Using SpamLookup and Akismet to Control Spam »
A subject came up today about writing a regular expression to block a particular text string in comments received by a Movable Type blog. If you aren't familiar, the Spam Lookup plugin gives you great power over the processing of comments (and trackbacks, if you happen to receive them) by parsing the content of your comments in order to help try and determine if the comment - or trackback - is spam prior to posting it to your live site.
Unfortunately, the problem with doing this is that it often requires writing a regular expression in order to do so. Regular expressions by their very nature don't have to be complex - but they certainly can be daunting for a beginner. There are many sites available to you, but I've found simply searching and then trial and error can often yield the best results. Perhaps starting with a tutorial is a good idea.
