The Five-Minute Forums  

Go Back   The Five-Minute Forums > FiveMinute.net > Miscellaneous
Register FAQ Community Calendar Today's Posts Search

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 04-01-2008, 06:37 PM
Wowbagger's Avatar
Wowbagger Wowbagger is offline
Long fellow
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Tanngrisnir
Posts: 423
Default Spambots

We are under siege.

April Fool?
__________________
Wowbagger
Forum Lurker
CURRENTLY: I've finally dived into the "let's everybody make a fan film" Kool-Aid.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 04-01-2008, 10:49 PM
Zeke's Avatar
Zeke Zeke is offline
The lens that flares in the night
Administrator
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Ottawa, ON
Posts: 3,405
Send a message via ICQ to Zeke Send a message via AIM to Zeke Send a message via Yahoo to Zeke
Default

I know, it's a problem. I'm behind on security patches for the forum. I need to renew the license, and since moving back to Ottawa, I just haven't had any money. I'll take care of it as soon as I can.
__________________
FiveMinute.net: because stuff is long and life is short

[03:17] FiveMinZeke: Galactica clearly needs the advanced technology of scissors, which get around the whole "yanking on your follicles" problem.
[03:17] IJD: cylons can hack any blades working in conjunction
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-01-2008, 11:18 PM
Nate the Great's Avatar
Nate the Great Nate the Great is offline
You just activated his Trek card
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 4,997
Default

Time for Hackneyed Joke #4571:

What is this mythical substance you call "money?"

__________________
mudshark: Nate's just being...Nate.
Zeke: It comes nateurally to him.

mudshark: I don't expect Nate to make sense, really -- it's just a bad idea.

Sa'ar Chasm on the 5M.net forum: Sit back, relax, and revel in the insanity.

Adam Savage: I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.

Crow T. Robot: Oh, stop pretending there's a plot. Don't cheapen yourself further.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 04-02-2008, 04:36 PM
PointyHairedJedi's Avatar
PointyHairedJedi PointyHairedJedi is offline
He'd enjoy a third pie
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: The Scotlands
Posts: 4,354
Send a message via ICQ to PointyHairedJedi Send a message via AIM to PointyHairedJedi Send a message via Yahoo to PointyHairedJedi
Default

I'm eating them as fast as I can, dammit! It would be easier if there were a few brainbots as well for variety, but sadly it looks like I'm going to have to go somewhere else for those.

Mmmm, brains.

Also, I'm willing to chip in on the licence like last time, Zekey. These things always cost an arm and a brain, I know.
__________________
Mason: Luckily we at the Agency use use a high-tech piece of software that will let us spot him instantly via high-res satellite images.
Sergeant: You can? That's amazing!
Mason: Yes. We call it 'Google Earth'.
- Five Minute 24 S1 (it lives, honest!)

"Everybody loves pie!"
- Spongebob Squarepants
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 04-02-2008, 07:18 PM
Nate the Great's Avatar
Nate the Great Nate the Great is offline
You just activated his Trek card
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 4,997
Default

I hope you put enough salt on those PHJ. I hear it enhances the flavor.
__________________
mudshark: Nate's just being...Nate.
Zeke: It comes nateurally to him.

mudshark: I don't expect Nate to make sense, really -- it's just a bad idea.

Sa'ar Chasm on the 5M.net forum: Sit back, relax, and revel in the insanity.

Adam Savage: I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.

Crow T. Robot: Oh, stop pretending there's a plot. Don't cheapen yourself further.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 04-02-2008, 09:33 PM
Chancellor Valium's Avatar
Chancellor Valium Chancellor Valium is offline
Reasonably priced male pills
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Rhen Var, sitting on a radiator...
Posts: 4,595
Send a message via MSN to Chancellor Valium
Default

Salt? Salt? Bah! Salt is for dullards! No, a true connoisseur eats their spambots marinated in a caraway sauce.
__________________
O to be wafted away
From this black aceldama of sorrow;
Where the dust of an earthy today
Is the earth of a dusty tomorrow!
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 04-02-2008, 09:48 PM
PointyHairedJedi's Avatar
PointyHairedJedi PointyHairedJedi is offline
He'd enjoy a third pie
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: The Scotlands
Posts: 4,354
Send a message via ICQ to PointyHairedJedi Send a message via AIM to PointyHairedJedi Send a message via Yahoo to PointyHairedJedi
Default

Fritters.

Yeah, you heard me.
__________________
Mason: Luckily we at the Agency use use a high-tech piece of software that will let us spot him instantly via high-res satellite images.
Sergeant: You can? That's amazing!
Mason: Yes. We call it 'Google Earth'.
- Five Minute 24 S1 (it lives, honest!)

