[thelist] Using JavaScript for non-clickable email addresses

Jono ox4dboy at comcast.net
Tue Jan 25 16:10:43 CST 2005


I have used <noscript> but, as you know, if I put 
<noscript>name at domain.com</noscript> SPAM bots will take that just as 
easily as they will take just the plain address.  I am using a 
not-so-useful backup — <noscript>name(at)domain(dot)com</noscript> — 
which I am willing to bet, is not safe from all bots.  I was trying to 
avoid graphics, but it looks like that is the safest way.

My reason for doing this is that the client wants to put their email 
address below their contact information so that people know what the 
address is for a particular real estate community.  Then, on the same 
page, the client wants a Contact Us link that is clickable.  I 
questioned it too.  For now, I have to give them what they want.  Soon 
the entire contact process is being over hauled to be server side 
(using ASP ) so that it is SPAM proof, but until then I have to protect 
the addresses that are currently on the site.

Looks like I will use an image, but for the screen readers it is still 
a problem.  I can't put alt="name at domain.com" because that will get 
SPAM too.  If anyone has a better suggestion than an image, I'd love to 
hear it.

Thanks everyone, thus far, for all of your comments.


On Jan 25, 2005, at 4:51 PM, Maximillian Schwanekamp wrote:

> What's the reason for having them non-clickable?
>
> Christian Heilmann wrote:
>> You can do "clever" things with Javascript or text encoding, but you 
>> punish  your visitors that way.
>
> Not necessarily.  Judicious use of <noscript> could provide a link a 
> contact form or something of that sort.


More information about the thelist mailing list