Introducing comments when I switched to WordPress in November 2008 was probably the best thing to happen to Television Obscurities since I launched the site way back in 2003. They allow visitors to respond to and discuss articles and posts. I think it’s just terrific. I’m much less enthusiastic about comment spam, which I’ve been combating ever since the comments began. Recently, I began using Akismet, a spam filtering system that works with WordPress. And it works very, very well, capturing almost all of the spam comments made since I installed it.
Unfortunately, it has also captured at least two comments from a long-time visitor. I try to look over the list of spam comments before permanently deleting them just in case they’re actual comments but apparently I missed at least one. It is my understanding that Akismet “learns” how to recognize false spam comments once I approve them, so if your comments aren’t going through please contact me.
On a related note, prior to installing Akismet, any comments containing at least one URL were held for moderation due to the fact that most spam comments include URLs. Thus, if someone tried linking to a YouTube video, their comment would have to be approved by me before it would show up. As of now, this is no longer the case unless a comment contains five or more URLs. We’ll see how this works.
As always, keep the comments coming.
I think we all know just WHO that “long time visitor” is…and now I understand WHY. Thanks, ‘RGJ’, for clearing that up! I think of “Akismet” as an equivalent of a computerized alarm system guarding a henhouse: it DOES its job weeding out foxes, ferrets, possums and other “invaders” from getting to the hens and chickens, but at times, it also has a tendency to keep the guard dog and farmer away as well!
I wrote a lengthy commentary for the DVD release of ‘Tenspeed and Brown Shoe’ and the comment was lost into cyberspace for some reason (and sadly, I didn’t save it before hitting the “Submit Comment” button). Perhaps on another Sunday, I’ll make another attempt at it, but for now, a word of advice to posters to ensure they make a copy of their post (especially long ones) before they hit the submit button.
Have no fear, DuMont, your post has not been lost. As was the case with Barry, for some reason your post was caught by Akismet as spam; I have approved it and hopefully within a few days Akismet will “learn” not to consider your contributions as spam.