Running community websites
.. is really a chore. I cannot imagine anyone would do this for pure satisfaction of creating something useful. While that's great.. and I enjoy helping others, it's the few jerks who chooose to make everyone around them miserable to compensate for their lack of a meaningful life that make it annoying.
This is where running your own server comes in handy.
(1) web server
RewriteCond %{REMOTE_HOST} 24.171.49.245
RewriteRule (.*) http://www.joke-archives.com/computers/howtogetalife.html [R,L]
(2) mail server
/^From:.scgower@charter.net/ REJECT This server does not accept e-mail from \
idiots, thanks for playing
Petty to do this? Probably.. Petty to post it in a weblog where I know it will be read by a lot of people and archived by google? Most definitely.
Does it feel great? Most certaintly..
Don't call a girl who knows unix a "cunt".
Comments
Sweetheart, some days you just make me smile. :)
Posted by: Christopher | September 4, 2004 06:35 PM
In case nobody has told you this lately, you rule.
:-)
-garrett
Posted by: Garrett | September 4, 2004 07:12 PM
Dang, and here I thought you were going to say something about websites for the running community.
Nice job, though. I'm filing this helpful hint, myself. I'm using your comment-spam mod_rewrite hack now, and it has done wonders for me in that regard.
(What did he think he was going to gain?)
Posted by: pjm | September 4, 2004 08:43 PM
:-)
No, it's not petty to do. Yes, it's petty to post about it. No, I'm not going to berate you. I've run a messageboard. I know your pain.
Occasionally, you just need that release of sticking it to someone just because you can, because you've been good and patient and level headed for such a long time that the jerks think you're simply lame and weak and have to decided to take advantage of it. Their painful surprise when they discover that patience runs out eventually is infinitely satisfying… particularly when you have the respect of your other regulars and they've have grown as tired of a jerk as yourself, so they cheer and holler when you bring down the hammer. Ahh…
Like pulling a thorn out of your flesh and feeling the sting subside.
Good riddance.
Posted by: Aristotle | September 4, 2004 09:52 PM
Considering what you could have done with his information, consider yourself a saint.
Posted by: Dimi | September 5, 2004 01:35 PM
I've created several websites that were solely for the benefit of others. And I've been screwed by other people on all of them. heh!
But, I find it even easier to ban someone.. every file sent has a PHP include file attached to the beginning. And it starts with a list of IP addresses to check for bans, at which point it spits out proper messages, and then aborts.
I find that easier than modifying the web server config.
Posted by: Eric | September 5, 2004 02:59 PM
Not petty, IMO...maybe you were too nice with the redirect though.
Depending on how strongly you felt about the message, you could have sent him here: http://www.mostannoyingwebpage.com/v1/index2.html
Click at your own risk, there's about 200 or so javascript popups there...
Posted by: jgs | September 5, 2004 11:56 PM
Lack of meaningful life..*logs into interface*..
I feel your pain..you don't want the numbers on people who write in demanding (mostly), where, what, and when they'll be getting their little discs-o-linux..
The sad part is, I maintain a policy (wrote the response interface too) that says we just dump em and go. No response..
Posted by: david | September 7, 2004 03:44 AM
Here's a bit of apache config that allows you to block whatever IPs you like. And you don't need to restart the server when you change blockip.txt.
blockip.txt:
1.2.3.4 bad
5.6.7.8 bad
Apache config stuff:
RewriteMap blockip txt:/path/to/list/blockip.txt
RewriteRule ^/ - [E=security_flag:${blockip:%{REMOTE_ADDR}|good}]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !^/blockedip.html
RewriteCond %{ENV:security_flag} ^bad$
RewriteRule ^/ - [F]
ErrorDocument 403 /blockedip.html
Posted by: Mike | September 7, 2004 09:51 AM
Nicely done. Very glad I stopped in to read today. :)
Posted by: pbw | September 7, 2004 03:48 PM
Hmmm. From searching scgower@charter.net it seems that he is Scott Gower - I wonder if his mom (or his daughter) knows he refers to women that way.
Posted by: Steve Friedl | September 8, 2004 10:08 AM
Why even allow the guy to fling packets at your webserver in the first place?
iptables -I INPUT 1 -s 24.171.49.245 -j DROP
Posted by: Mark | September 8, 2004 02:34 PM
Because it's more fun to redirect him to something funny and make him think I actually changed my site (he's not very bright).
Posted by: kasia | September 8, 2004 02:36 PM
Now that's even funnier. :)
Posted by: pbw | September 8, 2004 03:26 PM