PHP LINK Directory and its sucktastic verification code

I have come to accept verification codes. They are necessary and a way of life... but how come every time I come across a PHP Link Directory site I want to kill myself before I am done trying to guess the right code. And guessing it is what is required. I don't struggle or have a problem with 100s and 1000s of other verification codes, but every time I come across one of these directories it is a nightmare.

Potentially it has a lot to do with me being color-blind, but that is regardless, they suck, and they are unnecessarily difficult to use. They are no more safe from being botted than anyone else. So why does it have to be impossible to figure out?

Edit: This was triggered by a directory that is clearly not working after trying it 100 times.. But I still stand behind it, because I have had nothing but trouble with one specific directory and verification code. Nothing else has ever been a problem. So there..

Double Edit: Seems part of the problem is the horrible feedback it gives as well. If you have a a recipricoal link listed but don't check the box it just kicks it back with no response. And also if you have cookies turned off it rejects any code you enter as being invalid.

Just very user-unfriendly submission.

 

I would agree that for people who have some visual impairment or color blindness there should always be an alternative (i.e., a form to email the directory owner with the submission details). In defense of PHPLD, I think they are still working on that feature -- but yes, it does still need some work.

 

I have disabled it on mine, yes it is horrible.

 

I'm not using it on mine either. I think there are some font upgrades that are supposed to help but I haven't tried tham.

 

Being an open source project, we depend on the the help of others.
Help is always appreciated.

 

The hardest I've ever tried was msn passport, I'm colourblind too and just couldn't figure out what I should write. I then tried the audio file they had for download, but couldn't understand what it was saying.

 

I didn't mean to bash the directory project as a whole.. Just that verification issue.. And funny someone mentioned an alternative font, one of them was actually worse because it did things that made me have no idea what was a c, o, 0, d etc..

Anyways, I am not bashing the software, just a very specific aspect of it.

 

php link script is a good directory script except the verification code piece.

 

Im not colour blind but i just hated the way it looked myself...

 

I'll make sure improvements are made. I do appreciate the feedback.
Right now, we are having some issues with the WebSVN (change tracker), and it has caused a bit of a stall. Once we get that straightened out, I'll make this one a high priority.
Thanks,
David

 

It IS a good directory script. There are still a couple of bugs to be worked out in the latest release and not a lot of people to do the work but it's still a very good script -- judging by what the programmers have done with it to date, I've no doubt this is just a little dip in the road.

 

It's very valuable

 

dvduval,

in addition to the verification issue, there is also a small issue with the scripts cross-browser compatibility (Opera 7.54 is one browser that doesn't render the site correctly - the "submit link" row of links is not visible).

 

As a result of the popularity of the script, we have not been able to keep up with all of requests for support and mods. Right now, we have a problem with the version control (websvn), and are trying to repair that. Once that is complete, we will start prioritizing the requests. If anyone has experience with WebSVN or knows someone who has experience, please let me know.

 

I don't have sufficient expertise with PHP or Smarty to be able to contribute much to fixing the known bugs. I also think at some point you're going to have to decide on what are to be the basic features of the directory software and say, "Here is phpLD, version X"... and then let the users and the open source community create MODs for additional features. It seems to me as an observer at your support forum that too many people are saying, "I want this feature - make it for me" and that is perhaps distracting the development team from debugging some of the more basic features in the curent release (which is why I am still using RC4 - RC5.x is not yet a stable release from my observations). I'd like to see the team shift the focus to the basic features and away from enhancements.

Just my opinion, of course.

 

I have to agree with you Minstrel. This is one reason I've somewhat "stood back" to look as more of an outside observer in recent days. I'm trying continue to develop the best strategy, and I agree that mods need to be put on hold until we have a version that we calling final.

 

Yup. Get the stability and basic features out of the way first. Might be an idea to take note of all the enhancements others want then get to them once you've rolled out the vanilla version. Then you can work on the chocolate with sprinkles later.

It's a good looking script and obviously widely used and popular. Stick with it

 

dvduval,
I appreciate your time and efforts for keeping up very good free resource for us.

I will be installing your software script very soon on couple of websites + our portal (in my sig) very soon.

Warm Regards,

 

I coded my own directory so I didn't have to settle for less