[Moin-user] BadContent = chaos?

[Robert Spencer]

On 7/2/08, Thomas Waldmann <tw-public at gmx.de> wrote:
>
>> I'm trying to understand the BadContent page format, but it doesn't
>> appear to have a consistent one.
>
> ?

It appears at first glance to be regex based, but there are high amounts
of wrong entries.

>> What type of regex is it supposed to use?
>
> Just standard python/perl regex. The regex is matched against all page
> content that someone tries to save (not only against URLs).

Cool.

>> Who manages it?
>
> It is managed in a wiki way on MoinMaster:BadContent.

Good.

>> Why isn't it sorted in a consistent order?
>
> Because nobody did sort it recently, but everybody just appended at the end.

I'll re-organise it then.

>> Who decides on which URLs get added?
>
> Everyone who cares.
>
> Just be careful, everything matching a regex you added there is
> considered evil - globally.
<...>

Point taken.

> So although the regexes are not limited to URLs, what one usually adds
> there are regexes that match URLs used by spammers.

I've already seen one URL that should not be there.

>> Who decides on which URLs get removed?
>
> Same. Usually URLs only get removed if they were wrong and/or gave false
> positives.

Okay, I'll remove the URL.

>> If I understand things correctly, anyone can edit these pages as long
>> as it's on the moinmaster wiki.
>
> Yes. You maybe have to read MoinMoin:EditingOnMoinMaster, though.

Just have.

>> There's errors on a few help pages I'm itching to correct too.
>
> Easiest and quickest way is to as on our IRC channel #moin, see
> MoinMoin:MoinMoinChat.

I don't use IRC, I tried once. Didn't work out. Anyone new to IRC should
wear a diaper, have quick access to the toilet and avoid fibre for 7 days
before hand.

If you can suggested a guide for the complete idiot to IRC, I'll try
and read it.
No guarantees though.

> BTW, you maybe want to use a recent moin version and activate the
> textchas. This has proven a better counter measure against spam than
> BadContent is, see HelpOnTextChas for details.

There's a few points that need specifying here:

1. I do not have access to the server that our wiki is on.
2. The wiki has been marked for transfer to a new server, all attempts to
 change the current setup have therefore been rejected.
3. I despise CAPTCHA's.
4. Will always look for an alternative first.
5. Will try textchas on my test setup and then form an opinion.

-- 
Robert Spencer