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Again, one report per spammer, please!

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ComputerBob
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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#16 Post by ComputerBob »

debil wrote:
ComputerBob wrote:It's easy, but time-consuming, to skip the obvious spam threads, but lately, spam also appears in many non-spam threads, making it a frustrating waste of time to open those threads.
True, but many times the last poster is named asdfafa2414 or cheapcialisdotcom. One can draw conclusions and mark the thread read. IF, however, 3v3vv3v3vv3vvvv turned out not to be a spambot, so what? It wouldn't be the first nor the last post I've accidentally (or on purpose) marked read.
The problem isn't that some spam isn't identifiable, or that spam isn't removed -- it's that spam isn't prevented in the first place. Spam is allowed to permeate this entire forum several times each week, making it easier to find spam than real posts. I wonder if/when it will come to the point that it won't even be worth the time and effort to come here any more.
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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#17 Post by debil »

ComputerBob wrote:The problem isn't that some spam isn't identifiable, or that spam isn't removed -- it's that spam isn't prevented in the first place. Spam is allowed to permeate this entire forum several times each week, making it easier to find spam than real posts.
Indeed, and it's been pointed out several times in more than couple of occasions. However, nothing will be done as long as the admins (AWOL) stay AWOL.
ComputerBob wrote:I wonder if/when it will come to the point that it won't even be worth the time and effort to come here any more.
Lot of people have already reached that point.
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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#18 Post by nadir »

debil wrote:
ComputerBob wrote:I wonder if/when it will come to the point that it won't even be worth the time and effort to come here any more.
Lot of people have already reached that point.
Yes.
"I am not fine with it, so there is nothing for me to do but stand aside." M.D.

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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#19 Post by Absent Minded »

debil wrote:
ComputerBob wrote:The problem isn't that some spam isn't identifiable, or that spam isn't removed -- it's that spam isn't prevented in the first place. Spam is allowed to permeate this entire forum several times each week, making it easier to find spam than real posts.
Indeed, and it's been pointed out several times in more than couple of occasions. However, nothing will be done as long as the admins (AWOL) stay AWOL.
ComputerBob wrote:I wonder if/when it will come to the point that it won't even be worth the time and effort to come here any more.
Lot of people have already reached that point.
I am sorry to hear that, allot of work is going into keeping this forum cleaned up. Even with our elivated powers for our boys in green we still need the men in red to make changes to the forum software. On that note though, some suggestions to take to them to help fix the catchapa or other phpbb moduals known to help would be good. Anyone? Is there another forum you know of that is phpBB that is as active as ours that doesn't seem affected by the spam bots? Even on the little forum I ran on my own server I eventually had to indavidually actavate accounts, (very tedious checking everyones validity) as I tried everything I could think of to stop them and nothing was working,
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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#20 Post by llivv »

I'm not sure what others are thinking about, but I know it is very hard for me to keep interested in computing in general.
But this forum has to cater to so many users that are currently
not at all interested in learning oss (old school stuff)
and just want it to work, without them having to do any of the work themselves.

Plus those types tend to look at us here in this forum,
as if we own them our undivided attention.

And we can't even tell them to RTFM anymore, geeeez
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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#21 Post by Absent Minded »

llivv wrote:I'm not sure what others are thinking about, but I know it is very hard for me to keep interested in computing in general.
But this forum has to cater to so many users that are currently
not at all interested in learning oss (old school stuff)
and just want it to work, without them having to do any of the work themselves.

Plus those types tend to look at us here in this forum,
as if we own them our undivided attention.

And we can't even tell them to RTFM anymore, geeeez
The no RTFM guideline was in place when I arrived about 2006. Lavene's post on the guidelines has only been edited by her as far as I know. However, it has always been okay to post a link to the part of the manual needed for someone to read....
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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#22 Post by nadir »

Absent Minded wrote:. Even with our elivated powers for our boys in green we still need the men in red to make changes to the forum software. On that note though, some suggestions to take to them to help fix the catchapa or other phpbb moduals known to help would be good. Anyone? Is there another forum you know of that is phpBB that is as active as ours that doesn't seem affected by the spam bots?
I visit two forums which are hosted at freeforums.org regulary, and both seems to have close to no spam.

I also think that at debianuserforums some software was implemented which, more or less, removes all spam.

