Starting a thread in B/S/T needs requirements

[laser83]

I just had this idea, not sure how it would work. In order to cut down on the spam in the buy/sell/trade section and the whole forum. My suggestion is that anyone who wants to post a thread as a seller must either PM you for permission or have at least 100 or more posts and 60 days on the forum. The idea is it cuts down on spam. The same system is in place in another forum and it works great.

On the otherhand those who do great work, should definitely be able to sell! If a poster doesn't meet the requirement they could PM you ask and for permission. Spammers won't bother so I think it could help while still letting good sellers, sell.

Just an idea, hopefully others can improve on my basic idea.

 

[nikokapo]

I totally agree. Second this fully

 

[c0ldshadow]

this is a good idea, i will research today. in the meantime i removed that users signature that was spamming

 

[lasersbee]

Yeah... sounds good to me too..:yh:

Jerry

 

[seoguy]

I would disagree, for the following reasons -

1) If someone has something laser-related for sale, and they post an appropriate ad in B/S/T, that's not spam, that's what that section is there for! As I member, I WANT to be able to see such ads, and not have them prevented just because they don't happen to be a long-term member of this particular forum!

Note that this does NOT apply to multiple ad postings, or ads for non-laser related items, those ARE SPAM, and should be dealt with accordingly.

2) It would hurt established but newer members, long-term lurkers who didn't register until they had something to say/sell (remember, lurkers are over 80% of the users of LPF!), and even some long-term members who don't post a lot!

3) It would also encourage spammers to fill LPF with a bunch of "junk" posts, just so they could get past the automated limit! And no, the 60-day thing won't stop this - I had some Russian spammers on a different (non-laser) forum that registered a whole bunch of bogus member names, NOT to immediately spam with them, but for future use, to evade such a delay! I believe c0ld may have run into these guys as well -
http://laserpointerforums.com/laser_pointer_forums_3/forum/showthread.php?t=40141
so he already has evidence in his own hands as to why such a delay won't work!

3) By denying them from posting in ONLY B/S/T, it is just going to drive the actual spammers into posting spam ads in all of the other sections of LPF! From an admin standpoint, I think it's MUCH preferable for the spam ads to be mainly in one place, where they are easier to locate & "swat"!

4) This will not fix the spam problem so much as it will act as a "protectionist" policy for the established sellers! As a member, I want to see what the new guy has to offer!!! I would also point out that preventing certain sellers from posting ads is a small step down that same path as Wicked Laser's forum!

Hurting spammers is great, but we need to do it in a way that doesn't also hurt LPF users in the process!

What I would suggest -

* Prevent new members from posting live links in ANY section of LPF until after 10 posts (just like we did in YaBB) - this will stop the "drive-by" Google link spammers.

* Prevent accidentally re-activating previously banned member accounts ported-over from the old forum, that had been created just to spam LPF.

* Implement a good CAPTCHA system for new member registration, to prevent automated registration by spambots (I believe this is already done).

* Perhaps auto-lock a member acct if they posted, say, more that 5 posts in 1 minute, to stop automated spam posting.

* Lock-out spamming members when you see them, and for a really persistent spammer, perhaps IP address block to prevent them from posting under ANY nick.

Any of these will reduce spam, but NOT hurt legitimate LPF users in the process!

 

[rocketparrotlet]

I would disagree, for the following reasons -

1) If someone has something laser-related for sale, and they post an appropriate ad in B/S/T, that's not spam, that's what that section is there for! As I member, I WANT to be able to see such ads, and not have them prevented just because they don't happen to be a long-term member of this particular forum!

Note that this does NOT apply to multiple ad postings, or ads for non-laser related items, those ARE SPAM, and should be dealt with accordingly.

2) It would hurt established but newer members, long-term lurkers who didn't register until they had something to say/sell (remember, lurkers are over 80% of the users of LPF!), and even some long-term members who don't post a lot!

