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Post by Van Plexico on Jun 6, 2006 18:10:44 GMT -5
Given the increasing level of spamming we're getting here, I'm going to have to make a change.
Soon, everyone will have to log on to this Board to access it.
I hate that-- I liked people being able to come by and visit in passing, and only join if they liked what they saw-- and I hate putting you folks to the trouble of having to log in. Though I think most of you do so, anyway.
But deleting post after post about porn and whatnot is just tiresome. Especially when I consider I might be busy for several days, here and there, and what I'd see when I came back.
So, I'm making that change in the next couple of days. I'll wait till then, in case anyone would like to make the case for why I shouldn't. I may well be overlooking something. Thoughts?
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Post by The Night Phantom on Jun 6, 2006 18:26:37 GMT -5
I lurked here for a few weeks before registering and posting. I would not have registered without first seeing what kind of community I was joining.
Can you require registration/login for posting but still permit unregistered guests to read?
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Post by Van Plexico on Jun 6, 2006 18:37:18 GMT -5
Apparently not. *sigh* I was hoping there was at least a feature that required "real human beings" to type in a few letters, as on some other sites. That screens out the automated spam systems, I think. But I couldn't find such a thing. Hey, if the porn spam isn't bothering anyone else, *shrug*....
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Post by Shiryu on Jun 7, 2006 6:10:49 GMT -5
I completely agree that the "registration act" ( ) is necessary, I even suggested it yesterday in a spam filled post (and my message was quickly submerged by more spam). I'm sorry to hear that registering will be needed for reading as well though, usually there is an option so that everyone can read but only registered users can post. Having to register even to read may decrease the number of new "real" members. Isn't there any "anti spam" option in the control panel of the forum ?
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Post by The Night Phantom on Jun 7, 2006 21:48:09 GMT -5
On ProBoards’ own support forum, I’ve found a technique that purportedly thwarts spambots using the method Van mentioned (requiring entry of a randomized code). However, the technique relies on a JavaScript add-on; I don’t know, but it seems that a spambot might disregard all JavaScript anyway and therefore defeat this technique without even trying. Like Shiryu, I’m nonplussed that the ProBoards software would not include settings like allowing guests to read but not to post; such a configuration seems like a rather obvious and relatively painless feature that would be widely desired. Indeed, I assumed it was the norm when I first visited here as a guest. I’m no expert on ProBoards. At the moment, the best solution that I can see would be a hairy beast to implement. It would be for Van to go ahead with restricting access to registrants, creating a Guest account with some secret password, then hosting (on his own site) some sort of behind-the-scenes server program that visitors could use to gain limited viewing access via the Guest account (which the program itself would log into, serving abridged pages to visitors). Ugh! Surely there must be some easier way that satisfies the different interests that have been voiced here. If I think or learn of anything, I’ll give a holler.
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Post by Shiryu on Jun 8, 2006 6:26:15 GMT -5
May be you could elect a couple of moderators among those who are here almost every day, whose purpose would solely be to delete the spam posts. It's a bit of a temporary solution (they dirty, we clean kind of thing) but it would be much easier for three people to keep the forum clean than just for one (especially when one of them is away).
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Post by Black Knight on Jun 8, 2006 7:40:44 GMT -5
May be you could elect a couple of moderators among those who are here almost every day, whose purpose would solely be to delete the spam posts. It's a bit of a temporary solution (they dirty, we clean kind of thing) but it would be much easier for three people to keep the forum clean than just for one (especially when one of them is away). I agree with this, adding two moderators to this board, to help clean up and hopefully help bring in more people would be a great idea.
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Post by Van Plexico on Jun 8, 2006 10:13:27 GMT -5
I am considering adding at least one more moderator. More on this later. (Only my experience and lessons learned with MV-1 gives me pause, not anyone here.) In the meantime, here is an example of aboard hosted on this service with the "login" feature enabled (unlike AA). plmii.proboards38.com/index.cgi
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Post by Black Knight on Jun 8, 2006 11:53:34 GMT -5
I think I favor the idea of moderators, I know there can be problems with that, as I have ran into some mods, who got me banned from a site because they didn't like my opinion, not because I broke any rules.
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Post by The Night Phantom on Jun 8, 2006 15:22:44 GMT -5
Just in case I missed the obvious...
Might it be possible to create a limited-access account that can read but neither post nor change its own details (password, etc.)? If so, such a “Guest” account, with its password easily seen, could allow read-only access to an otherwise registration-only forum.
If not, I agree with the notion that a well-chosen stable of moderator-assistants is probably the best solution yet proffered, so long as Van is comfortable with that approach.
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Post by Yellowjacket on Jun 9, 2006 2:26:15 GMT -5
But when you have to register anyway, why register only for a "light" version? After all, you do not have to post when you have account. If this message board really has no function for guests being able to read (only) then one (or more) moderators could at least milden the spam problems, I mean help deleting those threads. With the Avengers Assemble! board community growing, Val will need some help anyway.
