A good tool for browser automation/client-side Web scripting
- by hardmath
I'm interested in adopting a tool/scripting language to automate some daily tasks connected with fighting forum spammers. A brief overview of these tasks: analyze new registrations and posts on a phpBB forum, and delete or deactivate spammers using a website/community that collects such spam reports.
Typically such automation is integrated into the phpBB installation itself, which certainly has its advantages. My approach has the advantage of independent operation, etc.
One way to think about this is in terms of browser automation. I've used iOpus iMacros for Firefox (the free version) in the past to respond to individual spammers, but current attacks are highly distributed. My "logic" for pigeonholing spammers vs. nonspammers seems beyond the easy reach of the free version of iMacros.
From a more technical perspective one can think about dispensing with the browser altogether and programming GET/POST requests directed to my forum and other Web-based resources.
I'm familiar with some scripting languages like Ruby and Lua, but I could be persuaded that a compiled application is better suited for these tasks. However in my experience the dynamic flexibility of interpreted environments is very useful in prototyping and debugging the application logic. So I'm leaning in the direction of scripting languages.
Among browsers I favor Firefox and Chrome. I use both Windows and Linux platforms, and if the tool can adapt to an Android platform, it would make a neat demonstration of skills, yes?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