3) It would also encourage spammers to fill LPF with a bunch of "junk" posts, just so they could get past the automated limit! And no, the 60-day thing won't stop this - I had some Russian spammers on a different (non-laser) forum that registered a whole bunch of bogus member names, NOT to immediately spam with them, but for future use, to evade such a delay! I believe c0ld may have run into these guys as well -
http://laserpointerforums.com/laser_pointer_forums_3/forum/showthread.php?t=40141
so he already has evidence in his own hands as to why such a delay won't work!

3) By denying them from posting in ONLY B/S/T, it is just going to drive the actual spammers into posting spam ads in all of the other sections of LPF! From an admin standpoint, I think it's MUCH preferable for the spam ads to be mainly in one place, where they are easier to locate & "swat"!

4) This will not fix the spam problem so much as it will act as a "protectionist" policy for the established sellers! As a member, I want to see what the new guy has to offer!!! I would also point out that preventing certain sellers from posting ads is a small step down that same path as Wicked Laser's forum!

Hurting spammers is great, but we need to do it in a way that doesn't also hurt LPF users in the process!

What I would suggest -

* Prevent new members from posting live links in ANY section of LPF until after 10 posts (just like we did in YaBB) - this will stop the "drive-by" Google link spammers.

* Prevent accidentally re-activating previously banned member accounts ported-over from the old forum, that had been created just to spam LPF.

* Implement a good CAPTCHA system for new member registration, to prevent automated registration by spambots (I believe this is already done).

* Perhaps auto-lock a member acct if they posted, say, more that 5 posts in 1 minute, to stop automated spam posting.

* Lock-out spamming members when you see them, and for a really persistent spammer, perhaps IP address block to prevent them from posting under ANY nick.

Any of these will reduce spam, but NOT hurt legitimate LPF users in the process!

AGREED.

-Mark

 

[laser83]

I would disagree, for the following reasons -

1) If someone has something laser-related for sale, and they post an appropriate ad in B/S/T, that's not spam, that's what that section is there for! As I member, I WANT to be able to see such ads, and not have them prevented just because they don't happen to be a long-term member of this particular forum!

Note that this does NOT apply to multiple ad postings, or ads for non-laser related items, those ARE SPAM, and should be dealt with accordingly.

2) It would hurt established but newer members, long-term lurkers who didn't register until they had something to say/sell (remember, lurkers are over 80% of the users of LPF!), and even some long-term members who don't post a lot!

3) It would also encourage spammers to fill LPF with a bunch of "junk" posts, just so they could get past the automated limit! And no, the 60-day thing won't stop this - I had some Russian spammers on a different (non-laser) forum that registered a whole bunch of bogus member names, NOT to immediately spam with them, but for future use, to evade such a delay! I believe c0ld may have run into these guys as well -
http://laserpointerforums.com/laser_pointer_forums_3/forum/showthread.php?t=40141
so he already has evidence in his own hands as to why such a delay won't work!

3) By denying them from posting in ONLY B/S/T, it is just going to drive the actual spammers into posting spam ads in all of the other sections of LPF! From an admin standpoint, I think it's MUCH preferable for the spam ads to be mainly in one place, where they are easier to locate & "swat"!

4) This will not fix the spam problem so much as it will act as a "protectionist" policy for the established sellers! As a member, I want to see what the new guy has to offer!!! I would also point out that preventing certain sellers from posting ads is a small step down that same path as Wicked Laser's forum!

Hurting spammers is great, but we need to do it in a way that doesn't also hurt LPF users in the process!

What I would suggest -

* Prevent new members from posting live links in ANY section of LPF until after 10 posts (just like we did in YaBB) - this will stop the "drive-by" Google link spammers.

* Prevent accidentally re-activating previously banned member accounts ported-over from the old forum, that had been created just to spam LPF.

* Implement a good CAPTCHA system for new member registration, to prevent automated registration by spambots (I believe this is already done).

* Perhaps auto-lock a member acct if they posted, say, more that 5 posts in 1 minute, to stop automated spam posting.

* Lock-out spamming members when you see them, and for a really persistent spammer, perhaps IP address block to prevent them from posting under ANY nick.

Any of these will reduce spam, but NOT hurt legitimate LPF users in the process!

AGREED.

-Mark

Completely, credit to seo for greatly improving the basic idea to a workable form.