Dealing with spammers

[TSherbs]

... The only thing left would be a concerted effort from several people to confront the owner to do something about the situation actively, but I have the distinct impression that no one else is interested in that path, and that is understandable.

I missed this part. I am interested in this and I would do my part. Heck, I would do it singlehandedly if I lived in that area. "Confront" isn't the right word, but I would be willing to send letters, emails (I have already done this once), stop by the store and inquire if Eric is in. Drop off a petition. Nail 39 theses to the door. Whatevah would be helpful.

[Farmboy]

Having run a board, someone must be doing something. Perhaps letting a little spam in and a hands off content approach is a social experiment but keeping a board running does take intervention.

[carlos.q]

How about starting an online petition right here on this board? All he needs to do is authorize two or three volunteers to help deal with all the spam.

[724Seney]

Having run a board, someone must be doing something. Perhaps letting a little spam in and a hands off content approach is a social experiment but keeping a board running does take intervention.

I agree. When compared with just the other "like" fountain pen sites, this one has far less problems, difficulties & bugs. That is not happening by accident or by leaving the gear in neutral. There has to be some oversight.

The problem is not all Spam. He gets frequent messages from members some of whom are egregious Forum rule breakers; they think what they do is fine...... but are quick to scream that others should be banned. I would not want to referee all those petty spats, would you?

The problem is once he begins, where does he draw the line(s)? What is being proposed could quickly become a full time job. Sure, he could deputize Moderators but then you have to put up with all the heavy handed pettiness and self-promotion which is so commonplace at another site which many of us frequent.

Don't get me wrong, I hate the spam as much as anybody else. But, at the end of the day, all it takes is one click and it is gone. And, when it comes from repeat offenders, such as our resident sicko (you know who), all it takes is a push of the ignore button and he is gone until he assumes some new user name...... at which point all one needs to do is to repeat the process.

Let's be glad for what we've got; we are always free to go elsewhere if the grass is greener there.

[PithyProlix]

But, at the end of the day, all it takes is one click and it is gone. And, when it comes from repeat offenders, such as our resident sicko (you know who), all it takes is a push of the ignore button and he is gone until he assumes some new user name...... at which point all one needs to do is to repeat the process.

So, in a post today, someone replied to a spammer that I blocked. I've seen this happen a few times before. In today's reply, the spammer's message was quoted so, in effect, the block was useless. Not only do I not want to see messages from blocked users but I also don't want to see replies to their spam either. Sorry to write this but the replies to spammers are just as much a waste of my time and energy as the spam being replied to. And frustrating because, even though the blocked spammer's original message was hidden, the effort to block the spammer was effectively useless.

How can the folks who reply to spammers be persuaded not to do so?

[Chrissy]

But, at the end of the day, all it takes is one click and it is gone. And, when it comes from repeat offenders, such as our resident sicko (you know who), all it takes is a push of the ignore button and he is gone until he assumes some new user name...... at which point all one needs to do is to repeat the process.

So, in a post today, someone replied to a spammer that I blocked. I've seen this happen a few times before. In today's reply, the spammer's message was quoted so, in effect, the block was useless. Not only do I not want to see messages from blocked users but I also don't want to see replies to their spam either. Sorry to write this but the replies to spammers are just as much a waste of my time and energy as the spam being replied to. And frustrating because, even though the blocked spammer's original message was hidden, the effort to block the spammer was effectively useless.

How can the folks who reply to spammers be persuaded not to do so?

They can't be persuaded to not reply to spammers. Just like they can't be persuaded to look at the original dates when new members post their first threads in the "Welcome to new members" forum and a spammer posts to resurrect that thread after many years. They just go in and say hello and welcome because they haven't noticed that the OP was a new member 8 years or so ago and hasn't been around since. Herry the biggest spammer of all has even been thanked 3 times by other members. Spam is just intended to cause an annoyance for others and that's why it does so.

Farmboy I might have agreed with your point about the fact that someone must be doing something here until Eric completely ignored the fact that February was InCoWriMo. No mention of his own baby was made on his own forum for the first year ever since he has been running it.

[FredRydr]

But, at the end of the day, all it takes is one click and it is gone. And, when it comes from repeat offenders, such as our resident sicko (you know who), all it takes is a push of the ignore button and he is gone until he assumes some new user name...... at which point all one needs to do is to repeat the process.

So, in a post today, someone replied to a spammer that I blocked. I've seen this happen a few times before. In today's reply, the spammer's message was quoted so, in effect, the block was useless. Not only do I not want to see messages from blocked users but I also don't want to see replies to their spam either. Sorry to write this but the replies to spammers are just as much a waste of my time and energy as the spam being replied to. And frustrating because, even though the blocked spammer's original message was hidden, the effort to block the spammer was effectively useless.

How can the folks who reply to spammers be persuaded not to do so?

