Replies

As pointed out in this thread, William didn't use a web bug or underhanded method to gather posting history, that information is readily available on the pages we all see and can be extracted by hand given enough time.

Now, the idea of using a participant's contributions to FreeRepublic against him must be discouraged for the better of the site. A typical goal of a site is to grow participation. Misuse of such data could be detrimental to that goal. And while isolated cases wouldn't have this effect, widespread misuse would.

As for web bugs specifically, they're a problem on any open forum such as FreeRepublic. The best solution is to force all images to be hosted on FR. That means providing disk space and bandwidth for images and securing against several new avenues of attack such a system exposes. Other solutions include blacklisting known offenders--but that isn't secure, it would be better to whitelist know safe sites. I cannot detect when an image is being used as a bug, I would have to assume all images are possibly bugs. Which brings me to an end-user solution:

Block all images. All but maybe WebTV and those stuck with restricted environments allow you to configure the browser to prevent images from being downloaded. And sophisticated browsers are capable of blocking only third party images (those not hosted on the site you are currently reading.)

Other points:

Third party images don't use FR bandwidth or CPU time. We're merely hosting a link that tells your browser to download an image from some other site. The burden becomes someone else's--so please only link images on sites that explicitly permit such linking (paid hosting sites?) It's costing somebody money.
Adaware will not catch these things. But a personal firewall probably will. When configuring your firewall, look for something to do with blocking third party images. (Partially related are third party cookies--you should always disable these, there is no good in it.)
I cannot detect web bugs on FR. All third party images would have to be assumed to be web bugs.
I personally think apples, sabertooth tigers, snakes, and whatnot decorating posts are distracting. I'm thinking about opening a "header" and "footer" HTML area that will automatically bracket all posts with these personal decorations. (Some people like them, and they do add character to a post.) I would then provide a configuration option to allow others to disable this added fluff.
Play nice.
Be happy.

I personally think apples, sabertooth tigers, snakes, and whatnot decorating posts are distracting.

Ditto.

I'm thinking about opening a "header" and "footer" HTML area that will automatically bracket all posts with these personal decorations. (Some people like them, and they do add character to a post.) I would then provide a configuration option to allow others to disable this added fluff.

I'm for that, bigtime..

Play nice. Be happy.

Ahh, but its hard to be happy if you gotta play nice all the time.

When are you going to put in a bozo feature for all the Pollyanna's, John? -- They could filter out everyone/anything 'unpleasant', and leave the rest of us to our fun.

I personally think apples, sabertooth tigers, snakes, and whatnot decorating posts are distracting. I'm thinking about opening a "header" and "footer" HTML area that will automatically bracket all posts with these personal decorations. (Some people like them, and they do add character to a post.) I would then provide a configuration option to allow others to disable this added fluff.

I like this idea.

I personally think apples, sabertooth tigers, snakes, and whatnot decorating posts are distracting. I'm thinking about opening a "header" and "footer" HTML area that will automatically bracket all posts with these personal decorations. (Some people like them, and they do add character to a post.) I would then provide a configuration option to allow others to disable this added fluff.

Personally, I think that you have given room for a signature, and a place for a profile, and that that allows enough room for creativity and expression. If I want to see someone's creative side, I'll check their profile.

Additionally, I don't understand why anyone feels the need to place their nick at the end of their post, since that is automatically put on the post.

Play nice. Be happy. LOLOL

I personally think apples, sabertooth tigers, snakes, and whatnot decorating posts are distracting. I'm thinking about opening a "header" and "footer" HTML area that will automatically bracket all posts with these personal decorations. (Some people like them, and they do add character to a post.) I would then provide a configuration option to allow others to disable this added fluff.

Eh. To each their own.
I like avatars, and wish more on FR had them. Makes scrolling through posts, many of them fluffy and graphic-free, much easier.
It's no longer a DOS-based world, after all. Graphics are everywhere because they're more intuitive.
How about some software where I can create my own icons for posters who lack them? Now that would be fun.

All but maybe WebTV and those stuck with restricted environments allow you to configure the browser to prevent images from being downloaded. And sophisticated browsers are capable of blocking only third party images (those not hosted on the site you are currently reading.)

A better option, though I don't know which programs support it (IE in its default configuration does not) would be to eliminate most of the data from third-party GET requests (including the Referer: field and some bits of the last update time) except for sites to which the user authorized the transmission of such information. I don't want to go into a level of detail that would give anyone ideas, but someone who planted a web bug could easily identify the IP associated with any particular user (unless such blocking software was in use) and determine whenever that user viewed a 'tagged' post, even if the user changed IP addresses).

All third party images would have to be assumed to be web bugs

Thank you John, for your recognition and acknowledgement that all 3rd party images could be potential 'web-bugs'. I'm glad you are aware of this and no doubt will be watchful for it's abuse.

You and Jim run a great discussion site for Conservatives, and I'm happy to support you.

As for the completely separate, 2nd issue:

...I believe it was his intent to be intimidating,
to have a chilling effect, and to silence the competition.
This could be seen as abusive and wasteful of F.R.'s CPU time or bandwidth...

The information I want people to know about me is posted on my Profile page.
You'll note that my posting pattern is not there.

Although FR keeps track of all posters, I think you were out of line
to selectively single out people with whom you disagree and post
that information. Are you the type who tracks down publicly available
information on your neighbors (like divorce records) and publish that
information in the local newspapers? Hey, it's legal!

Thank you also Robert, for confirmation from another freeper, that those unrequested compilations, and surprise postings of other freepers' detailed posting-patterns feels abusive. I further felt it was a bullying and intimidating tactic EVEN to OTHERS who hadn't YET posted, but wanted to.

I find it ironic that the dishonest "legalize-all-drugs" crowd, for lack of a better title, are saying [Oh, those charts take so long, 20 minutes to generate, and they're not worth the effort ] but meanwhile they are giddy when one of their charts seems to show something potentially damaging of one of their critics.

And all the while they KNOW they've been soliciting help (posts 948, 949, 1015, 1016) for automating that task, to make it more simple and quick for them. Up until today, they didn't know how, but with the new tips, that's now their next challenge.

...using a participant's contributions to FreeRepublic against him must be discouraged for the better of the site. A typical goal of a site is to grow participation. Misuse of such data could be detrimental to that goal.

I appreciate and read John's remarks in post 33 as allowing for an 'abuse-button-offense' if those unrequested compilations of other peoples' posting-patterns continues.
Otherwise, John may end up having to reprogram the F.R site to take coutermeasures like stripping-out the time-of-day timestamps from all posts older than a day or so.

Thank you everyone, for helping to keep F.R. the Number ONE Conservative forum!

I'm thinking about opening a "header" and "footer" HTML area that will automatically bracket all posts with these personal decorations. (Some people like them, and they do add character to a post.) I would then provide a configuration option to allow others to disable this added fluff.

Thanks for all your work. The basic B/W of FR is what makes the words have to stand on their own. Allow those that which to post signatures to continue to do so, but please don't make that a standard feature. Thanks again.