This is a rant.
This is a rant because I want to comment on people’s blogs, but with the word verification the way that it is right now, if I show up on someone’s blog to leave a comment and I see this ---I am leaving, with no comment left behind me!
This morning I was posting a one word comment on someone’s blog. “BEAUTIFUL!” was all it was going to say. It was going to take me three tries to get the job done. I don’t have time for this.
For years now I have not required word verification on my posts and I accept ANONYMOUS COMMENTS! And just to let you know what kind of traffic comes through this blog? The other day I peeked just to see and I had over 30,000 page hits in one day.
NO SPAM comments appear on the blog because there are automatic spam filters.
You can do this too, and I’m going to show you how.
DO. IT. TODAY. This word verification thing is making me crazy!
I failed at this one.
ARE YOU SERIOUS!??
THIS IS SUCH A HUGE WASTE OF MY TIME!
You might not even KNOW you have word verification enabled. It seems to be a "default" setting when you sign up for blogger. So PLEASE CHECK IT!
In your dashboard, click on Settings. Now click on POSTS & COMMENTS.
Scroll down to where it says “Comment Moderation” and put “on posts older than 14 days.” That means if someone comments on an old post ((This is where spammers think they can get in the back door)) YOU have to approve of it being posted. If it is a spam comment…when it shows up in your email, you simply mark it as spam and it goes into your spam folder.
In the next section down, WORD VERIFICATION --- Check HECK NO! Seriously, you don’t need it! At the top right of the page click SAVE SETTINGS.
If someone sends spam, it is going to end up in your SPAM FILTER anyway. Did you know you have one?
From here, to see where your spam filter is….click on COMMENTS and from there you can delete them.
SIMPLE. And it's not tons of spam -- it's a few a week in that folder for me.
If it’s no problem for me with my traffic --- you should have the same ease that I do.
Just because a spam comment shows up in your inbox does not mean that it was posted to your blog either. Chances are it is in your SPAM FILTER waiting for you to flush it.
Do this. For me. Please? Because I don’t want to take 4 tries to leave a one word comment on your blog. And neither does anyone else.
THANK YOU!
138 comments:
I most wholeheartedly agree! I never put it on mine and I am happy that I didn't. I am not stupid or blind but I swear half the time I can't see the numbers at all or the letters are so crammed together that I can't begin to figure out. It if doesn't take my first try, I am outta there! :)
Bonnie, I too hate the verifications. Most of the time I cannot figure out if it's a v or u, m, n or r, or numerous other possibilities. I am like you and if I have to verify I'm not leaving a comment.
Now, could You please verify that YOU are not a robot and that I am commenting to the one and only Bonnie Hunter?? lol
I hate those things too... they never look right to me and one day I just gave up trying to do them. I'm checking my settings right now. Thanks!
Didn't know what this was or where it was, I'm new to this - but I've done it - I hate those bloomin' things myself. Thank you
I just wrote a post about this the other week!!!
http://amkreations.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-little-r.html
I was fairly good at the comments, initially...but something happened and I can't get them at all anymore...and yes, this was after 3 and even 4 tries!!! I HATE word verification and I do wish that people would turn it off! Thanks for sharing this with your followers...maybe some more bloggers will shut the stupid thing off. =)
Sorry for the rant. =)
Thank you for bringing this to light. I too hate it, can't read it, and often just give up.
I hate those too!! I'm feeling really dense at the moment as I cannot figure out the two words in your pics. I can see one word, but not 2!
Bless you, Bonnie...;~)
Thank you! I just had a word verification this morning and one of the words was symbol not represented on a keyboard. Really? That's impossible, and I just left. I'd rather lurk.
Thank you for doing this! I have given up even attempting to leave comments on blogs that have the word verification on because I haven't a hope of figuring out what those "words" are! They take all the fun out of blogging.
Half the time I can't read them and after a certain amount of time, I give up too. My old eyes just can't take it! Sigh.
I too hate those things. Many times I simply do not leave comments just because it takes to much time to leave them. Can't begin to count how many times I have typed out a comment only to delete it because I got tired of trying to figure out the word in the box.
