Suggestions on how to improve the forums

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Comments

  • VainamoinenVainamoinen Moderator
    edited September 2012
    der_ketzer wrote: »
    Can you implement a 5 minuite wait time between creating threads? It's possible to set a wait time for posts but that mostly annoys normal users. 2 threads per minute really add up as we could see a few minutes ago.

    Thanks for the idea, but I think I suggested it behind the scenes AGES ago. I'm pretty sure it won't happen.
  • edited September 2012
    Hey Guru did that bot make over 35 threads?

    I just got home from work, so I really couldn't say. What I can tell you is that Vainamoinen posted the count six hours and 25 minutes ago at 731, and we're at 808 now. This has gotten ridiculously out of hand.
    Thanks for the idea, but I think I suggested it behind the scenes AGES ago. I'm pretty sure it won't happen.

    Things have escalated. The suggestion might be reconsidered now.
  • edited September 2012

    Things have escalated. The suggestion might be reconsidered now.

    Is it decided in a Star Wars like meeting?

    jedi_council.jpg
  • edited September 2012
    Foes Samuel Jackson curse?
  • edited September 2012
    I'm still for the sign up obstacle course.
  • edited September 2012
    Things have escalated. The suggestion might be reconsidered now.

    Honestly, I don't really like restrictions, but what use does someone really have for creating threads within around 5 minutes of each other? I mean other than trying to annoy the hell out of everybody?
  • edited September 2012
    Giant Tope wrote: »
    Honestly, I don't really like restrictions, but what use does someone really have for creating threads within around 5 minutes of each other? I mean other than trying to annoy the hell out of everybody?

    Yep. I don't know how many threads I have created here but I am pretty sure it was less than 5 in all the time I spent here.
    Also: Is there really a legit reason that makes you create that many threads? (mods can be excluded from that rule of course)
  • edited September 2012
    There's a link in your profile to all the threads you've created. Looks like you've started five threads, and four of them were on the support forum.
  • edited September 2012
    I've started zero. Yay me.
  • edited September 2012
    So have I!

    All these years and never a thread.
  • edited September 2012
    I wonder how many threads have been removed from peoples' lists as a result of them being merged into the WOYM Thread.
  • edited September 2012
    Now the 6 threads I've started feels like a lot!
  • edited September 2012
    24. Could have sworn it's be more than that. Oh well.

    ...and what was Coolsome doing visiting my profile? Do I have an internet stalker? That'd be so cool.
  • edited September 2012
    Ah, 57! I win! I had forgotten about Have a Coversation with Pancakes.
  • edited September 2012
    77.

    pvwvz.png
  • edited September 2012
    Chyron8472 wrote: »
    77.

    pvwvz.png

    you monster!
  • edited September 2012
    Chyron8472 wrote: »
    I wonder how many threads have been removed from peoples' lists as a result of them being merged into the WOYM Thread.

    I'd show you the edit log for Whatever, but it's enormous. That said, I could only find four instances of threads being merged into it, and at least one of those was me trying to fix everyone's post counts by moving Whatever into General Chat, starting a dummy thread in Forum Games, moving Whatever back into Forum Games by merging it, then deleting the OP of the dummy thread.

    tl;dr: It's happened three times.
  • VainamoinenVainamoinen Moderator
    edited September 2012
    I'd show you the edit log for Whatever, but it's enormous.

    Also, I would object. We only show spam threads to regular community members to make them pity us. :D :D
  • edited September 2012
    I figured it was pretty harmless, but then it is an awfully long list to scan through for anything important. 425 instances of moderator action, to be exact.

    Hmm, while I'm thinking about it, maybe I should take a look and see if I can figure out why the thread thinks some posts are on the wrong page.
  • edited September 2012
    Only 425? Better find some raunchy and/or offensive material to post, then.
  • edited September 2012
    crap.png

    I thought it was more then that.
  • edited September 2012
    Hmm, while I'm thinking about it, maybe I should take a look and see if I can figure out why the thread thinks some posts are on the wrong page.

    Oh, shit. I figured out the problem. I don't think I'm at liberty to discuss what the problem is, but I think I can fix it.
  • edited September 2012
    [...] maybe I should take a look and see if I can figure out why the thread thinks [...]

    So ... has it finally been proven that the thread has become a sentient being? :eek:

    On topic:
    Perhaps there is a way to block the creation of multiple threads with the same title. Would at least stop that kind of bot from flooding the thread view.
  • edited September 2012
    It might be possible, but if it is, it's not likely to happen until after we get the new site. Also, many spambots mix it up a bit with their thread titles, so it would only be somewhat effective.

