Saturday, September 10, 2005

blog comments update

After being slammed by a load of comment SPAM a couple of weeks ago I reset the settings on this blog so that only registered users could comment. This seemed to keep the SPAMers away, but sadly it also meant that some other people, whose comments I value, have e-mailed me to let me know that they don't feel comfortable having to register with Blogger in order to comment.

Since one of the things I really value about blogs (as opposed to personal web pages) is the comments portion where dialogue is encouraged--as a Work At Home Mom I have way too many one-sided conversations with the rug rats--I have changed the settings back so that anyone can comment.

If the SPAM comes back in an intense way, I may have to go back to the registered users setting since I can't stand the idea that anyone who comes to my blog has to wade through a clog of (badly written) ads. My feeling is that SPAM limits dialog even more than requiring one to register with a company in order to have one's voice heard. The only trick I can pass on, if I do have to return to the registered users setting, is one that I sometimes use. I have a "junk e-mail" (mine happens to be through Google G-mail, but a Yahoo or Juno or Angelfire or other free, web-based e-mail works just as well) and I am perfectly comfortable using this junk e-mail that contains little to no personal information when companies require me to register with them.

Anyway, here's to hoping that the SPAMers stay away from this little space in the virtual universe.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kate,

Glad you've open 'em up again.

I'm interested in learning a bit about how you take your pictures: camera, lens, methodolgy . . . .

It's such a pleasing part of the blog, I just want to know more.

Thanks

Cathy said...

Just came across your blog and am enjoying it very much!

Blogger recently added something called "word verification" to cut down on comment spam. To turn it on, click on the Settings tab, then click on Comments, then click Yes for "Show word verficiation for comments?" I've had it turned on for a little while now, and haven't had any spam since.

Kate said...

Oh Thank You Cathy!!
The word verification is exactly what I was looking for (but clearly didn't look hard enough).

And Lurker, I'm no expert when it comes to digital photography. I have a basic camera (Cannon PowerShot S200 Elph--there are higher mega pixel variations that cost more now, but you can get the lower pixel ones for pretty cheap now). I have found that turning off the flash is really necessary to keep photos from getting really washed out and flat. Then I use Picasa (really good, easy, free photo software) to tweak the photos. Usually this means adding fill light (makes up for the lack of flash), sometimes adjusting the color (depending on the light conditions--under incandescent lights everything is too yellow), and then adding sharp focus (especially good for food photos where you want to see every last crumb!) That's about it.

Denise said...

I've been trashing weird comments/ads (granted, I've had very few), and I know some folks on Blogger (like Lynne) who have switched to HaloScan for commenting. Waaay too much work for me; I'll take Cathy's advice too!

Chris said...

Glad you have chosen to open comments back up. Thanks :). Hopefully you dont get spammed again, spammers are evil!