Amen and Amen Again!
AMEN! You'd have to be a robot to read those 'words'!
I hate it too. Why are some of the words so smushed, and others aren't? I am surprised that I think I can actually read all the ones you posted!
Andrea
I am so with you here!!!!! I no longer leave comments when it is required either! I came to that conclusion after missing it one day 6 times before I got it! And I find the little snippet "Prove you're not a robot" almost insulting!
THANK YOU BONNIE!!!! I totally agree with you - thank you for the easy instructions! now ALL YOU OTHER BLOGGERS - GET WITH THE PROGRAM!!! whew - thanks again Bonnie! lol!
I wonder where they come up with these ways to irritate and confound our trying to comment? There is no Word Verification on my Blog and never will be. I'm with you Bonnie! Love the pic you used too.
It took me a while to figure out how to post to your blog (not something I would normally do) but if that verification had been there, I probably would have given up. Now I have to figure out how to read all the posts from a given day. I access your blog through Facebook (love the quilt cam!)yet when I click on a date, I can only get one of the postings.
If you have time to help me out: pollyg at juno dot com
Thanks!
Many have posted similar rantings, but yours will reach many more people. Thank You!!
I checked, (and changed,) mine. Thanks for the heads up. I didn't even realize my settings were the way they were.
Oh, thank you so much! I hope this changes some minds about that dang word verification annoyance. The numbers are a problem, too--sometimes they look like they were photographed through a fog in Victorian England.
Whoa, it took me a while to even find the settings but got it changed. I had not taken the time to read all of the stuff I should have before starting a blog. Don't we just learn and learn while we are quilting?
Thanks to everyone putting this out there. I don't have a blog but I love reading blogs and often want to comment as I so enjoy the creativity, inspiration and effort someone puts on their blog but usually I can't get past the word verification!
I turned mine off the other day and just set it to comment moderation. That verification is just nuts and I'm already nuts enough with adding to it!
Thank you. I recently really want to comment on a blog for a person I had seen in person. I gave up after 4 tries. Guess she doesn't need to know that I enjoyed the class and learned from her.
Thank you!! I have now changed my settings so others will not be driven crazy by trying to comment! I don't know how many times I've left a blog without a comment cuz I gave up trying to prove I'm not a robot!!
I agree totally - I turned off the verification right after Google started it - like you, sometimes I just don't comment because of the verification - can't read half of the words! Thank you for the rant!
Love your blog!!!!
HMMM>..I find this interesting because of this...I shut mine off last night and my email and spam filters were full of junk this morning. I know the word verification is annoying, I know it, but the spam for me is worse.
Ditto!!
I am not a robot but they certainly are....So where does that get us?
Bonnie thanks for keeping it simple.
does anybody really believe those things help anything in any way? My bank had them for a while, but thankfully it was a short while.
I am giving it a try Bonnie - turning off the word verification. Last time I tried I got so much spam of a kind that nearly made me sick to my stomach every morning when I opened my mail box.
Living life on the edge here :-)
AMEN!!!!!! What a great post I will be adding a link to your blog in The Daily News this evening. I think if there is any inconvenience at all in the posting of a comment it should be on the owner of the blog not the visitors. I simply have mine set to moderate every comment. Takes me minutes a few times a day and all is right with the world.
Hugs Nana
♥ My Crafting Channel ♥
Email Me
For those of you who blog using WordPress, take a few seconds to install the Akismet plug in and your spam comments will be instantly blocked.
So totally agree -- just tried 3 times to leave a comment on an authors page praising her book -- said I "read" the jumbled letters wrong each time. Three tries was enough -- so I am adopting your policy of skipping it when that happens.
So it's universal. WE ALL hate word verification. Yippee for removing it.
Hi Bonnie, Thankyou for your rant!!! I always have a terrible time when I have to type in those words as they are very hard to see. I usually quit and don't go back to the Blog. sscarlett@stny.rr.com
Hi Bonnie,
I AGREE!!!! It's a pain...
But sometimes Mr.Google just re-set your blog to it, I've heart.
xxx Doris
I'm reading this thinking that I completely agree with the rant, but it doesn't apply to my blog. But, I went in and checked and sure enough, those settings required the verification. Fixed that! Thanks so much for the step-by-step instructions.
