cloak e-mail addresses! (Page 1 of 3)

huh?

look here, works fine:

http://www.synapse-audio.com/contact.php

yes, that's the problem - not all users are aware of the risk.

mindplay: Have a look at your page with JavaScript disabled. Approximately 6% of all Internet users have JavaScript disabled or are using browsers that do not support JavaScript.

Actually, it's more like 8%, but good point

How about using the <NOSCRIPT> tag together with the JavaScript, and display the e-mail address for those 6% without using "mailto:" - at least that way, everyone will see the e-mail address, only those few without JavaScript will have to manually copy the e-mail address into their mailer. Something like this:

<SCRIPT>
email='<A HREF="mail'+'to:'+'someone_at_somewhere.com">someone_at_somewhere.com</A>';
document.write(email.replace(/_at_/gi, '@'))
</SCRIPT> 
<NOSCRIPT>
<FONT>someone</FONT>@<FONT>somewhere</FONT>.com
</NOSCRIPT>

This should be safe against most harvesters, I bet for the most part they won't be clever enough to remove HTML code and decode numbered entities before parsing for e-mail addresses.

Additionally, you could HREF the e-mail address in the <NOSCRIPT> tag to the user's PROFILE page, and in a <NOSCRIPT> tag on the profile page, next to the e-mail address, you could put a short explanation like:

"This e-mail address could not be safely displayed as a link, because your browser does not support JavaScript - please select and copy the e-mail address into your e-mail application manually."

It's only a 92% perfect solution, but it's better than ignoring the fact that 50% of the world's e-mail is spam, isn't it?

The current solution is 100% perfect, yeah - for the spammers, not for the users.

Rather than looking for an argument to ignore the problem, I choose to look for solutions.

yes, about that - how about after you register, you get sent directly to the profile page? (or the activation link sends you there, depending on wether you have e-mail verification switched on) ... if people notice from the start that the profile page is there, they might bother filling it in?

yes, because it's not safe.

Well, it isn't a big deal. It's just that I feel value of that little extra safety and comfort is so small in comparison to what it does to the source in terms of readability and simplicity. I'll consider it.

What about the readability of the HTML source then? :D

that's maybe a bit overkill? it certainly will put considerable extra load on the server, having to generate and compress a GIF image every time an email address has to be displayed...

no, just render them when people register or change their email addys (not that often)

Using GD is out of the question. It not only puts strain on the server, it also makes the e-mail link "unclickable". I'm considering mindplay's suggestion. Just give me some time :)

I'd go for something closer to "publicly displayed at your own risk", but not with those words. Or maybe not. But it's definitely a good idea, some people ar not aware of "collectors".