That particular spammer is not a spambot, but rather is a member who purportedly quit FPGeeks after yet one more one of his repeated meaningless goodbyes. Predictably, he’s having another one of his passive-aggressive grudge tantrums by filling the forum with unoriginal BS posts. His patterns are only one giveaway, and later he’ll go into a regret and cover-up stage and delete posts. Tiresome and stupid, but harmless. Eric seems to like it.

[Farmboy]

There is another board. I guess if you can put up with the ads, there is a lot of activity. You can even get points there for posts elsewhere that offend.

[Sailor Kenshin]

But, at the end of the day, all it takes is one click and it is gone. And, when it comes from repeat offenders, such as our resident sicko (you know who), all it takes is a push of the ignore button and he is gone until he assumes some new user name...... at which point all one needs to do is to repeat the process.

So, in a post today, someone replied to a spammer that I blocked. I've seen this happen a few times before. In today's reply, the spammer's message was quoted so, in effect, the block was useless. Not only do I not want to see messages from blocked users but I also don't want to see replies to their spam either. Sorry to write this but the replies to spammers are just as much a waste of my time and energy as the spam being replied to. And frustrating because, even though the blocked spammer's original message was hidden, the effort to block the spammer was effectively useless.

How can the folks who reply to spammers be persuaded not to do so?

They can't be persuaded to not reply to spammers. Just like they can't be persuaded to look at the original dates when new members post their first threads in the "Welcome to new members" forum and a spammer posts to resurrect that thread after many years. They just go in and say hello and welcome because they haven't noticed that the OP was a new member 8 years or so ago and hasn't been around since. Herry the biggest spammer of all has even been thanked 3 times by other members. Spam is just intended to cause an annoyance for others and that's why it does so.

Farmboy I might have agreed with your point about the fact that someone must be doing something here until Eric completely ignored the fact that February was InCoWriMo. No mention of his own baby was made on his own forum for the first year ever since he has been running it.

I've been guilty of knee-jerk necroposting. But then I kick myself.

[FredRydr]

There is another board. I guess if you can put up with the ads, there is a lot of activity. You can even get points there for posts elsewhere that offend.

Points? Can they be exchanged for rewards like a toaster or cash back?

[Chrissy]

I've been guilty of knee-jerk necroposting. But then I kick myself.

I haven't noticed that particularly and even if you might have ever kicked yourself you are such a long term experienced member that you know how to go back and fix things.
All posts on here can forever be easily deleted and even thanks made in error are forever removable. It's not a big deal.

[Jon Szanto]

Points? Can they be exchanged for rewards like a toaster or cash back?

[Chrissy]

Jon you're showing your age there.

[Jon Szanto]

Jon you're showing your age there.

Hell, I show my age everywhere.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Ah, but does anyone remember King Korn Stamps?

I can't get the jingle out of my head.

[calamus]

Ah yes, the good old days. Here's a commercial from when I was knee-high to a grasshopper:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxrCjmqRTz0

I tried to embed the video, but it wouldn't take.

[calamus]

I've been guilty of knee-jerk necroposting. But then I kick myself.

I thought necroposting was mailing letters after you were already dead.

P. S. I kick myself too. Heck, I even shoot myself in the foot.

[Chrissy]

Ah yes, the good old days. Here's a commercial from when I was knee-high to a grasshopper:



I tried to embed the video, but it wouldn't take.

Maybe you tried a different icon? The last one in the 4th box along from the left on my second row is the Insert Video icon. It only works for YouTube videos

[calamus]

Ah yes, the good old days. Here's a commercial from when I was knee-high to a grasshopper:



I tried to embed the video, but it wouldn't take.

Maybe you tried a different icon? The last one in the 4th box along from the left on my second row is the Insert Video icon. It only works for YouTube videos

My 4th box is insert image; insert video is the 5th. On my computer (a Macintosh) the first box in the last row is Link, #2 is Email, #3 is Unlink, #4 is Insert Image, #5 is Insert Video, and #6 is Wrap [QUOTE] tags around selected text. I tried several times using the Insert Video icon, and got nothing, just a blank expanse of white about the size of the video image.

Ah ha! It works, but takes maybe a couple of minutes or so for the video to show up!

[Chrissy]

[QUOTE=calamus;392629]

Ah yes, the good old days. Here's a commercial from when I was knee-high to a grasshopper:



I tried to embed the video, but it wouldn't take.

Maybe you tried a different icon? The last one in the 4th box along from the left on my second row is the Insert Video icon. It only works for YouTube videos

My 4th box is insert image; insert video is the 5th. On my computer (a Macintosh) the first box in the last row is Link, #2 is Email, #3 is Unlink, #4 is Insert Image, #5 is Insert Video, and #6 is Wrap

tags around selected text. I tried several times using the Insert Video icon, and got nothing, just a blank expanse of white about the size of the video image.

Ah ha! It works, but takes maybe a couple of minutes or so for the video to show up!

I think my response might have been confusing. I'm using a Mac. When I'm in Go Advanced I see three different and separate rows across the top of the reply box. The middle row has 4 boxes along it's length and my Insert Video icon is the last icon inside the 4th box that contains several different icons.