Spam problem

This is a plea to the owners of the TGR forum. Please empower your administrators to fix this problems. Admin(s), there has to be a solution for this problem please find one and enact it. I surf 4 different audio/turntable forums and I've never ever seen a problem with Spam. I don't believe this occurs over on that lame forum TTips.

I don't mean to give dire statements, this is a plea "to make things better". I appreciate your time and expense to allow a community to exist here, Thanks for your efforts! I can and will weed through the Spam for good TR's and info, but it is annoying enough for me to plead for a resolution. It seems like there must be a solution since any one of the other 5 or more forums I lurk, I've never seen such a bad Spam problem or actually any Spam of the kind we get here...

LOL....
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/a...1&d=1257692133
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/a...1&d=1257692133

Well Said pow!

ROFL!


Believe me I know how it feels, there's plenty of people who would be ringing my phone off the hook if their email inbox looked like that...

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/a...1&d=1257692398
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/a...1&d=1257692398

C'mon TGR - put in some sort of account verification for new registrants. Based on the last big thread on this, you don't want any sort of delay in posting for JONGs. OK. But at least do SOMETHING.

How about:
- word recognition with the blurry text thingamajig
- simple Q&A that anyone could figure out, but a spambot won't be able to (e.g., "type in the last name of the pro skier who films with TGR, who has the first name "Sage")

Can it be set up so the report post button moves a post/thread to a temporary (only viewable to mods) holding area? Then a mod checks it, deletes spam or moves it back?


It would be a little more self-policing this way. The mod would be there to prevent abuse.

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Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

(e.g., "type in the last name of the pro skier who films with TGR, who has the first name "Sage")

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You think half the people here know how to spell Cattabriga-Alosa?

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Originally Posted by krp8128

Can it be set up so the report post button moves a post/thread to a temporary (only viewable to mods) holding area? Then a mod checks it, deletes spam or moves it back?


It would be a little more self-policing this way. The mod would be there to prevent abuse.

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#1 - people would abuse that.
#2 - "mods" aren't on here frequently enough

I don't get it then. The board has little to no moderation, can't handle self moderation (I agree on that point, my system would get abused) but the owners don't want more restrictive posting controls?

And I know that your phone goes off everytime someone here reports a post, yeah, that sucks.

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Originally Posted by advres

You think half the people here know how to spell Cattabriga-Alosa?

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I think that if they can't figure out how to google it, they're bots.

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Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

I think that if they can't figure out how to google it, they're bots.

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It was supposed to be a joke, making fun of the retards here... but I guess you are too retarded to get it. :tongue:

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Originally Posted by advres

It was supposed to be a joke, making fun of the retards here

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We have feelings you know.

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Originally Posted by advres

It was supposed to be a joke, making fun of the retards here... but I guess you are too retarded to get it. :tongue:

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So can you implement this change?

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Originally Posted by highangle

code it up Chupie, then post the scripts and XMLs that make it all happen

seems more positive than merely stating your wishes and moving to close the deal





Cyb - Advanced Permissions Based on Post Count - vBulletin.org Forum

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I don't have the faintest idea how to do it. But from other forums (fora?) it's readily apparent it can be done.

Example: Lou Dawson's site has a simple Q&A box for screening spam posts, which is something like "type in the word for the sum of 3 + 5." You type in "eight" and it passes the filter. Why not adapt this to the Sage question and cut out all the spambots?

Is there an Akismet plugin for Vbulletin? Seems to work well for Wordpress.

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Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

I don't have the faintest idea how to do it. But from other forums (fora?) it's readily apparent it can be done.

Example: Lou Dawson's site has a simple Q&A box for screening spam posts, which is something like "type in the word for the sum of 3 + 5." You type in "eight" and it passes the filter. Why not adapt this to the Sage question and cut out all the spambots?

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1. it won't cut out all the spambots any more than the CAPTCHA TGR already employs
in fact, Q&As are about 10% as effective as CAPTCHAS, and are more easily broken by automated means
their value is in providing another layer of authentication that might get an extra 2% of kiddiebots

2. the powers that be here have specifically turned off Q&A, as it is a default in vBulletin
they have reasons for this

3. ppl who don't understand the hudge amount of work and time and $$ that goes into a site that runs as well as TGR are unlikely to offer any really good technical support to the staff here, and their suggestions are likely to be specious or previously considered by the ppl that pay the cost to be the boss
so to propose a weak ineffective solution that has been considered and rejected many many times before, and then to demand an implementation of your idea on someone else's computers strikes me as a bunch of fkn noise from the peanut gallery

i would think that a person with as little real knowledge as yourself might want to take the humble route, and offer a suggestion with a few grains of salt
but i see that you have decided on another tack, one of demanding that others do as you say, based on what you would like

while i'm sure that works real well for you IRL, you may have better luck here by offering something that might actually work





























having to know Sage's last name to join is bullshit

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Originally Posted by highangle

you may have better luck here by offering something that might actually work

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I'm waiting to hear your proposed solution.