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Post by Shiryu on Jun 9, 2006 6:07:39 GMT -5
I think I favor the idea of moderators, I know there can be problems with that, as I have ran into some mods, who got me banned from a site because they didn't like my opinion, not because I broke any rules. That's actually a problem somewhere, and one of the reasons why I have no moderators in my own forum (the other is that the idea of having guardians may spoil the friendly atmosphere. However I have no spamming problems either). That's why I think the moderators should only clean the spam, without altering other posts, banning people or anything else. Basically a band of empowered cleaners ^^ I've had a look at the Board that Van linked, but I didn't register. It probably wouldn't be a problem for those here who login regularly, but it may hinder new people from joining (I at least never join a forum before having a read in it before).
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Post by Black Knight on Jun 9, 2006 7:43:37 GMT -5
I think I favor the idea of moderators, I know there can be problems with that, as I have ran into some mods, who got me banned from a site because they didn't like my opinion, not because I broke any rules. That's actually a problem somewhere, and one of the reasons why I have no moderators in my own forum (the other is that the idea of having guardians may spoil the friendly atmosphere. However I have no spamming problems either). That's why I think the moderators should only clean the spam, without altering other posts, banning people or anything else. Basically a band of empowered cleaners ^^ I've had a look at the Board that Van linked, but I didn't register. It probably wouldn't be a problem for those here who login regularly, but it may hinder new people from joining (I at least never join a forum before having a read in it before). No single moderator should have the power to ban people, and the altering of a post a mod should have power to do, is if somehow an offensive word got past the filter system. Personally I think they should be available to the regular members to bring there problems to, I have always envision mods as middle management, unfortuante but nessarcy.
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Post by The Night Phantom on Jun 9, 2006 15:50:50 GMT -5
But when you have to register anyway, why register only for a "light" version? After all, you do not have to post when you have account. Yellowjacket, if you are responding to my last post, then I think you misunderstood my suggestion. I was not talking about having users register for either of two different kinds of accounts. I was suggesting that a single account called “Guest” (or similar) be created, to allow anyone to log into anonymously (hence a publicly available but nonmutable password), for viewing purposes only. (My suggestion was very tentative, since I’m not sure the ProBoards software permits the parameters I outlined.)
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Post by Shiryu on Jun 10, 2006 6:09:36 GMT -5
It might work, but it would depend a lot on those who use this account. If many people keep posting as "guests" it could become difficult to understand who wrote what.
Also, I don't think you can register with two different accounts from a PC with the same IP number (but that depends on the forums, may be it's possible here)
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Post by The Night Phantom on Jun 10, 2006 7:32:52 GMT -5
It might work, but it would depend a lot on those who use this account. If many people keep posting as "guests" it could become difficult to understand who wrote what. I was suggesting an account that cannot be posted from. I was suggesting one guest account for anonymous use by persons who do not register for it. Once again, I’m not sure the software here actually permits these capabilities.
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Post by Shiryu on Jun 10, 2006 8:01:41 GMT -5
Sorry, I misunderstood.
I've never heard of accounts of this type, so it might not be possible, but if it is it would be a good solution.
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Post by The Night Phantom on Jun 11, 2006 10:07:43 GMT -5
I’ve seen these junk spam posts before, but this weekend they’ve started to resemble an epidemic, at least in the AA! board sections I’ve been looking at. Although I don’t care for a plan that doesn’t allow for guest access, I would certainly understand if Van implemented one, at least on a temporary basis, while examining less draconian options.
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Post by Shiryu on Jun 12, 2006 5:56:14 GMT -5
This weekend has had A LOT of spam, that's true I'm starting to think they are using some kind of automathic software rather then posting every single spam post. Van, try cleaning your topic on the Ultimate review and then lock it. If they setted an automatic software, it won't work anymore (if they didn't, they'll just spam somewhere else :
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Post by Van Plexico on Jun 14, 2006 21:34:23 GMT -5
Good call, Shiryu. Both the DVD threads are cleaned and locked.
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Post by Shiryu on Jun 15, 2006 6:38:32 GMT -5
Ok, let's see and hope it works
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Post by dlw66 on Jun 27, 2006 12:34:59 GMT -5
Whoa!!! Some of our users have super powers!! As I logged in just now, I noticed there was 1 invisible user online!!!!!!!!!
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Post by The Night Phantom on Jun 27, 2006 16:02:31 GMT -5
Whoa!!! Some of our users have super powers!! As I logged in just now, I noticed there was 1 invisible user online!!!!!!!!! I believe that’s a power we all share: - Go to profile.
- Follow the link Modify Profile.
- Under Account Preferences, change the value of Stay Invisible to “Yes”. As the page explains, this will hide your online status from all but staff members. (In fact, when I tried it, my own profile told me I was offline!)
- Don’t forget to activate the Modify Profile button near the bottom of the page, if you really wish to disappear.
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Post by Shiryu on Jun 28, 2006 6:28:22 GMT -5
Better than the invisibility cloak ;D
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