Quicksand Fans

Hi Folks,

Just wanted to notify the board that some steps are being taken to protect the regular members here.

This is due to complaints of malicious PM and board email activity by new members. When we dug into this, it was discovered that dozens of fake accounts have been opened in the last year or so. There's really nothing to prevent this. Consider it a Tragedy of the Commons.

So, while we try to sort out real members from fake ones, we'll have to play it safe and limit the abilities of new members.

Thanks,

Dave

Maybe a test during sign-up to prove they are human: https://www.a2hosting.com/blog/implemen ... n-website/

Many years ago on an unrelated board I ran using this same software, the spammers got so bad that I finally just forced all newcomers to register by hand through me.

Good luck.

It's not a case of bots, but rather one of bad behavior.

I mentioned 'The Tragedy of the Commons' because it roughly fits the situation. The resource is free for all practical purposes. (It's obviously not really, the board costs over $250 a year to operate). But signing up is free, and so is posting and downloading.

But after trying to be tolerant (it truly doesn't pay to be nice to some people), we now are not.

So folks with good intentions can sign up and post and enjoy the board - and thank the losers old and new for having to wait for their posts to be approved.

assholes.

hey,

So I am a new user and wanted to ask how this procedure is going on to get the "approved state".

Is this a matter of time or do I have to do something specific like introduce my self to the community?

Andi

There is no procedure for that.

I've been making use of it for a couple days, but only to say hello and speak with a few faces I haven't spoken to in a while. Years even. Nothing malicious from me at all. Yet, now I can't. Is it because of a precautionary thing? When can one be able to use PMs again? I ask because I'm just highly curious. With a hint of somewhat frustrated.

The system used to place new members in the probation group is a manual one. So there is necessarily some delay in that.

It really hasn't been a known issue. Even so, our apologies for any confusion that has occurred.

I see. So I haven't done anything wrong to be within the probation group then? Because truth be told: I never WAS one to spam, troll, or even send malicious links to others. I don't know how to do either really, for I'm too nice for it. At any rate, no worries on the confusion. Still, hope I can get back to chatting with my friends here though, but, no pressure there. I'm not good at pressuring people either.