[RESOLVED] Hiding Email Address

[HanneSThEGreaT]

Hello everyone!

I've got a very basic site design, mainly because of my students. the reason why I mention this, is that I don't want something overly complicated for my audience to see.

Back to the question.
On my site, I have been stupid enough to display an email address for queries, now, the volume of junk mail ( spam ) has increased and increased, and I'm sure it is because of this.

So, I was thinking about an idea, which I hope you guys can confirm that it is indeed worthwhile implementing or not or a different approach.

I was thinking to not writing the email address as part of the Body text, but, instead show an image containing the email address. Fine, but I still need people to actually mail us, hence, enable the picture to have a mailto link. So, by doing that I still need the email address as part of the link. To make it a bit less obvious, I decided to use JavaScript to concatenate parts of the email address, then, use the variable containing the email address in the mailto link.

Is this a good approach or not ¿

[Alsvha]

I'm actually conducting an "experiment" on my own page to see the effectiveness of an e-mail obfuscation where I use JavaScript and have a function which defuscates the e-mail. That way I don't even have a mailto link or href with the message in the body text. It is all build javascript-wise.

Basically- using javascript to concatenate the e-mail string in a manner which makes it "uncrawlable" and only having it for grasp in a screen grapper sort of functionality. It looks to be a solid enough method so far. But I have no numbers. I've used it on a couple of clients from work as well, and have not heard of problems from them, but as said I have no numbers to share other then my personal experience.

I doubt anything will prevent spam completely if your e-mail adress is visible in some form, because all it takes is one person to write it down and get it submitted to some spam list and then it goes from there, but it will reduce the amount or prolong the time.

The only safe way I know off will be to have the mail send via a server side form (user submits a form, server makes and sends the e-mail), but this of course will require mail-sending capabilities on the server. That way you can avoid even have the e-mail address visible.

[PeejAvery]

As mentioned, the server-side is the only way to make e-mail addresses hidden.

Using JavaScript, you can obfuscate (http://peejavery.com/coding/javascript/mailto.php) them though.

<script type="text/javascript">
function email(address) {
var url = "mailto:" + address.replace('91ndnasd7814na', '').replace('91snafbkasd6', '');
window.location = url;
}
</script>

<a href="javascript:email('some91snafbkasd6one@g91ndnasd7814namail.com')" class="link">E-mail Someone</a>

EDIT: There are plenty of php mailer (http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=php+mailer&btnG=Google+Search) examples out there too!

[HanneSThEGreaT]

Thanx for your inputs guys.
I'll see what I can do. :)

[HanneSThEGreaT]

OK, I did this :
<script type="text/javascript">
function HideMail(address) {
var url = "mailto:" + address.replace('91ndnasd7814na', '').replace('91snafbkasd6', '').replace('6dsakbfans87', '').replace('an5326gfandht87','') + "?subject=Website Query";
window.location = url;
}
</script>

Then called this like :
<a href="javascript:HideMail('sd91snafbkasd6omeone@91ndnasd7814nadomain1-6dsakbfans87domain2.can5326gfandht87om')" class="link"><img border="0" src="images/HideEmail.png" width="144" height="18"></a>
It works beautifully. Just note, here I didn't use the email address in question ( just changed in post quickly ).

Now, is it it possible, to not display this cypher text on the browser's status bar, but instead "Email Us" ¿

I tried :
<a href="javascript:HideMail('ad91snafbkasd6min@91ndnasd7814nancc-6dsakbfans87cla.can5326gfandht87om')" class="link" onMouseover="window.status='Email Us'"><img border="0" src="images/HideEmail.png" width="144" height="18"></a>

But, it's not working.
Have I done something stupid again ¿ :blush:

[KrisSimonis]

The best way to hide your email address is not to use it at all on your website, but instead make a form where people can post their question and such, and then post this to an asp page that emails the question to you via server side programming. That way, the email address will not be present at all on the website, saving you from all the evil spam.
All you need is a simple HTML page with the form which then posts to the asp page. in this page, you create a mail object, fill it up with your local mail relay, the message etc. send it off, and tell the student that he can wish his question a Bon Voyage.
You can probably even use classic ASP to make it. saving you all the hassle of a fullblown .NET project.

[PeejAvery]

When it comes to links, most browsers override the status. The ability to change it, completely depends on the browser.

Is your web server Linux or IIS hosted?

[HanneSThEGreaT]

Thanx for your inputs.
Yeah classic asp would have to with what I have currently. I'll have a look.

As long as I don't get that much spam, and don't have to spend weeks / days to implement this.

[HanneSThEGreaT]

When it comes to links, most browsers override the status. The ability to change it, completely depends on the browser.

Is your web server Linux or IIS hosted?
I belive it is IIS

[PeejAvery]

Well, then you are stuck with ASP. Honestly, it is worth the extra effort to get an on-page form e-mailer. I never put my address on my websites...but I use PHP to make my own e-mailers.

I would start by looking at Google's help (http://www.google.com/search?q=asp+form+email).

[HanneSThEGreaT]

OK, I thoroughly investigated all my available options, time, and resources and needs.

The thing is, I don't need a real form on my page, all I need is a simple way to contact us, as it is only one email address in question, and my audience are basically "dumb".

The ASP option sounds nice, but at this time, it was decided that there is not really a need for that. Which is sad, because I'd have like to see what I could come up with.

I did take the obfucation idea. Still, I display the address as a picture, but the link is made up of each character's hex value and some other jibberish.

At this time, this is all I can do.

I will indeed monitor the emails coming in more closely, and if it still doesn't work good enough, I'll go with the ASP option.

Thanx for all your inputs, I really appreciate them all :) :thumb: