Reader Tip: +2 to Porn Hacking

Like any self-respecting geek, I enjoy spending my free time live action roleplaying for hours on end. Currently I am refining a level 23 Half-Elf, Half-Halfling Wizard/Warrior name Krag'Agh Mugleheimer that has one killer magic missile, let me tell you.

But enough about that, because Porn Hacks reader ChiPHEaD sends me a tip about a different kind of role playing that's much more exciting than my magic missile.

You see, a lot of tasty (but password protected) image galleries and message boards out there let a certain very exclusive person inside without a password. Who is this person? Why, Google of course! Why? Well, if they let Google in, then Google will index all their content so that people can find it, but not actually get to it unless they sign up.

A lot of message board systems do this, and as you may or may not know, image posting message boards are a dime a dozen. (Hint: "Invision Power Board")

So, if we can role play as Google, then we are in! Ladies and gentlemen, draw your mighty broadsword of web hacking!

1. First, download the User Agent Switcher extension for Firefox and install that mofo. (OK, so I realize some of you may not be browsing with Firefox. If you aren't, then you're either using something better (a.k.a. not IE), or are a dumbass. If it's the latter, then you should use Firefox because... gah, ugh. Goddamn it. Get Firefox for gods sake.)
   
2. After you restart Firefox, goto Tools > Extensions, click on "User Agent Switcher" and bring up its preferences (usually done by clicking the preferences button near the bottom of the extension list).
   
3. In the User Agents section of the preferences hit the Add... button and add a new user agent with the Description of:
   
   Googlebot 2.1 (New version)
   
   And the User Agent of:
   
   Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; Googlebot/2.1; +http://www.google.com/bot.html)
   
   That's it. You can leave everything else blank.
   
4. Finally, browse to a password protected area, go to Tools > User Agent Switcher and select Googlebot 2.1 (New version), and then reload the page. If it's a message board that lets Google in, then you're in too! Role-playing rules!
   

And with that, my friends, I think you can safely put a few points into your Porn Hacking skill.

Thanks ChiPHeaD! Got a tip? Well write me, fool!