Amen! I'm trying to do the Moda Blog Hop and I feel like I wasted the entire morning trying to comment on just three blogs. Ugh!
Yes, the email notifications show up in my inbox...but they are easy to click as "spam" and the time and frustration it saves my readers is well worth MY inconvenience of having them in my inbox...I clean the spam filter about once a week.
This is not for MY convenience -- it's for YOURS because I value your comments and the time it takes to leave them. Allowing the spam into my inbox and filter is worth it to me because of how easy it makes things for YOU.
YES!! I agree,.... I hate those things,...
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I thought I must be getting really old cause I can't seem to identify the word properly! I no longer leave comments either.
Lurking Linda
Thank you, Bonnie! I can't read the letters as they are ran together or blurred and it takes me several tries as well! Now I only hope other bloggers see this! Oh, and the majority of the Moda home town bloggers in the current give away have this "security" setting. What a pain!
Thanks, Bonnie, for your clear directions. I checked mine, and sure enough, I had it set for word verification. I didn't even know that it had been set for that. Well, now it doesn't. So, come on, leave me a comment ;-)
Linda in Southern Illinois
lequilts.blogspot.com
I wish, Blogger would stop this terrible verification. Blogger stops Spam automatic. I never used it for my blog and its open for all, also anonymes.
Thanks for your words.
Excuse my horrible english.
Greetings from Germany
Iris, a fan and reader of your books. Your newest is wonderful again.
I forgot, i hate it to have comments from Noreplyblogger.
Whats the problem to make an emailadress, only used for blogs?
I can not understand it.
Can I hear an AMEN SISTER. Thanks Bonnie for speaking for so many of us. I usually just give up because I almost never get those stupid word things.
Thank you Bonnie -- I hope you have some influence with our fellow quilting bloggers!
Thank you, Bonnie, for this information. I had word verification on as I guess this is the way the blog people set it up. I'm new to blogging and did not know about all these settings. I had never changed anything on it. I just recently found how to set the correct time zone! Thanks for helping out unknowing folks like me. I really appreciate it.
Thank you for your rant. I absolutely hate those things. I have an eye problem that makes normal text look wobbly. Those word verifications are even worse. They are completely illegible for someone with my problem. And trying to listen, I have no idea what is wanted! I try typing any of the words I hear and NONE of them are right. Thank you so very much for your rant. We should start a movement. Also, thank you for all your inspiration. I make quilts for shelter animals and I have gotten so, so many ideas from you. Keep them coming. I am amazed at all you get done and all your energy!
Raine >^,,^<
Did it! Thanks Bonnie!
I'm with you! I simply cannot read those things. At all. Ever. Hate them.
Me to :o)
I have to admit I mostly is a robot as I can`t read the words.
I love to comment.Thank you for a fine blog.
Ingrid
Samsø
Denmark
I hate those thing to! I actually added to my last post to double check that it was off :) It was. I have no idea how to tell if your a no reply blogger or not. I figure not since I get messages in my inbox from a blog I've commented on and they have replied to. It works :) I hope more people turn them off, thanks for the post on it!
Thanks, Bonnie, I had turned word verification off butnow added the modation for comments on pots 14+ days old. No spam yet, but you never know :-) My other comment issue is that sometimes I can't edit my comments when I type them on the iPad, if I try to click back on a typo it can't make any changes from then on except deleting the whole post (only thing I can do is backspace right up to it and retype, then I'm save). Do you know why???? THX!!
On something I go to they have a simple addition problem...EASY.
Really not fun when you are trying to answer for a giveaway and can't figure the word out.
thanks so much Bonnie. I appreciate being able to post as anonymous. What I don't understand is why they make deciphering the codes so hard! If I fail more than a couple times I won't leave a comment!
linda-kaye
I just wonder if there are people at blogger who actually can read them? I have no verification for a long time yet and no spam at all. And when a blog have this stupid verification form, I'm sorry but I skip my command, don't want to try it a dozen times.....So Bonnie I hope many people will follow your advise! Kind greetings from the Netherlands.
