Comments on: EntreDrama: Ghost Droppers Or Not?

By: Auntie E

Auntie E — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 13:53:41 +0000

I do not know if my name was on that list. However I do drop on Martin and I physically visit every blog. Sometimes I do not leave a comment but I do read the new post. I read about the cache system and I do remember reading Martins Ghost post. I was confused because I did not understand what he meant since I did see the EC widget on his post. I do not know what the problem is or how bloggers can Ghost drop. but I have notice a decrease in my traffic. I hope bloggers will read this and know I do not ghost drop. do not even know how to do that.
Auntie E´s last blog ..Monday News-We’re on the road again.

By: David Tamayo

David Tamayo — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 04:49:31 +0000

Hi John, Thanks for your visit and the usual fantastic comment. Well at least this is behind us and on we go to yet new undiscovered territories. ;o) I did see the apology and posted about it today. Stop by and check it out if you have some time. Wow, what a furor. ;o)

By: David Tamayo

David Tamayo — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 04:36:19 +0000

Well all things come to an end. This too has come to pass. Please stop by my blog to see SFI’s take on the whole situation. ;o)

By: Hans

Hans — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 07:09:10 +0000

@Eli, the problem here is that EC is not a secure I-net community. If somebody ‘ghost drop’ on ‘ghost blogs’ that’s his or her problem. EC has to make this community secure. And ıf you refresh your blog every day with some nice content, you don’t need all this drops.
There are a lot of good blogs in EC. And everybody is dealing with one thing: how do I get attention. That some of ‘the accused’ used a sript or whatever…it’s not illegal.
90% of the blogs I drop on I read (once a week) and I never make it to the 300. THis dropping obsession takes too much time and energy. Start blogging and then start dropping and take people serious.And if I dont drop on you, that means; I dont have time or your blog is not worth (in my opinion). So simple is that.
Thanks for giving me the space to vent my anger!.)
Kindest
Hans A Dutch in Istanbul (the most exiting city in the world..)) I lived in Miami, London, Paris, Miami, Rome…and nothing beats Istanbul.)
Hans´s last blog ..Day Opening – February 13

By: Eli @ Business Sphere

Eli @ Business Sphere — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 02:39:22 +0000

I still maintain that Martin is right — right in the sense that there are or were ghost droppers and I can prove it. They had been dropping from the comfort of their sites using their script, with their drop list containing all the blogs’ avatars or images, with the word “Drop” and when you hit the button, your drop was registered on Entrecard and you were given credit for it.

Except that now, the Drop button was replaced with “Invalid”. I’ve seen three sites with that ghost dropper script. As a result of Martin’s (Cornyman) post, Entrecard took action and the problem was fixed.

But I have no comment as to the bloggers whom Cornyman has accused as ghost droppers. All I’m saying is that ghost droppers exist or has been existing and I’ve personally seen three sites with that script.
Eli @ Business Sphere´s last blog ..Kung Hei Fat Choy!

By: Don Andrews

Don Andrews — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 01:18:27 +0000

Wow . . .
Entregate

I saw something like this coming but I thought it would have happened a long time ago.

In the summer I came across a ghost script and actually tried it out but I didn’t like the idea of not going to the actual site so I didn’t go back.

When I drop on a site, I am usually logged into Blog Catalog, Mybloglog, Google Friend Connect and several other networks that show an avatar of visitors. I always gave that exposure more value (at least in my own mind) than the exposure I got from Entrecard but found that Entrecard was the best or quickest way to “open” or “surf” different sites to get my avatar out there on the other networks.

For the longest time I used the Entrebar Inbox but there were so many trojans re-directs, deleted blogs and other bad sites that I decided to make my own clean drop list – The Dropzone, http://ezee.ca/quickdrop.htm

It’s just a set of buttons that open pre-screened sites without all the problems that come with the Entrebar and it doesn’t strip out the drop button like the ghost scripts.

By: mike golch

mike golch — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 23:12:46 +0000

there alot of people that drop and run,this is true.I do take time to “smell the roses”but do not comment like I should.
mike golch´s last blog ..PRAYER REQUEST.

