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anonymous234

This isn't a big WTF but it's something I've been wondering for a long time already.

If you ever stumble upon a blog that allows commenting without signing up (they still exist), you will notice that 90% of the comment forms look like this:

Name (required), email (required), comment (obviously required), other fields.

So, what on earth is the point of requiring an email address? You don't have to click on any link to verify it, it's not apparently used for anything. There's no reason for me to enter a real email address there, even my "spam" address, unless I want to be notified of replies (and 98% of the time I don't). I have always used "asdf@asdfasdf.asd" and never gotten any problems.

I suppose it helps if you want to contact the person who made the comment, but why make it mandatory if you don't even bother confirming it?

PJH

Possible factor into detecting spam? http://support.primaryt.co.uk/knowledgebase/comments-email-required/

RaceProUK

Anti-spam measures and Gravatar ;)

PJH

@RaceProUK said:

and Gravatar

Ah - yes. Forgot about that - and that's probably the main reason.

Yamikuronue

A lot of the time they'll email you notifications when you get a reply. I think if it's set to moderated the mods can see the email before they approve the comment as well, but I'm not 100% on that.

Planar

@anonymous234 said:

I have always used "asdf@asdfasdf.asd" and never gotten any problems.

Don't do that, it might become a valid email address in the future. The only domain name that is guaranteed to be invalid is example.com. I always use nobody@example.com in such cases.

PleegWat

Or example.net, or example.org, or anything that ends in .invalid. Not sure of the status of example on other TLDs.

anonymous234

@Planar said:

Don't do that, it might become a valid email address in the future

That... really doesn't bother me much.

mott555

For maximum trolling, you should use barack.obama@whitehouse.gov

aliceif

Why not just use some X.400 address?

dstopia

I always assumed it was for email database harvesting potential.

HardwareGeek

Address never made public (but may be sold privately)

CoyneTheDup

I always thought the address was for blame.

Planar

I always assumed the address was for the NSA.

CoyneTheDup

@Planar said:

I always assumed the address was for the NSA.

class NSA implements Blame
class FBI implements Blame
class LocalPD implements Blame
class YourBoss implements Blame

...and that's why I say it is for Blame.