Record Users on Line

Ming · Post by **Ming** » 23 Jun 2007, 22:41

Tony Summerfield wrote:Server not known!

Perhaps they decided that as I am online for so long, I am a spammer.

Moonraker · Post by **Moonraker** » 24 Jun 2007, 10:32

Tony Summerfield wrote: and Matt seems to have completely disppeared!

Has anyone ever seen Matt and Michael Edwards at the same time?

Tony (to Ming) wrote:Server not known!

Would you own up to serving Ming?

Ming wrote:I'm afraid Linux makes all text and images smaller than it is!

Why does Michael come to mind again?

Ming · Post by **Ming** » 24 Jun 2007, 10:45

moonraker wrote:Would you own up to serving Ming?

No!

moonraker wrote:Why does Michael come to mind again?

Because of his computer abilities?

Post by **Tony Summerfield** » 24 Jun 2007, 11:23

As I suspected last night's flurry of activity has led to 23 more spammers applying for registration - you will see that the number of registered users has topped 550. All 23 use different user names and different email addresses - but almost all are pointing just to two websites.

So far this month we have had five new users who have actually posted and well over two hundred who have applied for registration. You don't have to be a world super brain to realise that something is badly wrong with our initial screening process - and it seems that nothing is being done about it!

Moonraker · Post by **Moonraker** » 24 Jun 2007, 11:45

Is there a way of making it a condition of registering, that an initial post has to be made? Probably not, but I can't see why people would register to a forum, then not post.

it's like going into a pub, and not having a drink...

Post by **Tony Summerfield** » 24 Jun 2007, 12:19

I agree it does make one assume the worst, and I wonder how many of those 'dormant' members are potential spammers waiting to pounce at a later date. At present I am only approving those that don't list websites, but they have to be carefully watched to make sure they don't simply post them instead - as yet none has.

I have considered going through the memberlist and removing those who have never even looked at the site since registering. I can see this in admin as they have the word 'never' against them. There are those who have never posted who do look at the forums - I can for instance tell that MJE who registered in Nov 2006, last visited on April 27 2007. So there are two different categories of non-posters.

Moonraker · Post by **Moonraker** » 24 Jun 2007, 13:01

Tony Summerfield wrote: I can for instance tell that MJE who registered in Nov 2006, last visited on April 27 2007. So there are two different categories of non-posters.

Yes, I suppose there are those, who for their own reasons do not wish to post, but are nevertheless, interested in what we write. I have the utmost respect for MJE and could certainly never forsee a reason why he should ever be removed.

I think we should be grateful that you give so much time to the Society admin. though, Tony. It seems a non-rewarding task having to deal with all of this spamming. Wouldn't you think that in this technological super-age, there would be a simple solution?

It must make you want to bang them on the head!

Ming · Post by **Ming** » 24 Jun 2007, 13:04

It would make me want to shoot!

Moonraker · Post by **Moonraker** » 24 Jun 2007, 13:09

It would drive me to drink!

Ming · Post by **Ming** » 24 Jun 2007, 13:11

The pub's

Lucky Star · Post by **Lucky Star** » 24 Jun 2007, 14:41

I dont even know how you manage to find these things out Tony. One of these days I'm going to take some kind of computer course to know what people are talking about.

As a technical dunce I'm afraid I cant offer any solution, that will have to be for Keith or Matt though we havent heard from either in a while. I wonder if other forums are similarly afflicted? Perhaps Moose's Europeforum? If many such forums are being targeted then at least we are not alone.

I can only echo Moonrakers thanks to you Tony for keeping this site so well regulated and safe. It is a daily pleasure to visit and see what is going on. I also think that if a pereson has registered and then never even looked at the site then they should be removed, they probably wont even notice. They probably just registered on the spur of the moment and forgot about it the next day.

Post by **Tony Summerfield** » 24 Jun 2007, 15:05

Lucky Star wrote:I dont even know how you manage to find these things out Tony.

Oh it's dead easy I just look at it all set out for me on a user's page in admin - it gives all the details.

I am actually a total duffer when it comes to these things (a good Swallows and Amazons word there!) - the forums are entirely Matt's baby, but at present he is away from the pram and the toys are being hurled out!

I can do what I do on the main site, quiz, book listing and news, simply because Keith has made it dead easy for me. As soon as we need a major change (new serialised book coming up) Keith has to step in. I just send him the next book and he does the rest.

So you are not the only one who struggles with computers and websites - I'm hopeless!

Moose · Post by **Moose** » 25 Jun 2007, 15:08

As far as I am aware, spammers will spam at time of registering or soon after. We have some 'dormant' spammers on EF who have been there for nearly two years and never visited and I don't think they're going to, so I don't remove them .. only the new ones. So you should be okay with the ones here

Matthew Roberts · Post by **Matthew Roberts** » 26 Jun 2007, 15:04

moonraker wrote:Has anyone ever seen Matt and Michael Edwards at the same time?

LOL! You've a sharp eye, Nigel.

Sorry I have been a little out of touch with things lately. I am planning to move up to Scotland in August, so I have been busy sorting a few things out. Back now, though.

Moose · Post by **Moose** » 26 Jun 2007, 16:47

It seems to be happening all over the net. A few years ago spammers were pretty rare on message boards but now most boards I know of are working full time trying to keep them out

Record Users on Line

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