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Question about rating systems
#1

[eluser]KeyStroke[/eluser]
Hi,

I'm implementing a rating system on my site. In my rating table in the database, I log the IP's of users when they vote on something so they don't vote twice. However, since IP's changed, I thought I might eventually prevent new people from voting even if they haven't voted before.

So, am I supposed to clear out the IP's in the rating table every now and then? if so, how often. If you have a better way for logging votes, please let me know as well.


Appreciate your help
#2

[eluser]nevsie[/eluser]
not 100% sure what you mean:
Quote:since IP’s changed

Do you mean since people do not always have a fixed IP address? Therefore, if they turn off their router and connect again with a different IP they could always vote again! And if another person came along and happened to have an Old IP from someone else who voted they cannot vote?

I am also not sure on your rating system, how long each rating period runs for, are they rating one thing or multiple? Are these people general public or register members?

Anyway... some ideas...
Use IP and other information such as browser type, number?
Take an email address when the rate something, use that as verification? You could always make sure they authorise the vote through sending an email out as well... This will not stop people with multiple email accounts, but stops fake email addresses.
Only allow members to vote - log their vote against their account with you...
etc. options endless really! but membership is the most logical i guess.
#3

[eluser]Tom Glover[/eluser]
Most ISP's do not offer Static IP's as standard, so the best way round this is to set a cookie on the pc and reference that to the IP, this will then mean if IP's change the person who get the IP that has already voted can still vote once.
#4

[eluser]nevsie[/eluser]
i did consider that, but if it was a public vote and people wanted to try beating the system and voting again. deleting a cookie would be very easy to do!! clear cache vote, clear cache vote, etc, etc, etc...
#5

[eluser]KeyStroke[/eluser]
Quote:Do you mean since people do not always have a fixed IP address? Therefore, if they turn off their router and connect again with a different IP they could always vote again! And if another person came along and happened to have an Old IP from someone else who voted they cannot vote?
Exactly!

and it's a public voting system where people vote on various items on the site, so I can't e-mail verification since they're supposed to vote on the fly.

What do you guys suggest?




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