I AGREE! Sometimes the number is so tiny - the size of bacteria - I can't see what it is and I mess that up. Or the words are so slanted and squashed together I mess them up. I try once and if it doesn't work, I just move on.
I know, aren't some of them horrible? I sometimes guess and the stupid thing is sometimes your guess works! I think I turned my off, I need to go check.
Thank you for posting this--because you have many more readers than most of us and this word verification is leading most of us not to comment!
I think a lot of bloggers don't even know they have it on their blogs--they probably originally said "No!" or something stronger, and then blogger went back and changed their settings. It happened to me; it happened to other bloggers I know; and when I'm working on my blog I go back and check to be sure it hasn't been reset.
And I do have good eyes, but they were never meant to read all that distorted print!
So, thanks!
Thank you for addressing the word verification problem. I had about given up on the Moda Blog just because of this problem.
Between having to remember 5,000 different passwords (exageration on my part but seriously it is obnoxious) I couldn't agree with you more about the verification. This is BLOGGING people ... this is NOT life or death ....
Oooh, I was among the guilty ones -- but I didn't know it! I never tried to respond to one of my own posts. Thanks for the instructions as to where to go to make the changes. I did.
Nann, that's a great way to check if you have the stupid word verification issue -- try to reply to your own blog post...LOL!!
I use wordpress which also has a good spam filter built in and I still see bloggers in WP use crazy word verifications.
Nothing frustrates readers more than those capcha checkers.
I hope bloggers take your advice!
Oh my God! I had that and I didn't know. I did what you described and thanks a lot for the directions.
well, thank you!! i thought it was me not being able to see clearly. or maybe that i was a robot!
Guilty. Please pardon me . . . I am new to this and muddling through. I had no idea that blogger was doing that by default. Thanks for the pointers and I (think I) have corrected it on my very new blog! I also love the picture at the top of your post!
Thanks, Bonnie!!! had an awful hard time finding what I was supposed to change, I think I did it. I have gotten some comments and am sorry to put anyone through word verification, I really hate it. Thanks again, like I said I am new to this but everlearning. Ramona from Maine
Yeah! Thanks for getting the word out. I'm tempted to leave it as a comment on some blogs. I'm so sick of it and it is getting harder to read the gobbly gook.
THANK YOU! Maybe folks will be able to comment more easily now if we all use your advice.
You are so right Bonnie!!! I've had the verification on for years, but thanks to your reasoning and detailed directions, I no longer have it! :) Thanks. I hope all of your readers will do the same. It's especially hard to see them from an iphone screen.
Love from Indiana! ~bonnie
One of the blogs I read had a word verification which is okay if you don't complain about trying to enter a giveaway and not being able to see the the word verification characters.
Thanks Bonnie,
I really hope that all of your 3199 follower and every 510 of mine are all reading this post.
Liebe Grüße
Bente
in Germany
Thanks, Bonnie! You always teach me something new. I changed my settings.
I don't post or sign up anywhere that has the stupid word recognition verification. Who can read those things?
Great post Bonnie! I did a post/tutorial yesterday about the same thing as it is so frustrating to comment when someone has it turned on.
yes, yes, yes, yes!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I hate them, too, and often just give up in disgust after two or more tries. I love comments. I reply to comments if there is an email associated with the comment. I do not have word verification. It would make life a lot simpler if no one used it.
Hear, hear! Thank you for saying that --I thought I was just becoming an old grouch lately. Oh, I am? Well, even so, I don't like spam filters. In fact, my mail is so good about spam filters, I frequently find "real" comments in the spam.
Thank you for the tutorial. I checked and didn't even realize mine was set up this way! Now my friends who don't have blogs can leave me messages. Thanks again!
Oh Bonnie, I always enjoy your blog, but when you "tell it like it is" you make me laugh aloud! I LOVE outspoken people, life is too short to pussyfoot around all the time!
There are times I stuff it in and hold it in ---- and then when the time is right, I do blow like vesuvius! LOL!
