[PD] PD WIKKI defaced

[Mathieu Bouchard]

On Mon, 3 Jan 2005, Marc Lavallée wrote:

> Spammers don't have fun, they're working.

right.

> Mathieu Bouchard a écrit :
>  > However, the only other wikis I recall visiting (and a LOT)
>  > are the C2.com wiki and the Wikipedia, which are the two biggest wikis
>  > I know, were never affected by any such problem, as far as I remember.
> Because Wikipedia has a login, permissions and reviewers.

Yeah. I wonder how to deal with the fact that having logins with
manually-approved registrations is cumbersome and is a deterrent to
external contribution. (similar to why web sites don't finance themselves
by charging 5 cents to visitors: micropayments may be a nice concept, but
so many people don't even want to bother with it.)

I say "manually-approved registrations" because automated registrations
can be circumvented too easily: just make a bogus account, then login,
then cause the same trouble, in very little time. in a manual system, the
result/effort ratio, the delay, and the feeling of being supervised, are
factors that tend to repel spammers, as they switch to simpler targets,
that is, other automated systems.

> It explains how to disable Google page ranking.

Eeek. In my breakneck browsing, I forgot to even skim the page.

> It probably helps,

I think it helps, but long-term only, and large-scale only: that is, if
enough wiki people get into such a scheme, the wikis will become less
attractive to spammers, and then just wait till the spammers realize it's
not worth it.

> but it doesn't solve security issues.

right.

>    2. Implementing login systems, Captchas, etc. means losing the fight
>       and giving up.
>    3. Wikis are the essence of what the internet should be for me: free,
>       open, accessible by anybody. "
> I prefer a more balanced approach. Here's a excerpt from
> http://zwiki.org/GeneralDiscussion200307
> " One of Wiki's key strengths is radical openness.
>    One of Zope's is fine-grained, manageable security. "

I don't know enough Zope and afaik you're the Zope expert around here. I
think this could be a topic at pdmtl#8 if only you were available enough
to join us in such meetings just like you were last winter.

_____________________________________________________________________
Mathieu Bouchard -=- Montréal QC Canada -=- http://artengine.ca/matju