    And damn, my solution for the Whatever problem didn't work. I do know what the problem is now, I just can't do anything about it.
  • edited September 2012
    Iryon wrote: »
    On topic:
    Perhaps there is a way to block the creation of multiple threads with the same title. Would at least stop that kind of bot from flooding the thread view.

    I think we already had bots that added a random number to the end of the thread title. It would help with others.
  • edited September 2012
    Oh, shit. I figured out the problem. I don't think I'm at liberty to discuss what the problem is
    Why not? If it's just a technical issue, what's the need in hiding it?

    I mean, it's not something like "there are links to nsfw pictures someone embedded in the code, and I can't post them." So I don't know what is stopping you from discussing website technical problems, really.

    Unless it is nsfw links embedded in the code and you're just hoarding them for yourself.
    In that case, then: "Greedy bastard, cough up." :D

    (I'm kidding.)
  • edited September 2012
    You know how you guys don't get to talk about banned users? Well, we don't get to talk about it when we do this to a user. But every time it's done, it causes a hiccup with post links. And with a thread like Whatever, this starts to accumulate after a while.

    But you know what? I've got a solution in mind, and I'm going to implement it to move the problem somewhere else, into a thread nobody will ever see.
  • edited September 2012
    So you're saying there's a systemic anomaly in the code. Eventually the Whatever thread will become a Matrix producing a Neo-like "The One".
  • edited September 2012
    Or I could just delete the posts causing the problem. Turns out that deleting the posts doesn't make them look any different, apart from a trash can icon when a mod views them, but it does fix the problem.

    Now, the problem is that I have to manually hunt down the posts causing the problem by testing links to posts at the bottom of many pages of Whatever.
  • edited September 2012
    You know how you guys don't get to talk about banned users? Well, we don't get to talk about it when we do this to a user. But every time it's done, it causes a hiccup with post links. And with a thread like Whatever, this starts to accumulate after a while.

    But you know what? I've got a solution in mind, and I'm going to implement it to move the problem somewhere else, into a thread nobody will ever see.

    Oh. So it could actually be nsfw links hidden in the code. :D

    ...Okay, I'll stop. :o

    Anyway, I didn't know you could do that. (What you were referring to, I mean.) I guess that's kinda the point, though.

    So you're saying that fixing it might require manual housecleaning? That would suck.
  • edited September 2012
    bu-bu-bu- BUT THE ONE!!!
  • edited September 2012
    Daishi, if your theory was correct, The One would be Saucerfoot. And nobody wants that.
  • edited September 2012
    If that were to happen to someone, would they know that was done to them? And if they did, couldn't they read this and be alerted to making it worse?

    Granted the issue is merely an irritant and not an actual problem, but some people still have nothing better to do with their time.
  • edited September 2012
    Why do you think I didn't want to talk about it? That said, we haven't made use of this in quite some time, as far as I'm aware.

    And Chyron, it does require manual housecleaning to fix. I can check posts at 50 page intervals, but that still means 34 checks just to find the 50 page sections in which these posts reside. Then I have to go backwards through those 50 pages at 10 page intervals to narrow it down to the 10 page section where the post is. Then one page at a time. And now that I've taken care of the two posts that were hiding on page 110, I still have four of these posts to hunt down.

    Then, after that, I get to search through "Which games are you currently playing?" for the same thing, because the problem persists there too.
  • edited September 2012
    I wonder what other forum sites do to filter bots that this site isn't doing.

    Not that I want to give away things to botters so they know how to circumvent said forum tools.
  • edited September 2012
    It's all about preventing automated registration and detection of threads created by spammers who got in.

    Edit: Oh, goody. A Thursday Night Football attack.
  • edited September 2012
    Edit: Oh, goody. A Thursday Night Football attack.

    At least you managed to stop it before the fourms are overrun then again you better be ready in-case more come.
  • edited September 2012
    At least you managed to stop it before the fourms are overrun then again you better be ready in-case more come.

    THIS IS NOT A DRILL!! DOWN THE MOD POLE!!!!

    Fireman_Pole.jpg
    aww crap..
  • edited September 2012
    coolsome wrote: »
    THIS IS NOT A DRILL!! DOWN THE MOD POLE!!!!

    Fireman_Pole.jpg
    aww crap..

    I think we should have a thread called ''The Simpsons references made by Coolsome thread'' so we can have a place to put all your references :D
  • edited September 2012
    At least you managed to stop it before the fourms are overrun then again you better be ready in-case more come.

    I'm sure there will be. And I have to step away from the computer for a while. Best of luck to you all. I'll check in when I can and clean up the damage if there is any.
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