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Originally Posted by highangle

1. it won't cut out all the spambots any more than the CAPTCHA TGR already employs
in fact, Q&As are about 10% as effective as CAPTCHAS, and are more easily broken by automated means
their value is in providing another layer of authentication that might get an extra 2% of kiddiebots

2. the powers that be here have specifically turned off Q&A, as it is a default in vBulletin
they have reasons for this

3. ppl who don't understand the hudge amount of work and time and $$ that goes into a site that runs as well as TGR are unlikely to offer any really good technical support to the staff here, and their suggestions are likely to be specious or previously considered by the ppl that pay the cost to be the boss
so to propose a weak ineffective solution that has been considered and rejected many many times before, and then to demand an implementation of your idea on someone else's computers strikes me as a bunch of fkn noise from the peanut gallery

i would think that a person with as little real knowledge as yourself might want to take the humble route, and offer a suggestion with a few grains of salt
but i see that you have decided on another tack, one of demanding that others do as you say, based on what you would like

while i'm sure that works real well for you IRL, you may have better luck here by offering something that might actually work
having to know Sage's last name to join is bullshit

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1.& 2. We had Q and A all of last week versus capatcha. Q and A was far worse. We could attempt to make it more difficult of a question, but there has got to be a better way.

3. We have 5 forum mods. Summit had offered to be a 6th, but I have not heard back from him. We delete anywhere between 20-80 posts a day between us. We are exploring and testing other options to do this. The ones that seem to have the most merit are:
1. Waiting period
2. Need for a certain post count before you can create threads.
3. A few other suggestions I can't remember right now.
4. Advres has not been here for years and really has no current relavent insight as to our current philosophy. He does do a ton of spam deleting and is a huge asset in moderating. For that everyone owes him tons of beers and things he likes. We are way more concerned with loosing spammers now than making it easy for someone to post. A large amount of our spam is not from bots, but from people who manually enter. This is a huge wad as these people are hard to keep out. Keep the ideas flowing and if someone has serious experience in this please PM me so we can have a call and discuss option.
Thanks,

thanks for being open to new ideas on this TJ-
I still wonder about the 'must have ten posts to start a thread' idea, but i don't know shit about 'coding' and 'vbulletin' and big words like that...

http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/wp-co...008/12/fox.jpg

Doesn't Summit live in Blurred's basement?

may I suggest someone less flammable should be invited rather than just volunteer themselves?

Don't forget one moron admin at powder sent everyone here in the first place.

i offered my suggestions [ame=http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173362]HERE[/ame]

but since it's been formally requested -

a 10-15 post minimum before a new member can post links or images will hang a LOT of bots

if it's not built in to vBulletin already, you can implement this by using [ame=http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=123002]CYB[/ame]

but it's pretty simple to create a user level of JONG with limited privs based on post count


note that this will NOT prevent a legit new member from participating in any real way
it will just hang the vast majority of spambots before they can make their first post

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Originally Posted by FrankZappa

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by PNWbrit

http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/wp-co...008/12/fox.jpg

Doesn't Summit live in Blurred's basement?

may I suggest someone less flammable should be invited rather than just volunteer themselves?

Don't forget one moron admin at powder sent everyone here in the first place.

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3rd this.

Follow up on highangle's suggestions before giving any power to Summit.

i frequently report posts as spam. I assume if there are 5 reads of a thread and no replies that the other viewers have reported the post already. Is this correct? Shoudl I continue to report them if they have been viewed multiple times? I don't wan you inundated withr eports of spam that have already been reported. is there a way to flag a post as having been previously reported?

thanks mods, as always for volunteering to clean this place up.

this thread should be titled "no good deed goes unpunished"

OK guys.

You asked for ideas.

We gave you several, particularly a minimum [10-15] number of posts before one could start a thread.

Sooooooooo???????????????

http://a.imagehost.org/0328/contralir.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by highangle

but since it's been formally requested -

a 10-15 post minimum before a new member can post links or images will hang a LOT of bots

if it's not built in to vBulletin already, you can implement this by using CYB

but it's pretty simple to create a user level of JONG with limited privs based on post count


note that this will NOT prevent a legit new member from participating in any real way
it will just hang the vast majority of spambots before they can make their first post

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This may work against the human spammers too. If they are impatient enough, they will move on to another forum.

I think it will be slightly less effective on bots, as a bot can rattle of 30 posts in no time, but then again, a bot won't understand what is happening and may just stop.

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Originally Posted by Tye 1on

OK guys.

You asked for ideas.

We gave you several, particularly a minimum [10-15] number of posts before one could start a thread.

Sooooooooo???????????????

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Here's an idea... report spam?

as soon as the russian(?) spam threads were reported, they got deleted. I did the Nike ones by myself w/o getting an e-mail. They would have been seen sooner if someone let me know about them.

