Fun Forum Fact

[notion900]

174 of us are robots

 

[stratophile]

I think I'm one of them... Feels like it some days, anyway.

 

[RobertS26]

Little know fact is that robots must walk the last 300 kilometers in order to receive a Compostella.

 

[G_the_D]

Newbies are nervous to ask questions, even though we know the community will be kind....

 

[NicP]

I am curious to know what that means... it sounds intriguing!

 

[Coleen Clark]

174 of us are robots

View attachment 34047

Oil Can Oil Can
Oh wait. I think I'm supposed to be a flying monkey this time.
Never mind.

 

[Robo]

I am curious to know what that means... it sounds intriguing!

'Bots'. Basically it means they are automated programs that 'crawl' a website. Some are harmless and just gather information from the site. Like Google for example. (Did I really just say Google is harmless) Others not so harmless. Might be crawling the site to gather email addresses.

They are everywhere..........

If you click on the 'robot's' link you can see what they are. Search Engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, crawling the site to see what it's all about. Adsense checking on google adverts etc etc.

 

[Bradypus]

Oh wait. I think I'm supposed to be a flying monkey this time.
Never mind.

I think that the Emilio Estevez remake would have been so much better if he had included the flying monkeys...

 

[G_the_D]

I'm actually not a bot....

My comment is more about how people (myself included) just don't want to appear silly or uninformed in front of their peers, especially when we are new to the "tribe".

72 hours to go before I start the CF!

Gord

 

[Deleted member 36903]

Having looked at the data, some of the bots are targeting member's individual profiles - why?

 

[t2andreo]

That is one reason I chose NOT to use my true name as my user ID on the forum. As this forum is open to 'search-bots' from Google, Bing, Facebook etc., a general query in Google, Bing or Facebook typically brings up ALL your Forum activity to anyone.

I know that personal privacy has long since disappeared, but I see no reason to make it easier for those who might mine my data or statements and commercialize what I view as a personal relationship with my extended Camino family. Or, did I misunderstand our group affiliation and shared solidarity?

I respect Ivar's need to manage and use this data to monitor and manage the Forum. But, I do not want every commercial firm in cyberspace to be able to reach out and spam me.

I hope this helps..

 

[wayfarer]

I'm actually not a bot....

My comment is more about how people (myself included) just don't want to appear silly or uninformed in front of their peers, especially when we are new to the "tribe".

72 hours to go before I start the CF!

Gord

Not wishing to go off topic but do not ever be afraid to ask any question about anything on the forum, we were all where you are now once upon a time and we learned by asking.
Have a great Camino.
Buen Camino.

 

[Coleen Clark]

Years ago...when my boys were still teenagers...they decided to play a prank on me. They would put the word "spoons" about 10 times at the bottom of every e-mail, then change the font to white so I could not see it. I was just happy I received so many e-mails from them at the time I never suspected any other motives, until I was barraged by ads for spoons. Every time I opened my browser there was an ad for spoons. I didn't remember searching for spoons. I certainly didn't need spoons. And who sells spoons only? I mean, is it a specialty field or something?
I got them back after I figured it out (took two months).
I began putting the words "poodle skirt" and "go-go boots" in white in every e-mail I sent them.
To this day I still get ads for spoons.

 

[Rick M]

I'm actually not a bot....

My comment is more about how people (myself included) just don't want to appear silly or uninformed in front of their peers, especially when we are new to the "tribe".

72 hours to go before I start the CF!

Gord

For heaven's sake Gord, Out with it! Ask your question. Or send me a PM and maybe I can help........

 

[wayfarer]

Bots on Camino.

 

[Rick M]

I want to know where he got that hat! Tilley, you are soooooo history.

 

[alexwalker]

Robots are good for pilgrims. f.ex.: Searching for "santiago pilgrim" (without the quotes) The Pilgrim House of Nate & Faith is on search hit 11-20 in Google (page 2), and this forum is on hit 21-30 (page 3). Which makes them fairly good finds for future pilgrims. But they should try to work their ways up to the Top 10 result list But Nate must have done a good webjob. A challenge for Ivar to beat him, with a much bigger & older site...

Without robot visits, it will mean that search engines do not see your website. Not good: MUCH fewer visitors.

Edit I: However, looking more closely at the OP's screenshot, it appears that out of 1017 people in here at that time, 174 were robots (good), 113 were members (good), 730 were guests (BAD): Convert them to (donating) members! Sales job to be done, Ivar!

Edit II: By saying sales job, I mean the following: This invaluable free access forum, that many oldtimers have become addicted to, as well as newbies who are able to collect a wealth of highly useful planning info from it, is of course depending on some form(s) of income in order to being able to exist. That is my point. Join it, support it, and feel good.

 

[alexwalker]

Ivar, is it possible to restrict the readability of the forum to registrered members only? The membership being free, of course, but in order to read, register?

 

[Robo]

Having looked at the data, some of the bots are targeting member's individual profiles - why?

Bots crawl every page on a website. I wouldn't be overly concerned about them...... As others have said, it's just one of the reasons to take care on the Internet with the data that you submit / share.

Without getting into technical detail, this is why if you own a website it is better to show your contact email as a clickable link using the word email or 'click for contact' or similar, rather than actually showing the email address in full. Bots crawl sites looking for email addresses to send you spam emails.

What is that great bit of advice? Don't put anything on the Internet that you are not happy to share with everyone.......forever.

