# Message Board question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 1, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/message-board-question/333616 "2005-12-01T20:51:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grits\_and\_Hard\_Toast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Grits\_and\_Hard\_Toast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grits_and_Hard_Toast)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/message-board-question/333616/1 "2005-12-01T20:51:55Z")
I tried to do a search on this, but didn’t know what words to use and couldn’t find anything although I think it has been discussed here before. I oversee a message board. We recently had some strange messages pop up. A sentence would be quoted, and the reply to it would make no sense. Like if the sentence quoted said, “I went to Churchill Downs last week and had a great time.”, the response would be “Yes, I can see that might be possible.” I thought I read on here before about some type of program that finds message boards and puts an automated response to certain posts on them. Does anyone know what that is called, and where to find more information in it? I am not a computer person, I just oversee the board content-wise. I would like to give our webmaster some info about what this problem might be. Any help appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/message-board-question/333616/2 "2005-12-01T21:32:51Z")
I don’t know specifically what program would do this, but yes it’s possible and practical to write a program to do that. Does this board let users post without registering first? If so, that’s probably something that needs looked at. ---
**Author:** ![Grits\_and\_Hard\_Toast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Grits\_and\_Hard\_Toast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grits_and_Hard_Toast)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/message-board-question/333616/3 "2005-12-01T22:10:51Z")
Thanks control Z, Yes, right now we are set up you can post without registering. Whatever it was did register though. I have been to some websites that require someone who registers to type in a certain code. They said that was to prevent programs from automatically registering, only a real person can read the code. I guess I understand now why that is done. If I can find more out about this, and it will continue to be a problem, then I will have the registration process changed. That might be enough to stop it. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/message-board-question/333616/4 "2005-12-01T22:11:23Z")
Well, they would have to at least register for a Guest membership first. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/message-board-question/333616/5 "2005-12-02T00:08:57Z")
Yes, you’ll probably need to require registration. However, see if you can find out the IP addresses of whatever computer(s) are posting. If there are only a few, ban the IPs. That might fix the problem, at least for a while. Some boards can be set up to require an admin to approve all new memberships. If an automated program keeps trying to register it may flood the admin with a LOT of e-mail, but it will still keep the board clean. The typing a code thing can be very effective, but may or may not be easy to add to your particarly message board software. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Grits\_and\_Hard\_Toast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Grits\_and\_Hard\_Toast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grits_and_Hard_Toast)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/message-board-question/333616/6 "2005-12-02T16:59:04Z")
Thanks for your help. We’ll see if it continues to be a problem and make some changes if needed.