Be careful about responding to NRUs

[bcs86]

When a Newly Registered User creates a topic, it might be best to ignore it.
I should take my own advice for that matter.

What happens is this: An NRU makes a nonsensical or bait-like post, then, after someone responds, the post is edited with marketing links.

Maybe you knew that before I did. *head desk*

I'll follow this guideline: NRU must have made at least 10 good posts, must have kept the account for at least 1 week,
and the created topic must not be vague, incomprehensible, or bait-like.

Example topics might include:
"What pisses you off?"
"how do I create a Linux application?"
"Where do babies come from?"
"John Kerry forgot Polend?"

I have myself to blame for responding to any of that.

[evilmonkey]

But what is the danger in this, despite spam?

[bcs86]

Of the 150 newest accounts, the ones listed below are using
TMW's resources for their own monetary gain. Typically they
just make a deadwood account with a link to their marketing
so they will be indexed by web crawlers.

These accounts are a waste and should be anihilated:

Accounts linking to probable deceptive or illegal sites:
7225

Accounts that use the forum for nothing but marketing:
7306
7281
7280
7267
7232
7205

Accounts that have 0 posts but link to marketing websites:
7326
7325
7323
7319
7308
7301
7289
7279
7261
7254
7242
7241
7240
7230
7226
7213
7212
7206
7204
7203
7200
7194
7183
7181
7180

Additionally that "evilmonkey" marketing weenie, unless he edits his profile.

TMW is not for your unsolicited marketing. Advertisers should, with caution, consult Platyna first about a contract.

[evilmonkey]

I agree, there are a lot of spammers who will take advantage, if not blocked.

Are you calling me a "marketing weenie"? What is that? Is it because I have a link back to my personal website? Everyone else has links back to their personal websites.

[Matt]

Worst thread ever. Disallowing new users to create threads is just wrong.

Yeah, there are some NRU that create spam-only topics, but there are only 2-3 threads / month tops, I don't really see the problem here.

I don't like advertising signatures like "zomg buy cheap watches here $$$" either,
but where do you draw the line between a genuie website which as ads and a ads-only page?

I say just handle it like we did in the past, delete ads-only-spam threads, improve the anti-bot-registration-thingy and ignore the rest until some user gets unbearable.

Edit: And I'm not really sure why Platyna should decide about advertisting contracts? And I really doubt she would agree to one for any site on Platinium.

[bcs86]

Sorry, I didn't mean to say "prevent new users from creating topics". I made a personal decision not to be fooled again by clever marketers.

I do think it is naughty to use TMW forums just to expand business visibility to web crawlers without actually using the account.

If a script for deleting deadwood accounts doesn't already exist, the criteria for creating one isn't much.

[evilmonkey]

I agree, like I've seen other forums that have become dump grounds for websites that want backlinks. And it looks ugly. Like I noticed on the Joomla forum that people just add event announcements and product advertisements to the point where you can't see "real" posts.

TMW forum is nowhere near that however. And I think that gamers should be allowed to have a backlink to their website. Why not? So what if they get some extra page rank points? If they're contributing to the forum and play the game, why not? (by the way TMW forum has only a PR of 4, you won't bet much PR from a site like this anyway.)

And apparently I'm a marketing weenie:

Additionally that "evilmonkey" marketing weenie, unless he edits his profile.

[Freeyorp101]

These accounts are a waste and should be anihilated:

[...]

Boom. Any others that need to be taken care of?


---Freeyorp

[Crush]

When you see a post with spam in its content or signature, even when it's older, please report it using the forums report system by clicking on the [!] icon in the lower right corner of the post.

I usually delete these users when I spot them, but unfortunately some of them slip through from time to time.

[Rotonen]

I also delete such accounts upon contact (usually via reporting).

[Platyna]

We got many moderators and they since years handle spam decently. Just user report button.

And I see no reason why we should have ads on TMW, Bjorn rather wouldn't like it as well.

Regards.

[Alige]

Ads will spoil the game.

[bcs86]

We're very fortunate to have a host that doesn't seek to place ads on pages or anywhere else.

I read something about "adbard" for these kinds of projects which only advertises other GPL-ish things.
I don't imagine it would generate much revenue, but ought to fit into the culture and model better than other advertisers.

Frankly I hate ads and spam, although I'm not entitled to tell the host whether or not to use them.