"Everybody loves pie!"
- Spongebob Squarepants
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 04-04-2008, 07:38 AM
Zeke's Avatar
Zeke Zeke is offline
The lens that flares in the night
Administrator
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Ottawa, ON
Posts: 3,405
Send a message via ICQ to Zeke Send a message via AIM to Zeke Send a message via Yahoo to Zeke
Default

Good news: there's good news! I got that license renewed thanks to a timely assist from PHJ. Antony will be patching the forum on Saturday; he says there's a new anti-spam system he's sure will work.
__________________
FiveMinute.net: because stuff is long and life is short

[03:17] FiveMinZeke: Galactica clearly needs the advanced technology of scissors, which get around the whole "yanking on your follicles" problem.
[03:17] IJD: cylons can hack any blades working in conjunction
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-04-2008, 07:58 AM
PointyHairedJedi's Avatar
PointyHairedJedi PointyHairedJedi is offline
He'd enjoy a third pie
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: The Scotlands
Posts: 4,354
Send a message via ICQ to PointyHairedJedi Send a message via AIM to PointyHairedJedi Send a message via Yahoo to PointyHairedJedi
Default

It's official - I own Zeke's soul. Go me!
__________________
Mason: Luckily we at the Agency use use a high-tech piece of software that will let us spot him instantly via high-res satellite images.
Sergeant: You can? That's amazing!
Mason: Yes. We call it 'Google Earth'.
- Five Minute 24 S1 (it lives, honest!)

"Everybody loves pie!"
- Spongebob Squarepants
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 04-05-2008, 07:20 AM
Wowbagger's Avatar
Wowbagger Wowbagger is offline
Long fellow
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Tanngrisnir
Posts: 423
Default

(1) Spazzing awesome.
(2) Do I read my timecodes wrong, or was PHJ making brain jokes the day before ZZ5MV went live? Can PHJ travel through time?
(3) How cool is it that the Sci-Fi channel went ahead and bought the first series of The Sarah Jane Adventures for our delighted consumption?
__________________
Wowbagger
Forum Lurker
CURRENTLY: I've finally dived into the "let's everybody make a fan film" Kool-Aid.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 04-05-2008, 02:59 PM
mudshark's Avatar
mudshark mudshark is offline
Is he ever gonna hit Krazy Kat, or what?
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: UMRK
Posts: 1,738
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wowbagger View Post
(2) Do I read my timecodes wrong, or was PHJ making brain jokes the day before ZZ5MV went live? Can PHJ travel through time?
I wouldn't rule it out.

Any of it.

There's another one, btw. Make it suffer.
__________________
Methinks Ted Sturgeon was too kind.

'Yes, but I think some people should be offended.'
-- John Cleese (on whether he thought some might be offended by Monty Python)
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 04-05-2008, 06:25 PM
Chancellor Valium's Avatar
Chancellor Valium Chancellor Valium is offline
Reasonably priced male pills
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Rhen Var, sitting on a radiator...
Posts: 4,595
Send a message via MSN to Chancellor Valium
Default

Can't believe I missed this before, but:
Quote:
Originally Posted by PointyHairedJedi View Post
Mmmm, brains.
Brain and brain - what is brain?
__________________
O to be wafted away
From this black aceldama of sorrow;
Where the dust of an earthy today
Is the earth of a dusty tomorrow!
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 04-05-2008, 10:51 PM
PointyHairedJedi's Avatar
PointyHairedJedi PointyHairedJedi is offline
He'd enjoy a third pie
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: The Scotlands
Posts: 4,354
Send a message via ICQ to PointyHairedJedi Send a message via AIM to PointyHairedJedi Send a message via Yahoo to PointyHairedJedi
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chancellor Valium View Post
Brain and brain - what is brain?
It's like a party in my mouth and everybody's invited?
__________________
Mason: Luckily we at the Agency use use a high-tech piece of software that will let us spot him instantly via high-res satellite images.
Sergeant: You can? That's amazing!
Mason: Yes. We call it 'Google Earth'.
- Five Minute 24 S1 (it lives, honest!)

"Everybody loves pie!"
- Spongebob Squarepants
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 04-06-2008, 12:05 AM
Zeke's Avatar
Zeke Zeke is offline
The lens that flares in the night
Administrator
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Ottawa, ON
Posts: 3,405
Send a message via ICQ to Zeke Send a message via AIM to Zeke Send a message via Yahoo to Zeke
Default

I'm really surprised PHJ hasn't pointed this out, but...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wowbagger View Post
(2) Do I read my timecodes wrong, or was PHJ making brain jokes the day before ZZ5MV went live?
No, ZZ5M.net went live late on April 1. I was just really slow with the newspost.
__________________
FiveMinute.net: because stuff is long and life is short

