I am really amped about this frolic sesh. I love love, and I love dogs. Meet Krystle, Chris, Pixie and Mr. Wee. These guys are incredibly cute… and I’m not just talking about the dogs. We had such a great romp around Balboa Park! Krystle and Chris, I heart dachshunds! Or, as Krystle and Chris prefer, Weiner dogs. I can’t wait to share the whole shebang, but now, here are a few of my favourites…
Unrelated to these photographs is an incredibly huge and sudden problem I am having with megaspammers for this blog. I am interested in sourcing your opinions, oh bloggers and commenters of the world. Firsly, blogger, what is your preferred method of dealing with spammers? Do you use a captcha system? A mathematical question? Require OpenID? Secondly, to all—how do you feel about the hoops that you have to jump through to comment on a blog? I am admittedly a sourpuss about them. I rather dislike having to answer captchas. It’s not like it takes a ton of time… just a perturbing little annoyance. And since I can’t figure out how to get my OpenID to point to this blog as opposed to some other stuff… well, I’m none too fond of those, either. Not everyone has an openID and I would prefer everyone have the ability to comment freely.
So, let’s talk spammers—what are your thoughts? Right now I am individually approving each comment so their posts don’t get to see the light of day. But I am not really feeling it’s an ideal solution. Your feedback might help put my mind at ease!
Tags: Balboa Park, Dachshunds, Dogs, frolic session, love
Howdy! (I love Dachsunds too, their little pointed faces remind me of my Shyhound *swoon*)
As for pesky spammers… I assume that you are already using Akismet? If not, I highly recommend it. It’s only once marked a genuine comment as spam; and it’s never missed a spam comment.
Under Settings / Discussion other settings that I like include:
√ Comment author must fill out name and e-mail
√ Comment author must have a previously approved comment (This basically whitelists anyone who has left a non-spam comment)
And definitely hold a comment in the queue if it contains more than 2 links.
Those few things really help with spam on my sites.
To fix your OpenID issue when visiting other people’s sites, I recommend you check out Gravatar. It won’t eliminate your having to enter a Captcha if the site you’re visiting requires you to, but I think Gravatar is a great way for people to automgically link their email / avatar / URL when commenting.
If you want to talk geek, feel free to email me
Ditto the Akismet! It’s all I’ve ever used and maybe once in a blue moon a spammer gets through, but only in such a way that I’ll just get an email about a comment I need to moderate that ends up being spam. Also, I’m a total sourpuss about jumping through hoops to leave a comment.
ALSO, you can set WordPress/Akismet up in such a way so that you only need approve an individual’s comment once, and then they are forever given a free pass to comment on your blog without moderation. So anyone who comments on my blog for the first time is likely to require approval for the first time only.
I’m having SUCH a horrible time with spammers lately. They literally comment about ten times a day. I wish I had that many normal comments a day! I’m personally approving each comment as well. I don’t like having to enter funny little words just to comment on someone’s blog. I’d love any advice, too. Good luck! (Plus, these photos are AMAZING! My mom grew up with a dachshunds and these are the too most adorable ones I’ve ever seen!)
First of all beautiful pictures!! I adore dachshunds! Really hope to have a wee pup one of these days as well!
As for spammers I second and third Akismet. They are super awesome and catch so much spam. Best of luck! (Spammers are the worst.)
This is really lovely. In fact I love all the love between Krystle and Chris and between them and Pixie and Mr. Wee
and you have captured it so well.
Okay, Max is officially coming to California with me so we can do a Frolic session. <3 <3 <3!!!
Lauren & Kim—Thanks for all your perspective! I was already doing most of what inherently is built-in to wordpress under the discussion tab… but I had to activate Askimet! Silly me… I thought it was already running since it came with the blog. More betterment has been established. But yes, talking geek is of great value to me these days…
Sarah—What they said seems to be doing wonders already. So far, so good!
Marie—Me, too! I’m such a dog person, but our lifestyle is such that it doesn’t really make sense right now to bring a pup into the picture. And so I wait for the right time…
Mum—I know… how can you not totally love them, right?!
Tasha—Haha, send Max here this instant! While you’re at it, come, too!
so sweet! our doggie is half Daschund, half Lhasa Apso… a little crazy looking, but super sweet. the next dog we’ll get is probably going to be a long-haired Daschund.
Yup, I second what previous comments said about Askimet. But I still do check the spam comments — just a quick glance — because it has occasionally marked a real comment as a spam one. Anyway, I do the same thing as Kim — set it so you only have to approve the initial comment by a certain person and then they can comment without approval next time.
I’m a newish blogger too so this is a good topic. I’m using Squarespace for blog hosting and the haven’t figured out how to manipulate the comment form. I haven’t had too many spammers yet though, maybe because Squarespace is not as popular? Good luck battling the spam!
Personally, I strongly dislike having to prove that I’m a human. I’m okay if the blog remembers the fact, but I’d also be against signing up for a separate account just to post. Though your blog may just be worth it.
Kathleen—The long-haired are ultra-cute, right?!
Jacqueline—Thanks, done and done.
Kelsey—I can’t say I’m even familiar with Squarespace. How do you like it?
Evan—Agreed. I hate it when I go to comment on a blog and then realize I need to have an OpenID to comment. Bleck. Won’t be requiring anything of anyone other than what’s already currently in place!
[...] to have this out earlier this morning, but beter late than never! Here’s the follow-up to the Krystle and Chris teaser from earlier in the week. This sesh was dogcentric, so get ready for übercuteness. I feel so delightfully fortunate to have [...]