By: John

John — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:51:32 +0000

Thanks to everyone for joining the conversation and expressing your thoughtful responses. It is obvious that this whole subject really hit home with many in the Entrecard community. It is too bad that it takes an event like this to pull us all together. But any reason is a good reason as far as I’m concerned! It has been a wonderful experience to see so much interaction across multiple blogs and social networks.

It been REAL, it’s been FUN, but I for one am ready to move on. Truthfully, I wish I had never stepped in this virtual poo. A corny-quagmire, as it were. ( j/k Martin, no offense intended :^)

On a positive note, it looks as though Entrecard has finally taken the initial steps to get rid of the REAL cheaters. I think we can all agree, that’s a good thing. NOW, if they could only do something about the malicious scripts, trojans and virus’…hmmmm…

On that note, here are some links to useful FREE software, you may or may not be aware of:

AVG – Anti-virus
http://free.avg.com/us-en/homepage

Spybot – Anti Spyware
http://www.safer-networking.org/index2.html

Malwarebytes – Malicious software removal
http://www.malwarebytes.org/

Firefox – Safer browsing
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/

NoScript – Firefox addon – block malicious scripts
http://noscript.net/getit

If you have any questions about ANYTHING, contact me through Entrecard, Facebook or email me: john (at) ezgreatlife (dot) com

Thanks for stopping by and I’ll see you tomorrow!

John b

By: Don E. Chute

Don E. Chute — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 21:36:59 +0000

Whoooowwwweeeeee, John. Talk about time, droppin. It took me an hour just to get, from up there, to down here! Man-O-Man, I wish other topics, would generate this kind of BUZZZZZ. :>)

I have been all over the entrecard map, on this, and one of the nicest things I have gleaned, is that a lot of GOOD, will come from some, BAD.

From entrecard, wisein up, and fixin stuff, to Codepooba Aldon, developing, a real “valued droppers” list, you for teaching us it’s ok to say “oops” sometimes, and “Wonder Women”, Robyn, tossin a Aussie Match, on the whole deal. My Kudos, to all who contributed to this whole mess.
In regard, to the BAD. The only for sure, is God knows, who you are!

Peace.
Don E. Chute´s last blog ..A BUMPY RIDE 2.8.2K10

By: Man Over Board

Man Over Board — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 20:38:23 +0000

Thanks for your honesty John, I to was quick to react and you know my feelings on all of this I pretty much left them over at Corneyman’s in his last post. I feel as thou I am back in high school and some people are the “in” crowd while most of us are just wanna bees.

No need to investigate any further because really, what is done is done. It raised issues and anger, but in the end these really are just click farms as RE – Entrepod already explained.

How someone can build a script to tell how good a quality is the person visiting is really getting a bit out of hand in my opinion, because in all reality what is any of this have to do with blogging? I appreciate Aldon trying to come up with a good solution. But a solution to what? To see how long a person stays and how many pages they visit? If we put out better quality, then isn’t that the catalyst that will bring in readers? What happens to all the people that have no interest or idea about these programs, what will they get out of any of this. Is any of this post helping John bring in new readers? Maybe those who like to see a bunch of bloggers cast fingers.

If you want a program that tells you if the person stopping at your blog is of good quality, they can be easily found! They usually try and leave a comment. That’s how I judge, not that they leave one every time but when they have the time they do. That is quality and no analytic program needs to tell me that.

We write mainly for ourselves and hopefully the people that stop by come because they want to and see something that interests them. Not because they need to do a requirement in order to advertise on someone else’s blog. Which is what mainly all these programs are. Between dropping 300 on one program and another 50 to 100 on another and now yet another service has us doing the same without at least a requirement is pretty crazy if you ask me.

When are we suppose to write a post and one good enough for people who do not blog or are not part of these few services, who actually come to your blog to read and enjoy it?

Why do we have a blog in the first place?

I used these services like most all of us did, to make people aware we are out there. After a few months I would think the people that like your blog and have become friends or regulars will continue. The rest stop by simply to drop and go. These people in my opinion are not really the people that will stop by if you no longer had a widget for them to click.

I hope this all can ends with the solution of writing better content and not worrying so much about spending time clicking away to attract non quality traffic.
Man Over Board´s last blog ..Lighter Doesn’t Always Mean Fitter