>
> > The simple fact is that integration is
> It's impossible to block, because there's
> > no way for a service to determine a normal user query from a
> > WebCompass query (unless the WebCompass folks choose to do so, eh
> > Brian?)
> >
>
> Disagree. You can refuse to reply to any GET/POST etc that does not contain a USER-AGENT
> you like. Eg Reply straight in MOZILLA etc but ask interactive questions of other
> browsers. This would block these robots (unless they were going to spoof -- but what
> commercial product could do this on copyright grounds?)
Based on the number of agents *already* showing in my logs as
'Mozilla....(xzcxcxv;compatible;sdfsdf) - a lot of products. It has caused
me a fair amount of trouble having to progesssively modify my
browsercounter software to detect the spoofers.
Microsoft started this rather disturbing trend of user agents lying about
who they are - but they were most certainly not the last. Also - the
potential infringment is not copyright but trademark.
-- Benjamin Franz