ThePortForum.com

Is there no way of stopping this constant stream of advertising half-wits? It must be a chore for Alex to knock a couple of Mugs off the membership list each day. Is there a filter, or is it just the price we pay for having an open Forum?

Alan

I think there are ways, but most, if not all, will cost money.

I think we need The B's to tell us if and when it becomes too much to cope with and what the options are for stopping it.

Derek

One way of sharing the load, if there are no cheap filters, would be to appoint moderators.

But of course KillerB may say its no problem to him at all.

Alan

I'd be happy to do some moderating if needed.

..ditto

Tom

...ditto - and we could do with some now to knock the spambots off the member list before the porn links start to flood in

They've gone and Frederick has been approved. There is one other that I have approved that looks legitimate

I don't mind doing it for the moment but it would be a good idea to have one of you as a backup.

Take into account what moderation means though - no unnecessary interference

I'm on here a few times a day and would be happy to do it. I would also be happy to restrict my moderation to killing intruders and rogue posts and leave any moderation of real stuff to admin

Derek

I'd be happy to help as well. Not sure whether the BB-software allows for it, but perhaps it is possible to have a new member type some sort of verification code whilst signing up? You know, an image showing "tYPe This". That should weed out the spam robots...I think...

We do have a verification code but it is the most basic one. I have kept it clean so far by not approving after a spate of sad losers got on-line and posted their pointlessness.

This computerphile is also willing to moderate.

Nothing unusual in having half a dozen enabled as mods, but moderation must be done in moderation...

Tom

Moderation is on posts. To swat the bots you need admin rights. What I'm considering is creating a second admin and passing it around when necessary. I don't want too many of these as it could unruly and difficult to manage. I would change the password whenever it was passed to a different person to keep things neat and secure.

We will sort out moderators in time, so thanks to all the volunteers... which is nearly everybody

Becareful about the elixir of POWER!!!

A little birdy has told me that Derek has designed and manufactured an armband, hat and eppaulettes to signify his new status! His Cellar now has a secret door which leads to the Command Bunker, where there are little plastic figures on a huge table map, representing us all. He imagines he has attractive women to order about, who track out movements, and push the figurines around with long sticks. And as Temporary Adminisrator doesn't really reflect his position...he's working on 'Grand Worshipful Caretaker Of The....'

Knows a lot, my little birdy!

Alan

Although not completely finished. My agent managed to smuggle out this photograph of the Bunker

Conky wrote: ...Derek has designed and manufactured an armband, hat and eppaulettes to signify his new status! His Cellar now has a secret door which leads to the Command Bunker, where there are little plastic figures on a huge table map, representing us all. He imagines he has attractive women to order about, who track out movements, and push the figurines around with long sticks.

Good God - I can't believe you've found my secret bunker

Incidentally, the heads on the figurines light up when you login to the forum

Derek

PS: Those attractive women who obey my every command are real, at least in my head they are

So we two American residents get an entire screen to ourselves. {Stands up straight.} We must be mighty important.

jdaw,

A ghostly image of you also appears on the Blighty screen waving a Union Jack

Derek

So am I still the only figure outlined in bold on the US screen?

Jay

No, Mr V puts in an occasional appearance

Derek

What?!?! No map of Canada??? I'm HUGELY insulted. Considering there are FOUR canucks on the forum that I am aware of (Luc, bman, Fred and myself) and onlye 2½ Yanks!

Derek... you disappoint me

Isn't Canada one of the United States? But there should be a map of California up there!

Jay

Todd,

The Canada map is the one on the far left, just out of shot

Jay,

I think jdaw will have an issue with being called 0.5 of a Yank

Do you want a map of So. Cal or No. Cal or just Cal ?

Derek

Yeah, I'm there too...and I just got out of the torture room. DOn't fear, I did snitch on anyone, but I did admit to drinking a very young 2006 Vintage Port

ADV wrote: …but I did admit to drinking a very young 2006 Vintage Port

Alan is currently enroute to your house with billyclub in hand.

Back on Track,

Just to say, that I've checked out lots of similar Forums on a wide range of subjects. There seems to be two ways of dealing with this issue, and I prefer the way we are doing it.
The other version is to ignore them as members. The difficulty then is if you ever are tempted to claim them as real members to enhance a point. I think its unfortunate that some may have say 400 members of which 280 have never posted. The claim of 400 members is technically correct but clearly erroneous.
I did find a 3rd way on a football site, which had members and active members, but I dont think we need to differentiate, just keep culling off the half-wits.

Keep up the good work.

Alan

The latest was advertising anti-spamware. I often wonder if they appreciate the irony.

On Conky's point I don't see the point in having a whole gamut of unreal users. If I had left all of the spammers alone we would probably be heading towards 100 users by now but it would be fake. I want all the users to be real and preferably posting. If that means that other sites can claim to be more successful because of their user numbers then let it be so.

Hear,hear.

The Hobbits are happy!

Alan

We seem to have an increased number of these - I killed 6 tonight, all created within a few minutes of each other. I have noticed an increased number over the past few days which, I assume, my lovely assistant Obi Wan has taken care of in my absence

I entirely agree woth the policy of deleting users who appear to be unreal and would also suggest we kill any user account that has been activated by admin and then does not post within 1 month. We will then avoid the situation of having an unrealistic tally of members displayed on the front page.

Yoda

With a bit of luck, this part of Admin's responsibility should be reduced: I've banned a few names.