This blog is produced using Hugo, a snazzy piece of software that allows you to create static web sites that look and feel like they’re dynamic. The obvious plus is that I can run my website on a tiny AWS VM, but the downside is that extra features, like comments, need some form of external dynamic code. I chose to use Staticman which creates a GitHub PR for each comment, removing the need for a database and giving me the opportunity to review each comment before it’s posted, thus keeping spam from making it to my site.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t keep spam from making it to me. Since I migrated from WordPress two and a half years ago, I’ve had 484 comments. Of those comments, 29 were not spam (and that’s including 10 comments which were my responses). The other 455 were spam. In the last year, there were 145 comments, exactly three of which were not spam.

With those numbers, I don’t think there’s much point in keeping comments on this blog, so I’m removing the ability to post comments effective immediately. I’m still reachable at my email address and will happily respond to any questions, comments, criticisms and insults. If you would like me to publish your comment, make it clear in the email and I will publish it using the same framework that I use to show the old comments.

Needless to say, this invitation does not extend to those who would like to sell me their marketing packages (“We will selflessly spam others on your behalf!”), SEO packages (“We’re so much smarterer than the Goggles and will trixz them into putting ur pagez firs1”), payday loans (“Low interest rates of 0.5%¹! We can’t be beat!²”) and cheap Viagra (“What could possibly go wrong?”).

Spam by Cypher789