[03:17] FiveMinZeke: Galactica clearly needs the advanced technology of scissors, which get around the whole "yanking on your follicles" problem.
[03:17] IJD: cylons can hack any blades working in conjunction
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 04-06-2008, 10:24 AM
PointyHairedJedi's Avatar
PointyHairedJedi PointyHairedJedi is offline
He'd enjoy a third pie
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: The Scotlands
Posts: 4,354
Send a message via ICQ to PointyHairedJedi Send a message via AIM to PointyHairedJedi Send a message via Yahoo to PointyHairedJedi
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zeke View Post
I'm really surprised PHJ hasn't pointed this out, but...
I was too busy time-travelling, duh.
__________________
Mason: Luckily we at the Agency use use a high-tech piece of software that will let us spot him instantly via high-res satellite images.
Sergeant: You can? That's amazing!
Mason: Yes. We call it 'Google Earth'.
- Five Minute 24 S1 (it lives, honest!)

"Everybody loves pie!"
- Spongebob Squarepants
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 06-02-2008, 04:29 PM
Zeke's Avatar
Zeke Zeke is offline
The lens that flares in the night
Administrator
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Ottawa, ON
Posts: 3,405
Send a message via ICQ to Zeke Send a message via AIM to Zeke Send a message via Yahoo to Zeke
Default

I just deleted about a hundred spambots, but we can probably expect more. Antony is working on the problem (they're having it at Trek BBS and Talk CSI too). In the meantime, I think I'm going to switch to manual confirmation of new members. It's a hassle for real people -- and yes, we do get one now and then -- but it should keep the bots from actually posting. I for one am sick of those same damn two pictures. Where's the variety?

ETA: Huh! I just noticed that our CAPTCHA system isn't actually turned on. I'll try that first and see how many bots still get through.
__________________
FiveMinute.net: because stuff is long and life is short

[03:17] FiveMinZeke: Galactica clearly needs the advanced technology of scissors, which get around the whole "yanking on your follicles" problem.
[03:17] IJD: cylons can hack any blades working in conjunction

Last edited by Zeke; 06-02-2008 at 04:32 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 06-02-2008, 06:45 PM
whoiam whoiam is offline
whathistitleis
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Birmingham Uni
Posts: 832
Send a message via MSN to whoiam
Default

Spammers have actually come up with an effective means of bypassing CAPTCHA systems now: Paying people in poorer nations the equivalent of a few pence a time to decode them. Probably more cost effective than working out an automated CAPTCHA cracker system. Yay technology, hm?

Thankfully, we're probably not a large enough target for them to spend actual money on.
__________________
Me, singing: Krieg, huh... wozu ist der gut?
Um Europa zu übernehmen!

Vote Morphine - the party for Not Crushing Opium!

Yoda, to his ice-cream: The sauce is upon you, and soon, sprinkles must fall!
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 06-03-2008, 07:40 AM
PointyHairedJedi's Avatar
PointyHairedJedi PointyHairedJedi is offline
He'd enjoy a third pie
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: The Scotlands
Posts: 4,354
Send a message via ICQ to PointyHairedJedi Send a message via AIM to PointyHairedJedi Send a message via Yahoo to PointyHairedJedi
Default

Well I wish I'd known that before I did.
__________________
Mason: Luckily we at the Agency use use a high-tech piece of software that will let us spot him instantly via high-res satellite images.
Sergeant: You can? That's amazing!
Mason: Yes. We call it 'Google Earth'.
- Five Minute 24 S1 (it lives, honest!)

"Everybody loves pie!"
- Spongebob Squarepants
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 06-03-2008, 07:03 PM
Chancellor Valium's Avatar
Chancellor Valium Chancellor Valium is offline
Reasonably priced male pills
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Rhen Var, sitting on a radiator...
Posts: 4,595
Send a message via MSN to Chancellor Valium
Default

Don't be too proud of this humanistic horror you've uncovered. The power to decode the CAPTCHA is nothing compared to the power of open source.
__________________
O to be wafted away
From this black aceldama of sorrow;
Where the dust of an earthy today
Is the earth of a dusty tomorrow!
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 06-05-2008, 11:35 AM
PointyHairedJedi's Avatar
PointyHairedJedi PointyHairedJedi is offline
He'd enjoy a third pie
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: The Scotlands
Posts: 4,354
Send a message via ICQ to PointyHairedJedi Send a message via AIM to PointyHairedJedi Send a message via Yahoo to PointyHairedJedi
Default

My collar... is feeling awfully tight all of a sudden.



It wouldn't be quite so strange if I was actually wearing a shirt!
__________________
Mason: Luckily we at the Agency use use a high-tech piece of software that will let us spot him instantly via high-res satellite images.
Sergeant: You can? That's amazing!
Mason: Yes. We call it 'Google Earth'.
- Five Minute 24 S1 (it lives, honest!)

"Everybody loves pie!"
- Spongebob Squarepants
Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 01:18 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.