Bonnie-thanks so much for this rant!!!!! Like you, it ALWAYS takes me multiple attempts to type the "work". It might be ok of "Verification" learned how to write legibly when "in school"!!!!! Don't make my try to type it if I can't read it!!!!!
The new version really stinks. I think eye doctors are sponsors. Drives me crazy.
Bonnie, did you know that when a person signs up for your email notification of blog posts, that they require a "word verification"? I' m sure you probably haven't signed up for your own notification, so you may not know. Thanks!
Have to agree with you on this one... If I want to comment and the funny words show up, I just forget about it!! My leaving a comment is not that important, but as a blogger it IS important to get comments!! I hope lost of people listen to you!
I'm with you, for sure!
And do you know when you comment, there is no email address visible for you? Noreply@blogger.com is one of the other things that drives me nuts!
Unfortunately the email notification thing is also owned by google and I have no way to change that.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I don't have a blog, but as a responder I hate word verification and like many others I have just quit leaving responses on blogs that require them.
I had no idea I had comment moderation on... thanks Bonnie!
Hate it hate it HATE IT!! Makes me crazy, and half the time I can't read the words. We used to make a game of the old word verification and try to think up definitions for the crazy words. This is no fun at all. Hurts my eyes to try.
Love, love, love this rant. I am SO with you on this! Even though I haven't published a blog yet, (I made one up, but haven't really posted to it), I went and checked the settings. By dingy, it had that stupid word verification on it. Not any more. Thanks so much for your directions!
Thank you for this great post Bonnie. I too am so discouraged to leave a comment with Word Verification. And did you know that many of the Designers who have blogs have WV!!! I like to leave comments, but like you said, it takes too much of my time. Especially when it takes 5 or 6 tries :-(
Noreplyblogger is often automatically put on a blog. Mine had it and I didn't even know it. Someone kindly left me a note to let me know, and I was able to change that in my settings. I suppose I'd better look to see if the verification setting on as well. I know I never purposely put that setting on my blog.
Thanks for telling me to check my spam. I just did, and I have 4 legitimate comments in there! (And no spam).
Totally agree. My vision isn't what it used to be. I can't read half of those goofy things.
When I have that turned off I still get spam sent to me :(
Amen.
Thanks for this--I didn't even know mine was doing that. I wish there were better directions on how to use blogger. My blog is fairly new and there are still so many things I don't know how to do.
Thank you. I changed the word verification, didn't know I could remove it. What would we do without you :)
Blogger or google made that switch to word verification when they made the other changes. I think many people don't even know they have it since then ... after all, how often do you comment on your own posts? My son changed mine for me but your instructions are helpful for others who might not have even known they had it.
I have read many people will not comment if the choice is word verification. Certainly it is more a test of determination than human ability.
I SO Agree with yoi! Hate those things...never can read them!
Amen! Very well put, Bonnie! I couldn't agree with you more.
Grace
Beautifully put! ;-)
i hate it, now AOL is doing it when you try to fwd a email
Nail on the head. I seem unable to prove that I'm not a robot! I love your rants. Keep um coming.
OK - my two cents. I disagree with the majority most of the time - and this is one of those times. If you don't like the word verification choice and/or can't read it - hit the little circle arrow thingy to the right of the box to "refresh" it and you will get another choice - if you don't like that one - hit it again - until you find one you like and/or can read - or not. The word verification is there for a reason - and if you don't want to respect my right to HAVE word verification and/or leave a comment on my blog - that's fine, too. - ;))
Like you, I had a rant about Word Verification just the other day too. I loathe it.
And I sure in hell don't have it!
Thanks for this post Bonnie I didn't realize that my blog was asking people for word verifivation.... Not any more, you can check me out and leave a comment , without any problems now ;) www.catequilter.blogspot.ca
I just did it. I don't think I ever say anything you would find important enough to comment about. LOL I do love your mysteries, but thanks goodness my hair is already white. LOL
Thank you Bonnie, I too didn't realize it was even there. I made it disappear! Thank you for the instructions, now I am verification free! Yea!
I will try this... but as a PHBB forum admin for more than 10 years, I've seen a LOT of spam messages get through elsewhere...
