How do we stop them? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Lindale · 01-06-2010, 09:02 AM

Or let's get a nice little Melian-ish fence around us, preciousss!

Ibrîniðilpathânezel · 01-06-2010, 09:27 AM

Well, a lot of these idjits are Trolls, here to disrupt rather than sell spam (which is why they should be ignored and left to be deleted by the moderators). Perhaps if we could find a way to get them to crawl out of their dark holes and into the sunlight, they'd turn to stone and save us a lot of time in building the walls.

skip spence · 01-06-2010, 12:59 PM

Some of these spammers are an odd breed indeed. Not sure they are Trolls though because they get kicks trolling for replies and reactions by posting stuff that isn't sincere but generates heat. Around here a good troll topic would be: PJ is a great film maker who made a dull book exiting or Balrogs have wings, dumbass. But I can't see how anyone could find it amusing to post the dull and barely literate posts of today for example. And for us it's mildly annoying but hardly something that raises the blood pressure. My guess (as a computer illiterate) are slightly more sophisticated spambots, first posing as a serious poster (and Danielle Steele fans apparently

) without trying to sell anything, hoping to remain unnoticed and then... uhm... gets down to some sort of dirty business no doubt...

Loslote · 01-07-2010, 12:57 AM

We could always add a new requirement to the registering form - instead of typing Tolkien, they would have to type the name of the Downer who got them on the site, or the reason they found it. If they don't have a reason or a sponser, then die, evil spambot.

Eomer of the Rohirrim · 01-07-2010, 03:27 AM

But then they would just invent reasons, either with standard texts or generated from real posts. Granted, it might be easy to spot a few of these generated ones - say:

I like werewolf but I agree with Mister Underhill. Inktomi Slurp Spiders have wings.

That's little problem. But can we refuse a new member for simply stating:

I like Lord of the Rings

? Easy for the bots, but simple also for prospective Downers.

Perhaps Esty should just interview everyone via chat. Give her a raise and I'm sure she'll do it.

Loslote · 01-07-2010, 07:56 PM

Actually, that (interviews with potential newbies) has the potential to be extremely amusing (at least to me). Hm...*contemplates writing a fanfic about it* Maybe over the weekend.

alatar · 01-07-2010, 08:22 PM

"How do we stop them?"

"To fight the bug, we must understand the bug. We can ill afford another Klendathu."

"We must meet this threat with our courage, our valor, indeed with our very lives to ensure that human civilization, not insect, dominates this galaxy *now and always*!"

Or something like that.

The Might · 01-07-2010, 08:30 PM

I guess the interviews are a joke right?

Just googled a bit looking for possible answers on how to achieve this on a vBulletin forum. Upgrading to version 3.6 would bring improved image captchas, but I'm not sure how much that would help... it would against bots, but if these are real people then it wouldn't help.

Also, a couple of addons were mentioned which either make it unattractive for spammers to post in the forum by blocking the links they post or addons detecting keywords in their posts as spam and sending them to the moderation queue.

Otherwise, the only other idea I found interesting was moderating new members, so only allowing them to post once they were manually unlocked by an admin. Not sure how well that would work though.

01-06-2010, 09:02 AM	#1
Lindale Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: midway upon... in a forest dark Posts: 975	Or let's get a nice little Melian-ish fence around us, preciousss! __________________ The heart does things for reasons Reason itself cannot comprehend. - Blaise Pascal Legal Madness.

01-06-2010, 09:27 AM	#2
Ibrîniðilpathânezel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Back on the Helcaraxe Posts: 733	Well, a lot of these idjits are Trolls, here to disrupt rather than sell spam (which is why they should be ignored and left to be deleted by the moderators). Perhaps if we could find a way to get them to crawl out of their dark holes and into the sunlight, they'd turn to stone and save us a lot of time in building the walls. __________________ Call me Ibrin (or Ibri) :) Originality is the one thing that unoriginal minds cannot feel the use of. — John Stewart Mill

01-06-2010, 12:59 PM	#3
skip spence shadow of a doubt Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Back on the streets Posts: 1,125	Some of these spammers are an odd breed indeed. Not sure they are Trolls though because they get kicks trolling for replies and reactions by posting stuff that isn't sincere but generates heat. Around here a good troll topic would be: PJ is a great film maker who made a dull book exiting or Balrogs have wings, dumbass. But I can't see how anyone could find it amusing to post the dull and barely literate posts of today for example. And for us it's mildly annoying but hardly something that raises the blood pressure. My guess (as a computer illiterate) are slightly more sophisticated spambots, first posing as a serious poster (and Danielle Steele fans apparently ) without trying to sell anything, hoping to remain unnoticed and then... uhm... gets down to some sort of dirty business no doubt... __________________ "You can always come back, but you can't come back all the way" ~ Bob Dylan

01-07-2010, 12:57 AM	#4
Loslote The Werewolf's Companion Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Moon Posts: 3,021	We could always add a new requirement to the registering form - instead of typing Tolkien, they would have to type the name of the Downer who got them on the site, or the reason they found it. If they don't have a reason or a sponser, then die, evil spambot. __________________ I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night. Double Fenris

01-07-2010, 03:27 AM	#5
Eomer of the Rohirrim Auspicious Wraith Join Date: May 2002 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 4,859	But then they would just invent reasons, either with standard texts or generated from real posts. Granted, it might be easy to spot a few of these generated ones - say: I like werewolf but I agree with Mister Underhill. Inktomi Slurp Spiders have wings. That's little problem. But can we refuse a new member for simply stating: I like Lord of the Rings ? Easy for the bots, but simple also for prospective Downers. Perhaps Esty should just interview everyone via chat. Give her a raise and I'm sure she'll do it. __________________ Los Ingobernables de Harlond

01-07-2010, 07:56 PM	#6
Loslote The Werewolf's Companion Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Moon Posts: 3,021	Actually, that (interviews with potential newbies) has the potential to be extremely amusing (at least to me). Hm...contemplates writing a fanfic about it Maybe over the weekend. __________________ I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night. Double Fenris

01-07-2010, 08:22 PM	#7
alatar Doubting Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Heaven's basement Posts: 2,466	"How do we stop them?" "To fight the bug, we must understand the bug. We can ill afford another Klendathu." "We must meet this threat with our courage, our valor, indeed with our very lives to ensure that human civilization, not insect, dominates this galaxy now and always!" Or something like that. __________________ There is naught that you can do, other than to resist, with hope or without it.

01-07-2010, 08:30 PM	#8
The Might Guard of the Citadel Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Oxon Posts: 2,205	I guess the interviews are a joke right? Just googled a bit looking for possible answers on how to achieve this on a vBulletin forum. Upgrading to version 3.6 would bring improved image captchas, but I'm not sure how much that would help... it would against bots, but if these are real people then it wouldn't help. Also, a couple of addons were mentioned which either make it unattractive for spammers to post in the forum by blocking the links they post or addons detecting keywords in their posts as spam and sending them to the moderation queue. Otherwise, the only other idea I found interesting was moderating new members, so only allowing them to post once they were manually unlocked by an admin. Not sure how well that would work though. __________________ “The invisible and the non-existent look very much alike.” Delos B. McKown