Reporting spam

Off topic discussion zone.

Moderators: winston, another_commander, Cody

User avatar
JensAyton
Grand Admiral Emeritus
Grand Admiral Emeritus
Posts: 6657
Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2005 2:43 pm
Location: Sweden
Contact:

Re: Reporting spam

Post by JensAyton »

Other than the occasional profile link potentially propping up some ill-gotten PageRank™, I don’t think old spammer accounts are anything to worry about. The main benefit of cleaning out ones that don’t post anything is that they keep the place looking fresh and clean and unzombified – a sort of “broken window effect” deterrent. Having a small number of missed cases in the depths of the roster isn’t going to affect anything in that regard.

(Note that the original purpose of this thread was to report spam posts. Today, the second-line defence of first-post verification seems nearly 100 % effective. I think throwing out link farmers is worthwhile too, but going through 2500 existing users is way past the point of diminishing returns.)
User avatar
Tricky
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 821
Joined: Sun May 13, 2012 11:12 pm
Location: Bradford, UK. (Anarchic)

Re: Reporting spam

Post by Tricky »

Ignore my sig links. Not a link farmer. :mrgreen:
User avatar
Commander McLane
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 9520
Joined: Thu Dec 14, 2006 9:08 am
Location: a Hacker Outpost in a moderately remote area
Contact:

Re: Reporting spam

Post by Commander McLane »

Ahruman wrote:
Other than the occasional profile link potentially propping up some ill-gotten PageRank™, I don’t think old spammer accounts are anything to worry about. The main benefit of cleaning out ones that don’t post anything is that they keep the place looking fresh and clean and unzombified – a sort of “broken window effect” deterrent. Having a small number of missed cases in the depths of the roster isn’t going to affect anything in that regard.

(Note that the original purpose of this thread was to report spam posts. Today, the second-line defence of first-post verification seems nearly 100 % effective. I think throwing out link farmers is worthwhile too, but going through 2500 existing users is way past the point of diminishing returns.)
Also, many of these old members who appear to have zero posts actually do have a lot of posts on their names. It's just that their posts either fell off the board's auto-delete-threads-after-this-and-that-amount-of-time-function when it was still active (no worries, it isn't any longer), or were lost in the board-hacking-and-subsequent-restoration of New Year's Eve 2010/11. And it wouldn't be a nice and friendly gesture to delete retired legitimate board members.
User avatar
DaddyHoggy
Intergalactic Spam Assassin
Intergalactic Spam Assassin
Posts: 8515
Joined: Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:43 pm
Location: Newbury, UK
Contact:

Re: Reporting spam

Post by DaddyHoggy »

Commander McLane wrote:
... or were lost in the board-hacking-and-subsequent-restoration of New Year's Eve 2010/11. And it wouldn't be a nice and friendly gesture to delete retired legitimate board members.
That was a heart-in-mouth moment that I do not remember fondly.
Selezen wrote:
Apparently I was having a DaddyHoggy moment.
Oolite Life is now revealed here
User avatar
Cody
Sharp Shooter Spam Assassin
Sharp Shooter Spam Assassin
Posts: 16081
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2009 9:31 pm
Location: The Lizard's Claw
Contact:

Re: Reporting spam

Post by Cody »

DaddyHoggy wrote:
Commander McLane wrote:
... or were lost in the board-hacking-and-subsequent-restoration of New Year's Eve 2010/11. And it wouldn't be a nice and friendly gesture to delete retired legitimate board members.
That was a heart-in-mouth moment that I do not remember fondly.
Oh lord, don't remind me! What McLane says is absolutely right, of course!
I would advise stilts for the quagmires, and camels for the snowy hills
And any survivors, their debts I will certainly pay. There's always a way!
User avatar
DaddyHoggy
Intergalactic Spam Assassin
Intergalactic Spam Assassin
Posts: 8515
Joined: Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:43 pm
Location: Newbury, UK
Contact:

Re: Reporting spam

Post by DaddyHoggy »

<group hug>
Selezen wrote:
Apparently I was having a DaddyHoggy moment.
Oolite Life is now revealed here
User avatar
Gimi
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 2073
Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2006 5:02 pm
Location: Norway

Re: Reporting spam

Post by Gimi »

<shudders and joins>
"A brilliant game of blasting and trading... Truly a mega-game... The game of a lifetime."
(Gold Medal Award, Zzap!64 May 1985).
User avatar
JensAyton
Grand Admiral Emeritus
Grand Admiral Emeritus
Posts: 6657
Joined: Sat Apr 02, 2005 2:43 pm
Location: Sweden
Contact:

Re: Reporting spam

Post by JensAyton »

Tricky wrote:
Ignore my sig links. Not a link farmer. :mrgreen:
Hang on, that’s what you’d say if…
User avatar
CommRLock78
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 1138
Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2012 7:35 pm
Location: US
Contact:

Re: Reporting spam

Post by CommRLock78 »

"I'll laser the mark all while munching a fistful of popcorn." - Markgräf von Ededleen, Marquess, Brutal Great One, Assassins' Guild Exterminator
---------------------------
At the helm of the Caduceus Omega, 'Murderous Morrígan'
User avatar
CommRLock78
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 1138
Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2012 7:35 pm
Location: US
Contact:

Re: Reporting spam

Post by CommRLock78 »

"I'll laser the mark all while munching a fistful of popcorn." - Markgräf von Ededleen, Marquess, Brutal Great One, Assassins' Guild Exterminator
---------------------------
At the helm of the Caduceus Omega, 'Murderous Morrígan'
User avatar
Gimi
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 2073
Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2006 5:02 pm
Location: Norway

Re: Reporting spam

Post by Gimi »

"A brilliant game of blasting and trading... Truly a mega-game... The game of a lifetime."
(Gold Medal Award, Zzap!64 May 1985).
User avatar
Gimi
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 2073
Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2006 5:02 pm
Location: Norway

Re: Reporting spam

Post by Gimi »

"A brilliant game of blasting and trading... Truly a mega-game... The game of a lifetime."
(Gold Medal Award, Zzap!64 May 1985).
User avatar
Cody
Sharp Shooter Spam Assassin
Sharp Shooter Spam Assassin
Posts: 16081
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2009 9:31 pm
Location: The Lizard's Claw
Contact:

Re: Reporting spam

Post by Cody »

Alas, poor Tapsoinsaroda has gone to that great link-farm in the sky!
I would advise stilts for the quagmires, and camels for the snowy hills
And any survivors, their debts I will certainly pay. There's always a way!
User avatar
CommRLock78
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 1138
Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2012 7:35 pm
Location: US
Contact:

Re: Reporting spam

Post by CommRLock78 »

El Viejo wrote:
Alas, poor Tapsoinsaroda has gone to that great link-farm in the sky!
That wonderful place where spam flows like running water :mrgreen:
Image
"I'll laser the mark all while munching a fistful of popcorn." - Markgräf von Ededleen, Marquess, Brutal Great One, Assassins' Guild Exterminator
---------------------------
At the helm of the Caduceus Omega, 'Murderous Morrígan'
User avatar
Cody
Sharp Shooter Spam Assassin
Sharp Shooter Spam Assassin
Posts: 16081
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2009 9:31 pm
Location: The Lizard's Claw
Contact:

Re: Reporting spam

Post by Cody »

Here, have a tin of spam OXP!
I would advise stilts for the quagmires, and camels for the snowy hills
And any survivors, their debts I will certainly pay. There's always a way!
Post Reply