Forum: Bug Report and Feature Requests

I'm not a pro on it nor know the state of the art in that... but while in theory to simulate a click on certain coordinates is possible, that's the hard way and not how the bots would normally do it, imho, instead they look the button up in the page code and call a click on that object. That doesn't care where on screen (or off, or occluded by other objects) the button might be. So all your suggestion does is impose an needless activity on a human user, while makes no difference from a bot viewpoint.

Correct, a bot doesn't bother with the position. The programmer checks the page source to determine how he can identify the button. So you have to make sure there's nothing static to identify the buttons. What would work is making sure that every time a page loads the buttons have a different (generated) identifier and nothing else that is unique to identify it (i.e. a specific class. font, color, etc). I've seen some sites doing that to make manually blocking a specific element impossible: with changing identifiers the block works only once. You have to go up the element tree to find a static identifier but that usually also blocks the 'good' content. It also means you can't have the button call a specific JavaScript function because that would identify it too.

I've seen some sites doing that to make manually blocking a specific element impossible: with changing identifiers the block works only once. You have to go up the element tree to find a static identifier but that usually also blocks the 'good' content.

Well, perhaps even then you could do a three walk, if that's constant, like (pseudocode):

This.parent.node[5].node[3].node[1]

Or if there's a few alternative locations where the element may or not exist, grab all and look what's not empty, or even run a pattern check.

I have regex a half dozen variables out of "condensed" dynamic javascript using single long variable name that couldn't change counting code structure elements out from that... and yes, that's hilarious nuts, but was more stable than I myself would have believed.

I doubt the bot bois will pay anything for their bot accounts.

And change the registration process so they can't automate it. They need hundreds of accounts to successfully download the complete site. Maybe turn back the higher download limit which would mean they need even more accounts. Using CAPTCHA for registration shouldn't be a problem, neither would having to respond with a confirmation email (and don't allow multiple accounts on the same email address).

It's been that way for a long time. Re-captcha, email address verification and one account per IP address per 24 hours.

Whoever was hitting the site hard has done a lot of manual work.

Ah, I don't remember exactly, it's been a long time since I registered myself :)
It does surprise me that they did put in all that manual work. You probably already checked if there's something reoccurring in the email addresses and/or ip's so you can block them.

One problem is that huge numbers of people are absolutely terrified of _anyone_ tracing their pleasure habits, no matter how innocuous. This makes it really difficult to get those people to provide money - because almost all easy to use, reliable ways to receive money end up with some way to identify the real person on the sending end. About the only way to do it is stuff like the old Green Dot "money" orders that can be bought with cash - or just sending cash in an envelope.

So you have people that would pay for it - but they don't want anyone to know that they're paying for it.

I didn't say the concerns were completely unfounded. Just that too many take it to paranoid extremes. An excellent example is the transgender community. Most of them haven't realized that the bulk of people beyond visual range just don't give two hoots in hell about anything but the numbers on the check, credit card, money order, whatever. If they want to hide, all they really have to do is turn off their phone, and drop their mail in a box at least 20 miles from home.

Just that too many take it to paranoid extremes.

Paranoia is the delusion that everyone is out to get you.

Just because you are paranoid, that isn't proof that no-one is out to get you. :)

If they're out to get you, you're not paranoid.

Again, no. Paranoia is the delusion that everyone is out to get you.

The mere fact that someone is out to get you is not proof that you are not paranoid.

I didn't say they had no reason to be concerned. I said that they took it to paranoid _extremes_.

Some seem to act like they're terrified that even the owner of the site they're purveying, supplying exactly what they're seeking, is going to sell them out to "The Man" (whatever evil empire(tm) they think is after them)

So you have people that would pay for it - but they don't want anyone to know that they're paying for it.

You pay the WLPC (World Literature Publishing Company), not SOL. Of course the WLPC is the parent company for multiple sites, where SOL is one of them. But on your bank statement it would look like you bought one or more books.

But on your bank statement it would look like you bought one or more books.

Or paid a vanity press to print your book.