spam bots

Bruce Hill · 03-20-2008, 07:33 PM

How would we know that a post is from a "spam bot"?

I replied to a thread and Tinkster posted :

Quote:

I'd like to discourage members to respond to these posts.
This is the product of a SPAM bot.

Now I see another thread where they think it's a spam bot.

I Googled but didn't see how we would know these were spam bots. Tinkster didn't reply to the other thread, so maybe we can get some response here. I don't spend my time learning about kiddies and their ways (which I assume is the spam bot deal), and hope someone more knowledgeable will take the time to reply and enlighten those of us who don't know.

jens · 03-21-2008, 08:06 AM

Google search for his question (using his first sentence):
http://www.google.com/search?q=I+jus...nt=iceweasel-a

pixellany · 03-21-2008, 08:19 AM

I learn a lot from someone's posting history. One of the first clues is the person who never follows up after starting a thread. Another clue is a series of posts on unrelated topics.

There are a lot of strange people running around-- a few seem to stumble in here.

Bruce Hill · 03-21-2008, 08:26 AM

Are we supposed to Google the question asked in a thread?

Are we supposed to search someone's posting history?

I came to LinuxQuestions.org with no experience in the IRC/forum/newsgroup culture.

From the first computer I built in 1984, until 2003 when I joined LQ, the only
place I ever looked for answers was Google. Doing the above would be something
I missed reading the LQ Rules and FAQ. Where would one suspect to arrive at those
conclusions?

pixellany · 03-21-2008, 08:34 AM

I don't do anything unless I suspect something---or if someone suggests it.

Also, If I have a negative reaction to a post, I generally check history before saying anything. If the person has a pattern of doing the same thing, then I feel better about giving them an "improvement opportunity".

jeremy · 03-21-2008, 08:58 AM

Members are certainly in no way obligated or expected to do that level of research before answering a question. The mods at LQ have become good at spotting this kind of thing and then doing the researched needed to prove or disprove their hunch.

--jeremy

Bruce Hill · 03-21-2008, 03:52 PM

Thank you, Jeremy!

sleekmason · 03-22-2008, 07:20 PM

Then I take it these cannot be automatically found and disposed of? Maybe some sort of bot-search script? Or is that way too complicated to produce. maybe just delete thier profile when found out.

jiml8 · 03-22-2008, 09:33 PM

Did a moderator alter that post in any fashion?

Reading it, I would never pick it to be from a spambot. Looks like a perfectly legitimate question.

Also, usually there is some purpose to spam...I cannot divine any purpose to that post beyond obvious question.

DragonSlayer48DX · 03-23-2008, 08:56 AM

I'm not sure about the purpose, unless it's to keep the mods on their toes. The two OPs in the thread links in Bruce's post are the same person/bot/whatever, and they've been quite busy. Must own 100 PCs and have multiple personality disorder, too...

Cheers

billymayday · 03-23-2008, 05:02 PM

And yet it responds

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...h-desk-629541/

Interesting that the posting name has changed. There was a whole spate of barely comprehensible posts from the new version (linuxexpert)

DragonSlayer48DX · 03-24-2008, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billymayday

And yet it responds

A new wave of "smart bots", perhaps? I noticed that activity has ceased for both accounts, and their post counts have decreased. (17-40 yesterday, 16-36 today.)

billymayday · 03-24-2008, 04:29 AM

I gather the moderators have closed those accounts and will see if they get a response from the owner.

jschiwal · 03-24-2008, 06:13 AM

Maybe the mods took the red pill instead of the blue pill.