The new wiki does not currently work on SSL or Secured Socket Layer protected web sites. SSL sites are those that use the https: in the beginning, with an S for secure. These are sites that have purchased a special certificate which requires the owner of the site to verify specific personal information and gives a sense of security to the user that their information submitted and use of the site is in the hands of someone who will take care of it. Certificates can be purchased as a one off or can be bought in bulk for those who own more than one site. The cost can range anywhere from ten to one hundred dollars for each certificate, and only one certificate per site can be used. While this is currently the most effective way to avoid the Sidewiki comments on your site, it can be extremely cost prohibitive if you are in a position to protect several websites. There is also speculation on the web that Google is working to fix the bug that prevents use of sidewiki on their sites.

A code is available to add to your website that will kick off users who have a Google Toolbar installed. Webmasters need to install this code on all of their websites in order for it to work. When a visitor using Google Toolbar comes to your website they are directed immediately off to a page that instructs them to uninstall the bar in order to see the contents on the site. While this method is highly effective,  a site owners traffic is drawn away from the website and presented with uninstalling the toolbar which ultimately can distract them from returning once the task is complete. Those who do not want to deal with the hassle may choose to avoid the website altogether.

With the great demand for alternate solutions, programmers have developed Sidewiki blockers. The blocker uses a little javascript code which the webmaster can install on their site. When a visitor goes to a web page, the tool bar is unaffected and the Sidewiki is still visible to them. What does happen is if a user leaves a comment in the wiki panel it is only seen by the current visitor who left the comment and upon them leaving the page the comment is sandboxed or tossed off the page. This makes it impossible for visitors to carry on a conversation on the iframe, and makes comments left by competing business or spammers to be invisible all together. A blocker code can be purchased one time and used on as many sites as the webmaster chooses.

Only time will tell if this new message board will  become a smash hit with web users or just a tool used by spammers and competing business to destroy reputable brands on the web. Webmasters can now choose from these three solutions should they choose to not risk the great possibility of fallout from Sidewiki.

Click here for Swiki Blocker, a reusable Sidewiki blocker you can install on all your sites in seconds. You can find out more information on the possible dangers facing your unprotected websites at http://swikiblocker.info

Originally posted 2009-10-04 09:20:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter