[gray]

is there a latest best practice way to do this, or am i ok to use some javascript?

[smallbeer]

I don't think there's any way of stoping all the dirty harvesters. I either use javascript or encode the address with entities. I don't even know if one works better than the other, I just use the first one I find in my code dump.

[funkyprem]

if you're talking about having an email link on your page, then I don't think there's any way to stop the gits, as if there's a way for the browser to translate the link into something usable (i.e. even if using entity codes to mask it) it's not a lot of work for a bot to do the same conversion.

I've seen a few sites putting for example designer [at] talk.com as plain text on a page which obviously requires some work by the user to be able to use the address, but seems to be the method de jour to get around this.

[SeanMedia]

I use this wee javascript:

http://www.dynamicdrive.com/emailriddler/index.htm

[RichieH]

Love 'em or hate 'em (and I'm undecided), I usually just do a Contact Us form, take the user's input and email it server side, so email addresses aren't visible publically at all.

- Richard H

[Dusteh]

When a client demands email, I use this bit of javascript:

var username = "youremailname";
var hostname = "yourwebsite.com";
var linktext = username + "@" + hostname;
document.write("<a href=" + "mail" + "to:" + username +
"@" + hostname + ">" + linktext + "</a>")

Just shows nothing with javascript turned off... I can live with that.

[Mr Fred]

we need this as well.

well maybe - i'll let stick decide - he knows what hes on about.

[rYno]

I use this:
http://automaticlabs.com/products/enkoderform/

The Enkoder protects email addresses by converting them into encrypted JavaScript code, hiding them from email-harvesting robots while revealing them to real people.

[mathias]

What's the real reason for not giving emails on biz sites? Never heard of harvesters.

[pgo]

They're the bots that crawl the web looking for email addresses to send spam to.

[mathias]

ah. wankers!

Are they content sensitive somehow (like Google ads), or totally indescriminate?

[Scott]

heres a picture of one them in action:

[mathias]

Run out and take a shot of yer backyard real quick, just for me? heh, punk.

Seriously, though, I was wondering if they could parse through flash movies with HTML text?

[EngAdven]

Using forms is the best way althougth the ba......ds are starting to try to attack those now.
Replacing characters as below should also help if you have to put one on your site. It still works but should be better hidden from spiders

m&#x61;iltoto=info&#x40;mywebsite.co.uk&subject= Mail%20from%20

converting the smily back to : ? without the space

[bluesage]

With most websites, the contact information of the owner appears in the Whois information unless a Privacy Whois is possible, but certain domain names / domain registrars dont accept that.

So any spamming bot can search whois databases for emails too.

[pedge]

Originally Posted by Dusteh

When a client demands email, I use this bit of javascript:

var username = "youremailname";
var hostname = "yourwebsite.com";
var linktext = username + "@" + hostname;
document.write("<a href=" + "mail" + "to:" + username +
"@" + hostname + ">" + linktext + "</a>")

Just shows nothing with javascript turned off... I can live with that.

That's what we use - seems to do the trick too...

[chazthetic]

i'm starting to use the javascript trick, but bluesage is right.

[LadynRed]

I discovered the same script as Pedge.. works like a charm and I even figured out how to include a 'subject' for the email. I'm not a JS guru, I can do enough to get by

[gk]

A little something I put together. works in case the user has javascript disabled.

<a href="mailto:email(AT)yourdomain(DOT)com" id="emial">email(AT)yourdomain(DOT)com</a>
<script type="text/javascript">
<!--
function maleto(name,domain,id,inner){
		
	$elm=document.getElementById(id);
		
	var t1='mai';
	var t2='lto:';
	
	$elm.href=t1+t2+name+String.fromCharCode('64')+domain;
	
	if(inner)
	$elm.innerHTML=name+String.fromCharCode('64')+domain;
	
}
maleto('email','yourdomain.com','email',TRUE);

//-->
</script>

[ZackB]

i use pics