All three run phpbb too.

The bad news:
- all three forums are small (two of them rather tiny).
- I got no idea what they use (perhaps such solutions don't work at bigger forums, i simply don't know).

freeforums itself has a forum, and i think it might be worth to ask there for the best solution (I asked there once, and was happy with the answer).
http://support.freeforums.org/

I know that some of the users who posted in this thread already made some suggestions (but i don't recall in which thread, as there are quite a few threads about spam). Let's hope they will repeat their proposals. :-)

-
allot of work is going into keeping this forum cleaned up ... our elivated powers for our boys
Yup. It is obvious. It seems like quite some work, and i can say for sure that i for one wouldn't want to do it
(That is my way of saying: thanks for that. I said it before, but i think it can't be said too often).
"I am not fine with it, so there is nothing for me to do but stand aside." M.D.

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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#23 Post by llivv »

Absent Minded wrote:[
The no RTFM guideline was in place when I arrived about 2006. Lavene's post on the guidelines has only been edited by her as far as I know. However, it has always been okay to post a link to the part of the manual needed for someone to read....
When I arrived in 2007 there were still references of RTFM posted,
usually "elitist" but typically non aggressive.

Anyone remember the how and why there was an end but to RTFM posts?

edit: How would RTFL ( read the frekin license ) fly here?
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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#24 Post by nadir »

It did never end, so i got no idea _when_ was, what never happened. Or _why_.
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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#25 Post by Soapm »

llivv wrote:not at all interested in learning oss (old school stuff) and just want it to work, without them having to do any of the work themselves.
Isn't that the definition of advancing technology? As a young driver I learned to set points, dwell angle and timing which technology has made as obsolete as spraying down the carburetor with carb cleaner. I first got on the internet (WWW back then) having to type the init string to make the modem dial and having a gopher cheat sheet taped to my monitor. I remember having to set IRQ's manually and hardware conflicts were common. The GUI and "plug and play" aren't crutches, they're a way of life so unless someone patiently explains there was computing before point and click then ignorance of that time should be understandable.
llivv wrote:Plus those types tend to look at us here in this forum, as if we own them our undivided attention.
Frustration often brings out our worst personality so that statement is kind of a two way street. One direction is a person frustrated trying to make it to work while the other is a person tired of answering the same question. I for one know I have been staring at the answer in the manual but because for example "dwell angle" means nothing to me, the answer doesn't register as it would someone who at one time used the word in everyday conversation. The learning curve can often resemble a generation gap as technology makes less relevant that which was a given to be absolute necessity.
llivv wrote:And we can't even tell them to RTFM anymore, geeeez
Again, re-reading the word "dwell angle" might seem good advice but pointing out that "dwell angle" means something could be even better advice. To automatically assume someone didn't try own is as guilty as the one who doesn't try and makes as much sense as beating the muzzled horse for not drinking or sarcastically criticizing the blind man who sits in the dark.

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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#26 Post by nadir »

first got on the internet (WWW back then)
Say what?
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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#27 Post by Absent Minded »

llivv wrote:
Absent Minded wrote:[
The no RTFM guideline was in place when I arrived about 2006. Lavene's post on the guidelines has only been edited by her as far as I know. However, it has always been okay to post a link to the part of the manual needed for someone to read....
When I arrived in 2007 there were still references of RTFM posted,
usually "elitist" but typically non aggressive.

Anyone remember the how and why there was an end but to RTFM posts?

edit: How would RTFL ( read the frekin license ) fly here?
Lavene was very good at handling this forum, an amazing person with an amazing personality. Before she couldn't be here much there started to be complaints about how "some" of those elitests were addressing some of the newbies and the rains were tightend a bit. When Lavene left, Anna started taking care of things but couldn't be here near as often as Lavene had been able to so, some new mods were added to help ballance the load. Really, I am sure most that will be reading this know the story, even if it is just from their own perspectives of what happend. Some of those mods and the administrative staff believed the guidelines should be fallowed and that everyone should be treated with a normal amount of respect and dignaty and so those pre-existing guidelines were enforced to the best of the staffs ability. There were some successes and some mistakes as well. For a while there was great kayos and to some extent the dust is still settling several years later. That I think is the general jist of things, yes? This board to the best of my knowledge has always had a no RTFM poloicy. Instead it was said if you didn't have some help to offer someone, to just leave the post and go on to the next. Lavene's shoes are hard to fill, many years of well erned and deserved respect. Something not afforded to the new recrutes still green and needing broken in.
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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#28 Post by nadir »

Yes, i think that is the general "history".
(i arrived couple of years later than you, so as far i can tell)

Just a side note: some of the elitists, back then, also offered a lot of patient advise.
You said that yourself: It is different if all one has to offer is a "man man" or if one also offers knowledge/info.

