at vs @

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Winterchase

New Member
I've just been told that in order to keep the address from being harvested that it's best to make the return e-address read:

winterchase at hotmail.com

... rather than the usual.

Question: would this work as well:

winterchase @ hotmail.com

It's got spaces.
 

StephanieCordray

New Member
yes, that will work just as well... the spaces make it inoperable. it will have to be copied and pasted into an email and the spaces taken out before it's usable.
 

Winterchase

New Member
Tks

StephanieCordray said:
yes, that will work just as well... the spaces make it inoperable. it will have to be copied and pasted into an email and the spaces taken out before it's usable.

I'll give it a shot. Thanks.
 

StephanieCordray

New Member
ummm... the whole point of using the spaces between is to keep the spam bots from picking up the email addy... it doesn't work if you link your email addy into it as you have done. It just takes a click and up pops a new email window with your address filled in correctly. Remove the link and it will work fine.
 

Winterchase

New Member
Yes, but...

StephanieCordray said:
... Remove the link and it will work fine.

Unfortunantly, I can't. As a friend said, the page is up there, people find it, I have to take the licks as they come - and they're coming - and it's the price I have to pay for the business I'm in.
 

SiteExpress

New Member
Winterchase,

Why not just get rid of the link? You can still have your email address there, but just dont add the mailto: link. the only difference would be that someone would have to type your email address instead of just clicking on it. Actually, clicking on it only brings up and email client. A good percentage of people dont even use a desktop client. Many people use some sort of webmail, like yahoo or hotmail. If they want to email you, I doubt they will refuse to type your address in.
 

StephanieCordray

New Member
SiteExpress said:
Winterchase,

Why not just get rid of the link? You can still have your email address there, but just dont add the mailto: link. the only difference would be that someone would have to type your email address instead of just clicking on it. Actually, clicking on it only brings up and email client. A good percentage of people dont even use a desktop client. Many people use some sort of webmail, like yahoo or hotmail. If they want to email you, I doubt they will refuse to type your address in.

This is what I meant but I guess I didn't say it right.
 

WebDesignPro

New Member
You could also set up a contact page with a form that emails you the form results.
That way your email address is safely invisible on the server side.
 

Winterchase

New Member
I don't know

SiteExpress said:
Winterchase,

Why not just get rid of the link? You can still have your email address there, but just dont add the mailto: link. the only difference would be that someone would have to type your email address instead of just clicking on it. Actually, clicking on it only brings up and email client. A good percentage of people dont even use a desktop client. Many people use some sort of webmail, like yahoo or hotmail. If they want to email you, I doubt they will refuse to type your address in.

This I'd have to really think through, Site. My instincts say they would object to typing it in or at the least, they'd be annoyed. Then there's always the risk of misspelling the address, or forgetting it by the time they get switched over to OE.

My target audience, which only numbers around 7,000, world-wide, is not computer oriented, spelling isn't their strong suit and they're always in a big hurry.

Looking at loglines and script samples is something they have to do now and then, and since there's so many writers out there, if something catches their eye, it has to be quick and easy for them to reply or they'll move on.

It also means that the site must be memorable, that is make a lasting and favorable first impression - a delicate balance of business (content) and entertainment (graphics) and in this competitive industry, that's very hard to do.
 

Winterchase

New Member
Zoom

WebDesignPro said:
You could also set up a contact page with a form that emails you the form results.
That way your email address is safely invisible on the server side.

WebDesign, while your supportive interest in my education, and situation, is greatly appreciated, that went over my head like an F-16 going mock 2. :eek: Could you point me to an example?
 

StephanieCordray

New Member
Using Frontpage as you do... there is a pretty good help section on creating forms for websites... for any purpose you care to use them... if that helps.
 

SiteExpress

New Member
WC,

Here is a page with a contact form on it. It is a simple form to allow your visitors to fill in the blanks with their information and comments.

http://www.resqtraining.com/contact.htm

**Note** In order for the FrontPage forms to work, you have to have FrontPage extensions on your server.
 
Last edited:

StephanieCordray

New Member
SiteExpress said:
WC,

Here is a page with a contact form on it. It is a simple form to allow your visitors to fill in the blanks with their information and comments.

**Note** In order for the FrontPage forms to work, you have to have FrontPage extensions on your server.

Oh yeah... I forgot he didn't have Frontpage extensions... silly me... sigh!
 

DestinedToWin

New Member
email script

I use this Script at www.destinedtowin.org (at the bottom of that page)
<SCRIPT TYPE="text/javascript">
<!--
// protected email script by Joe Maller
// JavaScripts available at http://www.joemaller.com
// this script is free to use and distribute
// but please credit me and/or link to my site

emailE='destinedtowin.org'
emailE=('webmaster' + '@' + emailE)
document.write('<A href="mailto:' + emailE + '">' + emailE + '</a>')

//-->
</script>

<NOSCRIPT>
<em>Email address protected by JavaScript.<BR>
Please enable JavaScript to contact us.</em>
</NOSCRIPT>
 

Vaelor

New Member
In my experience, trying to foil spam harvester bots is about as effective as trying to repel mosquitos with deoderant. The fact is, if you have an active internet presence, you're going to get spam.

Every time you build a bigger mousetrap, somebody builds a bigger mouse. I've seen people out there go so far as to use something like "winterchase [at] hotmail [dot] com", which frankly I think is just getting obsessive. I mean sure, you might get one or two less spams a day by doing that, but how many legitimate and important business related emails are you missing in the process too?

The internet is becoming more and more automated each day... your site visitors want convenience, ease of use, automation, efficiency. If you're going to force them to open an email window, translate the contact details you've offered into an actual address, and manually type your email address into their email client, you'll find a lot of people just keep moving. The average internet user has an attention span of about 12 seconds - if you haven't got them by then, you've lost them forever.

Personally, I always use web based contact forms as has already been suggested here - not only is it more secure for your email address, but it ends up actually being even more automated and efficient than a hyperlink to your email address is, so it's a win-win. Failing that though, I say just forget about it - if you spend time in the sun, you're going to get a tan, and if you spend time on the internet, you're going to get a spam. It's just a fact of life. There are plenty of great spam filtering programs out there these days - don't risk missing out on legitimate real email just to try and get a few less spams.
 

xytor

New Member
If most of your clients are not computer-savvy, then having a mailto: link is a bad idea. Before I got gmail, I used yahoo and msn. Mailto links never worked and would just bring up a error dialogue box. That's how it is for most people.

However, you can rarely go wrong with a form. Most people have javascript and php, so I think it's the best way to go.
 

Vaelor

New Member
I try to avoid Javascript myself, since it's one of the first things a lot of people disable in web pages to avoid web nasties like popups and other such garbage. A good solid PHP based contact form is flawless though - that's all I use these days, and my clients love them.
 
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