Spambots
 

Yes, yes, we've got spambots. At least ten phony registrations a day, and some of them are somehow defeating the email confirmation system and managing to post. The reason this is happening -- to such an extent, anyway -- is that ever since the move to vBulletin, the images used by our security test aren't working. I had to disable it entirely to let anyone but spambots get through. (I'm not just flattering myself, by the way -- we've had quite a few real registrations amid all these bots.)

Antony's been working on it, but this particular problem is new territory for him. It may take him a while longer. In the meantime, please don't answer the spam threads. I delete the threads as soon as I see them, but replying won't make me see them any faster.

A forum admin or two would help, you know. You'd need someone completely trustworthy and who is unlikely to grossly abuse their powers though. Someone like me, for instance. :D

PHJ... with power.

Sorry, nothing about that is sounding safe.

PHJ, a spambot, a locked room... and a pair of pliers. Hmmm...

But wouldn't it be fun to watch though?

Oh yes, I'm sure. Like a train wreck or something.

Would it be possible to create a moderation system? Some way so that if, say, three or four people mark an account as a bot within a day, it is deleted? Then, the privielige to "mark" would be given to some of the seniormost members, sush as site staff and major posters. without needing the full powers of the Great Zeke. Just a thought.

it might be possible to give some of us the authority to delete inappropriate posts/topics, without getting any of the other powers like editing member titles...

I'll think about it, but really, this forum is tiny. It's the big forums that need to appoint moderators.

We're big enough to get spammed, anyway...

Gatac

On a deeply random tangent I have stumbled across what may just be the awesomest thing ever - if Zeke and I were to have offspring, this is what it would look like:

http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/18551122/

PHJ, you just killed a little of me inside. I hope you're happy.

Define "big forum." Define "we need X members to get moderators."

I hate the idea, but we may need to have a doubled e-mail confirmation system. Register at the site, mod e-mails to confirm address, person e-mails to confirm their desire to be in the forum, mod e-mails a keycode to enter in the forums itself. Would that help?

Under normal circumstances I'd say "Nah, Antony's working on it; it'll be fixed in a jiff," which is also the other reason I don't see a need for moderators (once the spambot thing is over, they'll have nothing to do).

Under normal circumstances, that is. But PHJ has made his point effectively: I hereby appoint him an unofficial moderator in charge of making sure the forum member "PointyHairedJedi" never, ever posts that link again.

Are you sure that will be deterrant enough? I mean, one PHJ against PHJ... he might need some backup. Say, a loaded artillery piece pointed straight at his modem...

I outnumber myself by several hundred to one, which as you can imagine is a very confusing situation indeed.

Hardly a new development, though...

Oh, that PointyHairedJedi. He is sneaky.

oh no...he used it as avatar ;)

I think the correct response is actually...

"Save us! Somebody save us before I wet me keks!"