 

[trecile]

Years ago...when my boys were still teenagers...they decided to play a prank on me. They would put the word "spoons" about 10 times at the bottom of every e-mail, then change the font to white so I could not see it. I was just happy I received so many e-mails from them at the time I never suspected any other motives, until I was barraged by ads for spoons. Every time I opened my browser there was an ad for spoons. I didn't remember searching for spoons. I certainly didn't need spoons. And who sells spoons only? I mean, is it a specialty field or something?
I got them back after I figured it out (took two months).
I began putting the words "poodle skirt" and "go-go boots" in white in every e-mail I sent them.
To this day I still get ads for spoons.

It must have been fun growing up in your household.

 

[G_the_D]

I have actually found answers to questions i didn't know I had just by lurking and following some of the fascinating threads.

Right now I am trying to fix an issue with non chip prepaid cards thanks to the info on this forum.

I owe you all a debt of gratitude. Without this forum and the posters herein, my Camino would be more stressful than it need be, or should be.

Warmest regards all!
Gord

Buen Camino

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Without getting into technical detail, this is why if you own a website it is better to show your contact email as a clickable link using the word email or 'click for contact' or similar, rather than actually showing the email address in full. Bots crawl sites looking for email addresses to send you spam emails.

Won't help. Bots looking for email addresses know this trick and others and look for the HTML code that isn't displayed (and probably java script and certainly text that looks like me at example dot com.

I've even written a bit of code that I can run on a page to grab the id code of an embedded youtube video to turn it into a clickable link to the youtube website. The id code is not visible on the page.

 

[Robo]

I've even written a bit of code that I can run on a page to grab the id code of an embedded youtube video to turn it into a clickable link to the youtube website. The id code is not visible on the page.

So you're the culprit

Maybe let's leave it at.

What is that great bit of advice? Don't put anything on the Internet that you are not happy to share with everyone.......forever.

 

[alexwalker]

Without getting into technical detail, this is why if you own a website it is better to show your contact email as a clickable link using the word email or 'click for contact' or similar, rather than actually showing the email address in full.

Not recommended. Spam robots will easily read it. Links are clear text.

 

[alexwalker]

I have actually found answers to questions i didn't know I had just by lurking and following some of the fascinating threads.

I owe you all a debt of gratitude. Without this forum and the posters herein, my Camino would be more stressful than it need be, or should be.

Warmest regards all!
Gord

Buen Camino

Happy for you, seriously. How about supporting us all with a small donation? For the benefit of all of us, I mean?

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/account/upgrades
.
.

 

[G_the_D]

Happy for you, seriously. How about supporting us all with a small donation? For the benefit of all of us, I mean?

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/account/upgrades
.
.

Already done! This resource is too valuable not to support.

Gord

 

[alexwalker]

Already done! This resource is too valuable not to support.

Gord

What a remarkably intelligent creature that has arrived in our flock! Thank you soo much!

Seriously, though: You are absolutely correct: So many people have so many questions and anxieties before their first caminos; they are all solved here. And so many oldtimers (me included) now and then have the need for crying out their longings back to the Way. This is the place. Easy to enable and support with a small yearly donation.

 

[Coleen Clark]

Gord! Congratulations! You are now part of our secret gang. Initiation is the secret handshake and buying everyone from the Forum a vino tinto when you see them.
You will get so much information, and reliable comments about the Albergues and restaurants and trails that is well worth your donation!
So dig in. Get into the discussion on bag weights, reservations and footwear, but don't miss the wonderful insightful posts of pilgrims too, the veteran members that guide you not only by foot but by heart.
And let the people you will leave behind as you walk know about this site. It will be a way of explaining to them what the Camino is about, so they understand your call to walk.
Buen Camino little Brother!

 

[alexwalker]

Gord! Congratulations! You are now part of our secret gang. Initiation is the secret handshake and buying everyone from the Forum a vino tinto when you see them.
You will get so much information, and reliable comments about the Albergues and restaurants and trails that is well worth your donation!
So dig in. Get into the discussion on bag weights, reservations and footwear, but don't miss the wonderful insightful posts of pilgrims too, the veteran members that guide you not only by foot but by heart.
And let the people you will leave behind as you walk know about this site. It will be a way of explaining to them what the Camino is about, so they understand your call to walk.
Buen Camino little Brother!

Indeed. It is very important that, in certain circumstanses, we see the importance and value of our support of some things like this, that really matters, and our physical action towards that. I salute you and your likes, Gord, @G_the_D , and hope to meet you and buy you a glass of good Rioja somewhere on the Way! This forum is a relief to both newbies and oldtimers: In a short time you will be an oldtimer yourself.

 

[G_the_D]

Anyone who meets me along the way, I will be happy to share a nice bottle of the local tinto.

I'll try to keep up on the forum as I go, hope to see some of you along the way. (Goatee is gone for now but will be returning as I walk...)

Buen Camino

G

 

[natefaith]

Robots are good for pilgrims. f.ex.: Searching for "santiago pilgrim" (without the quotes) The Pilgrim House of Nate & Faith is on search hit 11-20 in Google (page 2), and this forum is on hit 21-30 (page 3). Which makes them fairly good finds for future pilgrims. But they should try to work their ways up to the Top 10 result list But Nate must have done a good webjob. A challenge for Ivar to beat him, with a much bigger & older site...

Too funny, Alex! Maybe because we have "pilgrim" in our name and we're located in Santiago...? If you search for "Camino forum" I bet this site is at the top . But it may be something to work for, getting on to Google's page 1 instead of page 2. Let's see what happens. Now you've given us a new standard that we weren't even thinking about before.