Remove non-functioning CAPTCHA’s from package.

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Mick
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Remove non-functioning CAPTCHA’s from package.

Post by Mick »

Remove all non-functioning CAPTCHA’s (GD CAPTCHA etc.) from the installation package.

Can I add "Allow use of FLASH BBCode tag in posts" to the list as Flash is now redundant.
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Re: Remove non-functioning CAPTCHA’s from package.

Post by RMcGirr83 »

And use what in their place when the forum is first setup?
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Re: Remove non-functioning CAPTCHA’s from package.

Post by WelshPaul »

To be fair, phpBB shouldn't bother using any CAPTCHA's when a forum is first setup. What's the point in having a feature or function operational if it serves no purpose?
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Re: Remove non-functioning CAPTCHA’s from package.

Post by HiFiKabin »

I have thought this for years. Having ANY CAPTCHA as a default implies that it is going to work, especially if you are a new user and know nothing about countering SPAM.

My 2c on how it should function?

Install the forum (as usual) get to the 'Delete the Install Directory' stage, click next and that takes you to 'Configure the CAPTCHA' with a link telling the user how to configure the inbuilt Q&A and a link to approved extensions.
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Re: Remove non-functioning CAPTCHA’s from package.

Post by AmigoJack »

RMcGirr83 wrote: Mon Dec 18, 2017 10:52 amAnd use what in their place when the forum is first setup?
They're not needed anyway when registrations are moderated and guest posting is nowhere allowed.

Apart from that ineffective ones are less a help but more a nuisance to real people. The support staff aboard always knows which CAPTCHAs are broken, yet a phpBB installation does neither give a warning, nor does the manual discourage using them. This is a big inconsistency either way.
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Re: Remove non-functioning CAPTCHA’s from package.

Post by _Vinny_ »

RMcGirr83 wrote: Mon Dec 18, 2017 10:52 am And use what in their place when the forum is first setup?
Already commented on area51 that should be part of the installation of an efficient CAPTCHA. It does not take 2 minutes to get a reCAPTCHA key.
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Re: Remove non-functioning CAPTCHA’s from package.

Post by Selective »

My first phpBB forum, got it hard with spam bots while I was using the CAPTCHA set up, and so I looked into CAPTCHA's to see why and how they were failing. Turns out that bots can just fly right past them and they do just about nothing to block spam bots.

What I changed it to and has worked ever since was using the Q&A option. Then whatever the answer is, it can't be anywhere on the website page, or be anything simple and easy as a number or a single short word, or else the spam bots can hack those also.

The last option is to block all bot access on the board, but then that means your board won't be crawled and indexed for search engines to find it.

The Q&A spambot countermeasure option should be default for new forum set ups.
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Re: Remove non-functioning CAPTCHA’s from package.

Post by david63 »

Selective wrote: Sat Jan 27, 2018 5:19 am The Q&A spambot countermeasure option should be default for new forum set ups.
And what would you use as a question/answer? If it was hard coded then every boy would know the answer in no time at all
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Re: Remove non-functioning CAPTCHA’s from package.

Post by Selective »

david63 wrote: Sat Jan 27, 2018 7:50 am
Selective wrote: Sat Jan 27, 2018 5:19 am The Q&A spambot countermeasure option should be default for new forum set ups.
And what would you use as a question/answer? If it was hard coded then every boy would know the answer in no time at all
You never used the Q&A option before? If you had, you would know that there is no hard coded questions or answers. You have to create them! So if it works or not is based on how clever someone can create their own questions and answers. Then the rules to follow, to make sure spam bots can't get past them, are very simple.
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Re: Remove non-functioning CAPTCHA’s from package.

Post by david63 »

Selective wrote: Sat Jan 27, 2018 7:58 am ou never used the Q&A option before?
Been using it for years - but how do you propose setting it as a "default". Many/most new users would not have the first idea as to what to use as a Q&A when installing a board and would therefore add a silly questio such as "What is 2+2?" which would be as useless as having no CAPTCHA at all.
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Re: Remove non-functioning CAPTCHA’s from package.

Post by Mick »

Unashamedly bumping this for 3.2.3.
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Re: Remove non-functioning CAPTCHA’s from package.

Post by Ger »

IMO, this should be part of the board installation. Just a simple block where you provide a question and answer(s) or (optionally) set your reCaptcha keys.
It can be omitted, resulting in no active CAPTCHA but there should be a warning of some kind to inform the admin that this is unwise. Also provide a link to a CAPTCHA FAQ.

The currently available image CAPTCHA's are useless anyway; it doesn't really stop anything so there is no point in keeping those.
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Re: Remove non-functioning CAPTCHA’s from package.

Post by Deactivated 1950056 »

Glad to see that this is in progress. :D Useless functions just take up space.
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Re: Remove non-functioning CAPTCHA’s from package.

Post by Mick »

Added "Allow use of FLASH BBCode tag in posts" to the list as Flash is now redundant.
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Re: Remove non-functioning CAPTCHA’s from package.

Post by [Dimetrodon] »

I will not miss the flash tag, but would it be good for it to be disabled in the ACP by default for all users as an intern measure?
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