Phoca Guestbook 
Version
1.4.5, 2.0.2 (last update on Feb 27, 2012)
Rating
Compatibility
Votes
Favoured
112
License
GPLv2 or later
Non-Commercial
Type
Views
307693
Date Added
14 November 2007
Requirements:
- Joomla! 1.5, Joomla! 1.6, Joomla! 1.7
Documentation
http://www.phoca.cz/documentation/category/3-phoca-guestbook-component
Demo (Joomla! 1.5):
http://www.phoca.cz/demo/
Demo Phoca Guestbook and Joomla! 1.6:
http://www.phoca.cz/joomlademo/phoca-guestbook
Trying to prevent from spam
http://www.phoca.cz/documents/3-phoca-guestbook-component/436-trying-to-prevent-from-spam
Images
Installation was easy and everything works except the "use global" setting in Menu » Main Menu » Phoca Guestbook » Parameters - Component.
It would be nice if Phoca came with a default guestbook already present after installation since it took me a while to understand that I had to create an empty guestbook to get started. I didn't get a useful error message, just 404 page not found.
None the less Phoca easliy beats the other guestbooks I've tried due to
- Simple installation
- Native Joomla 1.5 support
- Backend settings actually work
- Wide language support
Best regards Andreas Gaunitz
It would be nice if Phoca came with a default guestbook already present after installation since it took me a while to understand that I had to create an empty guestbook to get started. I didn't get a useful error message, just 404 page not found.
None the less Phoca easliy beats the other guestbooks I've tried due to
- Simple installation
- Native Joomla 1.5 support
- Backend settings actually work
- Wide language support
Best regards Andreas Gaunitz
Having read all the wonderful reviews I finally thought I'd found the answer to my guestbook problems in 1.5.x!! Installation was smooth, documentation is good. Used it for the first time - error with HTML purfifier - so I went on the forum and found lots of other users have the same problem. Support in forum replies that "..this is an external application used by Phoca Guestbook which protect the guestbook against internet attacks like XSS attacks...", "So I cannot say what can be wrong with the html purifier on your site" !!!! Very frustrating.... I'd give it miss until this issue is sorted out.
Owner's reply
Hi, check your server settings, if your server supports ctype functions (HTML purifier uses these functions - http://cz2.php.net/manual/en/ref.ctype.php )
BTW - with your "very poor" rating, you in effect say, I should not implement security functions. If I don't implement HTML purifier library, so the guestbook will work for all without any problems and Phoca Guestbook will not get "very poor" rating... BUT I SAY NO, I will implement every security library which can help users to protect their sites... So if e.g. HTML purifier have some problems on the server (e.g. no ctype functions are installed) it is still better to do changes on the server then not using it and waiting for possible future XSS attacks ... :-(
I had been going down the list of guest book extensions, installing and uninstalling one after the other. When I got to this one, I stopped. It not only installed smooth, but you can create more than one guest book. None of the other ones I saw can do this. I am extremely happy with it. THANKS!
The guestbook in it self is easy to install and has a nice and clean interface.
I would like to have a bit more css classes instead of the fixed styles that are part of it at the moment, hoping for it in the next release.
When it comes to the Captcha part it is not up to scratch.
The backend does it jobb well but the images produced are way to easy do "decode" probalby why some other people have complained.
Hoping for a better system i later releases?
I would like to have a bit more css classes instead of the fixed styles that are part of it at the moment, hoping for it in the next release.
When it comes to the Captcha part it is not up to scratch.
The backend does it jobb well but the images produced are way to easy do "decode" probalby why some other people have complained.
Hoping for a better system i later releases?
Owner's reply
Hi, try to use the combination of standard and math captcha
This is mi first review ever made. But I just have to say that this extension is really good, simple to install and use. I recommend it. The only thing that I think could make it even better is a textfield or select for a contry/city input. But I've just submited to feature request on the phoca's website.
PROS:
An easy to install and very useable guestbook. Any questions I had were were already asked and answered on the Phoca forum and it's nice to see that the developer is active on the forum and replies to queries.
CONS:
The only reason I didn't give this maximum points is that within two days of my guestbook going up I got a lot of spam and feedback from some (would be) posters (friends) complained it was initially difficult to understand what the math captcha was.
In summary, this is a good guestbook. I'll post my feedback to the developer and, as he seems to take great pride in his work, I'm sure the next version will be even better.
An easy to install and very useable guestbook. Any questions I had were were already asked and answered on the Phoca forum and it's nice to see that the developer is active on the forum and replies to queries.
CONS:
The only reason I didn't give this maximum points is that within two days of my guestbook going up I got a lot of spam and feedback from some (would be) posters (friends) complained it was initially difficult to understand what the math captcha was.
In summary, this is a good guestbook. I'll post my feedback to the developer and, as he seems to take great pride in his work, I'm sure the next version will be even better.
MODBOY's comments mirror my experience with this product.
Captcha does NOT work. My Guestbook is constantly under attack from spammers.
This product has potential, but because of the spam, I'll be removing Phoca Guestbook from my sites.
Captcha does NOT work. My Guestbook is constantly under attack from spammers.
This product has potential, but because of the spam, I'll be removing Phoca Guestbook from my sites.
Owner's reply
Hi, try to use set the Captcha settings (e.g. character) and or try to combine standard captcha and math captcha
The guest book is not bad although there are some bugs in the admin section but the Captcha totally don't work, after one week of installing this extension the guest book was loaded with spambot messages and i had to disable it.
Owner's reply
Hi, try to use set the Captcha settings (e.g. character) and or try to combine standard captcha and math captcha
Tested ALL guestbook extension here. My choise was Phoca because it's stable and has a very good documentation. As far as I know it is the only one you can choose font, border and background colours, so that it PERFECTLY integrates in every template.
I hope they'll add images link capability.
Great piece of software, higly recommended if you need a simple guestbook (or comment).
I hope they'll add images link capability.
Great piece of software, higly recommended if you need a simple guestbook (or comment).
Though I had to register the 3rd time for accessing parts of the SAME website (forum, dev and extensions on joomla.org) I finally did register to say THANK YOU for this component.
This guestbook is finally everything I was looking for. Simple, small, good looking,... simply perfect.
Thanks, i can highly recommend this component to everyone looking for a handsome guestbook.
This guestbook is finally everything I was looking for. Simple, small, good looking,... simply perfect.
Thanks, i can highly recommend this component to everyone looking for a handsome guestbook.
Nice Guestbook, simple and and working on Joomla 1.5
Very fast and helpfull support at there homepage
Very fast and helpfull support at there homepage
i translated the language files into danish.
waste of time when tryeing the book Capcha said vrong code tryede 7 different images.
i wish the capcha coud be disabled.
and nice if when , e.g email or other stuf in backend is set to not requierd. the email dont show up in frontend.
i ment the form box,
email [_____________]
or what it calls .
waste of time when tryeing the book Capcha said vrong code tryede 7 different images.
i wish the capcha coud be disabled.
and nice if when , e.g email or other stuf in backend is set to not requierd. the email dont show up in frontend.
i ment the form box,
email [_____________]
or what it calls .
Owner's reply
You can disable the CAPTCHA, you can select the CAPTCHA characters in CAPTCHA class:
- only upper characters
- only lower characters
- only numbers
... you can select e.g. only a, b, c, d ....
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