Thanks Bonnie! I changed my settings. Please see if it works for you?
http://baltimoregardenquilts.blogspot.com/2012/09/fussy-cut-roses-how-to.html
Thanks, Bonnie. I didn't know I had it either, but have changed my settings. :)
Got it. Done. Thanks for the instructions. Took less than 5 minutes. Lane
Hmmm... Thought I took care of that a while ago, but obviously I didn't. I, too, have stopped commenting because I fail every time at verifying obscure figures. Now it's gone off my blog too, and I apologize to those who have faced it on my blog!
I completely agree with you on this one! I have moderation on all comments because I have been hit with some rather bad spam. I, also, get to read all the comments on my email...of course I don't get nearly as many comments as you!
I changed my settings a while ago to get rid of that. Drives me crazy to keep trying to post my comment.
Bonnie you rock! I hate them too and didn't even realize mine defaulted to that! UGH, now it is off and you are welcome to come comment on me--quick! LOL!
I went through this the other day on a girlfriend's blog. It took me no less than 9 tries to make the comment go through. By #5 I was too invested to give up. So frustrating! I don't have it on mine, and wordpress is pretty good with spam. Only a few slip in, and I delete. No biggie.
i Hate it also too much trouble and time.
Amen and amen - I just did a post about this myself, lol, I can't read any of it, and I'm not leaving a comment on a blog that has it ANYMORE! I think we're all way too busy to put up with this!
Thank you for making this post. I have now removed it from my blog. Have noticed lately that I got less and less comments and I do not want to loose my blogfriends.
BRAVO...hate it especially on blog hops! It's just a comment not an FBI secret message that is being written. I just tell everyone to go set the "awaiting moderation" button and you are good to go!
Let's not also forget about the music settings on so many blogs. There is a place for religious music, rock & roll, country etc and it's not on our blogs.
I agree so completely. As soon as they started the 2 word identification, I took it off. I have the moderation on and that is enough for me!
Thanks...I turned my word verification off the other day and was immediately inundated with spam. But like you said, it was on old posts. I struggle with it too and hated that others may struggle on mine. I really appreciate the tip!
I happen to disagree with the majority here too. I may or may not have it turned on at my spot. I'll check but it will be MY decision if it remains off/on.
I have just as much trouble reading it sometimes with the first or even 2nd choice as the next person with these aging eyes. Occasionally I gripe about it too. Sometimes I smile about the funny combo of letters that pop up but I would never presume to tell/ask someone to take it down from THEIR blog. My blog, my choice of font, colors, off or on.
Come on, it only takes a couple seconds out of your life. Have we all become so impatient when things do not happen instantly?? You already found time to read the post or at least look at the pictures. If your comment/approval would mean that much to the person posting it, isn't that few seconds worth it?
Read or don't read, comment or don't comment. Fine by me. It is YOUR choice. I blog mainly for myself anyway as a form of writing a journal. Numbers do NOT drive what I do. If I can pass along something I have learned or inspire others, good. Bonnie and her legion of followers are not apt to visit my spot in bloggerland in the first place so no worries about that pesky verification.
Well said Bonnie. If you use a tablet to read blogs it is impossible to comment with word verification so I just don't :-(
Thank you so much for highlighting this and persuading some blogs I visit to turn it off. It was taking longer to verify than to write the comment. I was beginning to wonder if I was a robot afterall.
I AGREE!!!! I hate that freakin' word verification. After 5 or 6 tries, I just give up and don't comment. Bloggers should turn it off, if they want followers to comment on their posts.
Great rant Bonnie - and a lot of replies to agree!!
I wonder if My blog has that? I think I have it set to let people post if they have id's on other sites like google/wordpress/blogger - but that I have to approve the message if they are a newbie to posting with no id. Maybe If I sign out and look at my own blog I will see how its set up. I also hate word verification - I cant read the letters -- I feel bad for those who have to use audio - I have tired the audio and also cant understand what it is saying.
no-reply is a default on Google+ and there is no way to change it. I expect they will have to at some stage because it's driving lots of people nuts.
the picture of a number is one of the words. Looks like
12 sitedwev 4 kenuuc 44 truesou ???
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