Are new Downers getting blocked? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Galadriel55 · 10-11-2019, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inziladun

I recall from years back some spammers cut/pasting from various threads in an attempt to seem legitimate. They usually betrayed themselves by obviously sketchy links in the body of the post, though.

And also by copying people's signatures into the body of their posts by accident.

And one time Rikae's account went haywire and she had an unintelligible postscriptum added to all her posts. But you're right - I haven't seen anything like that for a looong time now.

Mithalwen · 10-12-2019, 04:26 AM

Ah but there were highlights.. tombot...

Galadriel55 · 10-13-2019, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

Ah but there were highlights.. tombot...

Oh yes, TomBot and his friend LucyBot... I don't even remember what they posted about but they were a star-crossed couple...

The good old days when spam was a matter of norm.

Snowdog · 05-10-2020, 11:59 PM

My friend Gando never did get past the 'purgatory' stage here. He could log in, but couldn't post, and never got an activation email. I tried to intervene and find out why but even after I was told it should all be good, he still couldn't post. He didn't bother coming back. I see him on The Tolkien Forums now.

Legate of Amon Lanc · 05-11-2020, 03:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowdog

My friend Gando never did get past the 'purgatory' stage here. He could log in, but couldn't post, and never got an activation email. I tried to intervene and find out why but even after I was told it should all be good, he still couldn't post. He didn't bother coming back. I see him on The Tolkien Forums now.

Several of the 'Downers who hadn't logged in for years and then came back experienced similar problems with the verification e-mail, that they would not have solved had they not contacted some of the staff in person.

Which makes me wonder whether we haven't become "too well fortified" for new members to join. Which would be sad. Any evidence to the contrary?

***The Barrow-Wight*** · 05-11-2020, 09:07 AM

"Too Well Fortified" would be a generous way of describing the actual state of affairs in our admissions office, which would be better characterized as "Absentee Landlord".

I scanned the new applications for years but became weary of approving bots with cleaver names and ignoring well-intentioned recruits with suspicious email addresses. Instead, for the past few years I have often just let things linger in limbo until someone made a special plea. This is obviously not optimal.

There are two possible solutions, as I see it.
(1) Drop the moderation and tolerate the spammers, which are likely to be more active than our membership.
(2) Create a better process for new members to validate their humanity (Elfenticity? Dwarvishness?) [The current question and answer is easily circumvented by clever Goblins.]

Any thoughts on how we can be more welcoming to new wights but less vulernable to pesky marauders?

Thanks!
BW

Inziladun · 05-11-2020, 10:07 AM

I remember well the constant war with the spammers, some of whom would merely copy/paste from other posts to "prove" their legitimacy, while peppering useless or dangerous hyperlinks everywhere. I certainly wouldn't want that again.

Maybe some sort of probationary period, where new members could comment on existing threads and posts, but couldn't immediately start their own? That would still leave it somewhat open to the bots, but maybe also asking a "deeper" Tolkien question on registration would help.

10-12-2019, 04:26 AM	#2
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,461	Ah but there were highlights.. tombot... __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

05-11-2020, 09:07 AM	#6
*The Barrow-Wight* Night In Wight Satin Join Date: May 2000 Posts: 4,043	No Admittance Except on Party Business "Too Well Fortified" would be a generous way of describing the actual state of affairs in our admissions office, which would be better characterized as "Absentee Landlord". I scanned the new applications for years but became weary of approving bots with cleaver names and ignoring well-intentioned recruits with suspicious email addresses. Instead, for the past few years I have often just let things linger in limbo until someone made a special plea. This is obviously not optimal. There are two possible solutions, as I see it. (1) Drop the moderation and tolerate the spammers, which are likely to be more active than our membership. (2) Create a better process for new members to validate their humanity (Elfenticity? Dwarvishness?) [The current question and answer is easily circumvented by clever Goblins.] Any thoughts on how we can be more welcoming to new wights but less vulernable to pesky marauders? Thanks! BW __________________ The Barrow-Wight

05-11-2020, 10:07 AM	#7
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,039	I remember well the constant war with the spammers, some of whom would merely copy/paste from other posts to "prove" their legitimacy, while peppering useless or dangerous hyperlinks everywhere. I certainly wouldn't want that again. Maybe some sort of probationary period, where new members could comment on existing threads and posts, but couldn't immediately start their own? That would still leave it somewhat open to the bots, but maybe also asking a "deeper" Tolkien question on registration would help. __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.

05-10-2020, 11:59 PM	#4
Snowdog Emperor of the South Pole Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: The Western Shore of Lake Evendim Posts: 660	My friend Gando never did get past the 'purgatory' stage here. He could log in, but couldn't post, and never got an activation email. I tried to intervene and find out why but even after I was told it should all be good, he still couldn't post. He didn't bother coming back. I see him on The Tolkien Forums now.