Everyone wants everything done for them, but if no one takes the time to report them, you will see them hang around longer. Especially with this being the winter and people are gonna be out on the slopes all day and not spending all their time at their desks.

As much as I am on here, I'm not always paying attention. I do pay attention to e-mail though. If spam gets reported, it will get deleted... it's as simple as that.

Are you back in the saddle? If so, where do I paypal the beer$ ?

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Originally Posted by advres

Here's an idea... report spam?

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And here's another idea. This ain't all about you. Until webguy, TJ, or somebody else explains why it won't work, there's a perfectly good tool out there to restrict spam without impacting true users.

It may kill most if not all spam without one action by a mod.

I'm over hearing why we should take an action on every spam post, to request a mod to take another action, when nobody has explained why the minimum post tool won't work.

Cuz it is all about you. The more of your time that gets freed up, the more you can post about spitting coworkers, married women fkn around, and taking dumps in front of potential apartments...much more interesting stuff! :cool:

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Originally Posted by Tye 1on

And here's another idea. This ain't all about you. Until webguy, TJ, or somebody else explains why it won't work, there's a perfectly good tool out there to restrict spam without impacting true users.

It may kill most if not all spam without one action by a mod.

I'm over hearing why we should take an action on every spam post, to request a mod to take another action, when nobody has explained why the minimum post tool won't work.

Cuz it is all about you. The more of your time that gets freed up, the more you can post about spitting coworkers, married women fkn around, and taking dumps in front of potential apartments...much more interesting stuff! :cool:

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I understand all that D. They know they have a spam problem. They are taking measures to work it out.

What I was getting at, is in the meantime, we need people to report spam or else it is just going to sit there. When I see some, I delete it, but I can't see everything.

And I know it isn't all about me, but name one person that has admin privileges that spends more time on this site. It's OK, I'll wait while you figure it out. :p

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Originally Posted by tief schnee

Are you back in the saddle? If so, where do I paypal the beer$ ?

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I appreciate it but it isn't necessary. Thanks for the thought though.

I asked the powers that be to give me the admin rights back that I gave up becasue the spam was driving me crazy.

I did ask that they give me back my tgr email account so I could try and weasle some proform gear for the work.

I was shot down. I figured I was a shoe in, I know the system, have been here longer than anyone I know, and sit at a desk ALL DAY looking at the spam crop up, and I was the admin for 4 years.

Yeah sure I helped creat clownpoo at the end - but damn that was funny shit. I also brought you the beer baccon and burps forum and made snowsprite the moderator of that one. I like to think of myself as the moderator that kept us wondering just what the hell was going to happen next. :)

I tried. :shrug:

That's fucked Froz.

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Originally Posted by frozenwater

I asked the powers that be to give me the admin rights back that I gave up becasue the spam was driving me crazy.

I tried. :shrug:

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I offered a couple of months ago, cuz i hate people that bitch and don't try to be part of the solution, but never heard back...could be cuz i can be a prick, but as my prick-tator-ness was only going to be directed at spam...didn't see it as a big deal...

Oh well. I tried. :shrug:

I'd support a 15 post count to start a thread.

Hell, I'd support a 50 post count to start a thread. Maybe that would get rid of the "which bindings for my new XXX skis".

AFAIK, the value of the forum to TGR is the traffic each day (members, lurkers, visitors) and not the total posts and / or new threads.

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Originally Posted by Tye 1on

I offered a couple of months ago, cuz i hate people that bitch and don't try to be part of the solution, but never heard back...could be cuz i can be a prick, but as my prick-tator-ness was only going to be directed at spam...didn't see it as a big deal...

Oh well. I tried. :shrug:

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i tried too (although i never offered to moderate)

and like you Tye, i didn't receive the courtesy of an acknowledgement or reply



they could fix it in about 5 minutes, but they won't

so i'm done flagging spam here=waste of effort

you guys go ahead, maybe you'll defeat the world's spambots one at a time?

Bring back tags, make the new posts in thread work again (which I understand will fix current users online as well), and I'll begin to think that there is an iota of competency behind this board.

Frozen, that is utter bs.

FYI, I used to flag a lot of spam and think that advres handled it pretty damn well.

Maybe something to parse new posts is possible? I don't know much about this part of geek land. Seems if you found Russian in the posts it would be a flag. The Russians are back again.

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Originally Posted by MakersTeleMark

Bring back tags, make the new posts in thread work again (which I understand will fix current users online as well), and I'll begin to think that there is an iota of competency behind this board.

Frozen, that is utter bs.

FYI, I used to flag a lot of spam and think that advres handled it pretty damn well.

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My top 3 are:

1) Build the 'ten/fifteen post minimum before thread creation' tool.

2) Allow editing of the actual thread title, so those that make dumb spelling errors can un-dumb them.

3) Tags.
But just the first couple would be awesome.
I too think advres and the other mods work their butts off and the board is a better place because of them. But that doesn't preclude doing something to make their job easier...