Re: Protecting e-mail addresses from spam

David,

I believe a pdf can be scanned for just about anything. I use Zoom Search to create a search DB and it reads all text.

Now, how likely is a spambot going to scan pdf's? Not very. IMO, it isn't worth their time as they rely on harvesting thousands of addresses, knowing that only a very minuscule percentage (probably less than 1 in 10,000) will reply.

FWIW, since I added a CAPTCHA to my forum, not a single spammer has tried to join.

Speaking of which, an article I read the other day tested the effectiveness of CAPTCHAs and the ability of a program to decipher them. Surprisingly, one used on an MS MVP site was reported as fairly easy to break, though it didn't look like it to me (it's based on levels on noise, type of font(s), slant of characters, etc.)

Mike

DavidF wrote:
You misinterpreted my reply. I said I *didn't* think you had a problem...I don't think the spambots crawl the pdf "image" for text...ie, for email addresses. But you are asking a question that is best asked in an Adobe newsgroup...ask there if a pdf file can be scanned for emails. I really doubt it, but I could be wrong. Or Google it...

DavidF

"Billiam" <Billiam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:A67CEE46-88A1-44F7-BA10-A6E12F39CC28@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thanks for your reply, David. I have hundreds of e-mail addresses to "
protect "...I was really hoping that since i had a click here link to take
you to the page where the e-mails are listed that they would be
safe...obvioulsy i am wrong??? The other process seems too lengthy... Is
there a general standard for protecting people's e-mail addresses that you
could fill me in on as we are adding this feature shortly, but I got to
wondering if i should be doing more to protect against spam etc.
Bill
"DavidF" wrote:


I hoped someone else might jump in and answer your question, but in my
opinion I doubt you have a problem. If you want to take it another step,
then perhaps go to:
http://members.tripod.com/semper.fi/oelc/index.htm
Obfusticated Email Link Creator
Or google the subject...

DavidF

"Billiam" <Billiam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:FB00C98B-3FD1-42CA-B48F-71BB9B304E76@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I need advice on how to "protect" e-mail addresses from spam...I publish a
series of webpages in .pdf format (the links are not active as i am using
primopdf) which list an instructor's e-mail address. You need to first
click
on a link to get to the .pdf pages...is this enough of a seperation to
stop a
web harvesting of e-mail addresses?
Bill





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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Protecting e-mail addresses from spam
    ... From what I saw from google it appears that keywords such as ... newsgroup...ask there if a pdf file can be scanned for emails. ... wondering if i should be doing more to protect against spam etc. ... Obfusticated Email Link Creator ...
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  • Re: Protecting e-mail addresses from spam
    ... newsgroup...ask there if a pdf file can be scanned for emails. ... wondering if i should be doing more to protect against spam etc. ... Obfusticated Email Link Creator ... Or google the subject... ...
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  • Re: Protecting e-mail addresses from spam
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  • Re: Protecting e-mail addresses from spam
    ... "DavidF" wrote: ... I believe a pdf can be scanned for just about anything. ... I use Zoom Search ... wondering if i should be doing more to protect against spam etc. ...
    (microsoft.public.publisher.webdesign)
  • Re: Protecting e-mail addresses from spam
    ... I believe a pdf can be scanned for just about anything. ... wondering if i should be doing more to protect against spam etc. ... Obfusticated Email Link Creator ... Or google the subject... ...
    (microsoft.public.publisher.webdesign)
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