You've just mentioned one way!

JustPam said...

I try once if there is word verification. If it doesn't work once I quit. My time is too valuable because I have so little free time. I also had to change my settings to only registered user and have not gotten any spam since that change. Thanks for spreading the word about this.

Rachel said...

AGREED!

Denise :) said...

Totally agreed!! And since word verification has gotten so...frustrating...here of late, your post is all the more important and timely! I may link back to it, if that's okay? Why re-invent the wheel, after all, when someone else has done such a marvelous job of laying it all out there! :)