Oh, and another side-note: There also have been a lot of people who helpd and never acted elitist (for example you and bugsbunny).
Some of those mods and the administrative staff believed the guidelines should be followed...

How dare they :-)
Just kidding. Yeah, the _already existing_ guidlines were executed (slightly) less loose, which ended in what you said (dust settlling down).
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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#29 Post by nadir »

btw: language is a funny thing.
Replace "elitists" with "individualists", you say the same thing but it sounds like a completely different story. Well: for me. (But yeah, some could be quite harsh now and then)
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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#30 Post by AnInkedSoul »

Absent Minded wrote: Lavene was very good at handling this forum
Actually damn near perfect at handling the forum and keeping it from leaning too far one way or another. She used the rules when and as needed to do so.
Lavene's shoes are hard to fill
impossible I do believe


But oh well...who cares...that was then and this is now....bed is made...

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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#31 Post by Absent Minded »

nadir wrote:Yes, i think that is the general "history".
(i arrived couple of years later than you, so as far i can tell)

Just a side note: some of the elitists, back then, also offered a lot of patient advise.
You said that yourself: It is different if all one has to offer is a "man man" or if one also offers knowledge/info.

Oh, and another side-note: There also have been a lot of people who helpd and never acted elitist (for example you and bugsbunny).
Some of those mods and the administrative staff believed the guidelines should be followed...

How dare they :-)
Just kidding. Yeah, the _already existing_ guidlines were executed (slightly) less loose, which ended in what you said (dust settlling down).
Some of those fellas had a right to think they were all that, their additions to this forum are missed. I see some here and there or posts on occation that remind me of their knowledge and writing style.
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Updated Nov. 19, 2012

cynwulf

Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#32 Post by cynwulf »

There is no issue with people who don't know what they're doing, or people who failed at STFW, the biggest problem in the last few years are the arrogant demanding pricks who treat this forum as some kind of paid 1st line support hotline...

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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#33 Post by Absent Minded »

cynwulf wrote:There is no issue with people who don't know what they're doing, or people who failed at STFW, the biggest problem in the last few years are the arrogant demanding pricks who treat this forum as some kind of paid 1st line support hotline...
When I come across those it gets to me some as well. Some of them I manage to ignore, some I remind them this is not a paid support forum and that they need to remember that and treat others with some respect, etc..

Apologies, I didn't mean to pull this thread off topic.

Thanks for the suggestions on handling the spam some of you have made. I sent an e-mail to the team asking we concider one of them after reading up on them.

AM
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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#34 Post by Soapm »

nadir wrote:btw: language is a funny thing.
Replace "elitists" with "individualists", you say the same thing but it sounds like a completely different story. Well: for me. (But yeah, some could be quite harsh now and then)
Very good point...

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Re: Again, one report per spammer, please!

#35 Post by llivv »

AM no worries about how this thread winds up down or around.
Soapm on page 2 of this thread you focused a lot on the distributor and what's under the cap.
I see your point about a point of reference or lack there of, but on the other hand
things really haven't changed all that much. Most car owners were clueless about what
points and condensers were back in the golden oldies days too.
And today ( as an example of how things have not really changed to much ) instead of
loosening the holddown bolt and twisting the distributor while watching the dwell tach and
getting your 4 degrees off top dead center with the timing light, nowadays we hack at the ecm.
Not much difference there as most don't even know what the ecm is much less what they
might do with it or to it if they did know what it is.
The carb reference is similar. Today instead of replacing the jets one has to
connect the noid lights and set the injectors flow.
Please, don't get me started on alternatives, I've waited too long for too little to come out of production while prices charged for the ancient technologies keep rising outta site.

page 3, Yay !!!
In memory of Ian Ashley Murdock (1973 - 2015) founder of the Debian project.

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