Have We Reached The Tipping Point?

[dougb1426]

Consider Page 1 today.

[Farmboy]

FPG seems to have been cluttered with mostly sales posts by accounts that only post sales since the demise of the classifieds on FPN.

In light of the Sales posts (some with pages of bumps) the SPAM is at least entertaining.

[usk15]

the SPAM is at least entertaining.

Annoying, but entertaining!

[Jon Szanto]

... the SPAM is at least entertaining.

No, it isn't. But it is still a clear sign of a slumlord who doesn't give a fuck.

[724Seney]

... the SPAM is at least entertaining.

No, it isn't. But it is still a clear sign of a slumlord who doesn't give a fuck.

Given the very public dislike that you and David Jackson (aka Empty of Clouds, EoC), our resident spammer, have often expressed about one another I cannot help but believe that your frequent, vile rants about FPG's Owner/Administrator just serve to spur him on.

[Jon Szanto]

... the SPAM is at least entertaining.

No, it isn't. But it is still a clear sign of a slumlord who doesn't give a fuck.

Given the very public dislike that you and David Jackson (aka Empty of Clouds, EoC), our resident spammer, have often expressed about one another I cannot help but believe that your frequent, vile rants about FPG's Owner/Administrator just serve to spur him on.

I don’t have any control over that, and it is still a separate issue. The majority of the spam posts and threads in the last couple of months are highly likely to be bots, spam farms, or both. The increase in this stuff is a direct result of a forum with no active management whatsoever. Therein lies the biggest fault. Put me on ignore, if you prefer.

[~JJ]

I'd noticed that too, Doug. Page 1's taking an ever-increasing resemblance to that slum alley pic someone posted recently - almost bereft of what it was intended for. I thought it a place where members here could proffer their pens et al to other like-minded souls -- & not as some sort've free playground for retailers too cheap to pay for their own ads or auctions.

[Farmboy]

If I see Eric I’m going to ask that the classifieds be turned off for a few weeks.

[Chrissy]

if I ever saw Eric, and that is about as likely as me flying to the moon, I would ask him why he is now only behaving like the slumlord that Jon described.

Given a straight choice between seeing Classified ads and seeing spam I know which i would pick and it wouldn't be spam.

[Jon Szanto]

Take a look at what brand new member Eddies posted tonight. A whole bunch of threads not about fountain pens but lots of links and stuff. I’m sure he’ll be a great member of our community!

[724Seney]

... the SPAM is at least entertaining.

No, it isn't. But it is still a clear sign of a slumlord who doesn't give a fuck.

Given the very public dislike that you and David Jackson (aka Empty of Clouds, EoC), our resident spammer, have often expressed about one another I cannot help but believe that your frequent, vile rants about FPG's Owner/Administrator just serve to spur him on.

I don’t have any control over that, and it is still a separate issue. The majority of the spam posts and threads in the last couple of months are highly likely to be bots, spam farms, or both. The increase in this stuff is a direct result of a forum with no active management whatsoever. Therein lies the biggest fault. Put me on ignore, if you prefer.

1. "I don’t have any control over that, and it is still a separate issue." - I disagree. It is not a separate issue and they are very tightly inter-related. If you ceased and desisted your bashing of Eric it would leave David (aka EoC) with less that titillates his deranged brain. Like any other cockroach, if he can't find what he is looking for here, he will take his sorry self someplace else where he gets more gratification.

2. "The majority of the spam posts and threads in the last couple of months are highly likely to be bots, spam farms, or both." I strongly disagree. Whereas I freely admit that I do not read what is posted in many of the sub-forums here, since we are in the "For Sale" sub-forum I will restrict my disagreement to this specific location where the overwhelming number of spam posts come from the same individual (David Jackson). Lately, as surely you have noticed his easily recognizable spam here has all been made via posts emanating from same user name. Do you seriously believe that these multiple bots & spam farms are all gaining entry into FPG via the same user name?

3. "The increase in this stuff is a direct result of a forum with no active management whatsoever." I'll concede that there is some validity to this point but given that David is using his University's VPN (University of Otago in New Zealand) while he is at work on University time, if an administrator shut down his post by banning his user name's account he would simply create another and another and another................. The point is that more active administration, the point which gripes you so much, would not end the problem. The way to end the problem is not stop giving him the kind of stuff that he finds so addictive. You are facilitating his addiction when you post that stuff.

4. "Put me on ignore, if you prefer" - Actually, I prefer not. Sadly, there is not much left to laugh about these days. But your melt downs and hissy fits always give me a good laugh. You remind me of Donald Duck when he loses it!
Donald Duck Meltdown.png

[dneal]

I remain surprised that anyone takes an internet forum so seriously, whether it's the complaints or the spam. Seems like a determination to be miserable about something that's trivial at best.

[mcannad1]

In my opinion the "for sale" section here is definitely dying. I use to have tons of offers and be able to sell pens within a couple of days posting here. Now it feels like the audience has grown much smaller and it's a bit more of a struggle to get legitimate offers for pens. I started selling pens on Reddit recently and the amount of users there is staggering compared to here.

If I need advice on repair or on a very specific topic, I think there are still many great users here who are very knowledgeable/helpful, but for sheer sake of rapid sales at fair value reddit has become the new number one spot to sell pens online.

[Brilliant Bill]

if I ever saw Eric, and that is about as likely as me flying to the moon, I would ask him why he is now only behaving like the slumlord that Jon described.

I'll save you a trip to the moon, Chrissy. Given my experience with Mr. Eric, in response to your question, you'd get a smiling and snarky response, then his attention would quickly turn to something he deemed more worthy.

snark
: an attitude or expression of mocking irreverence and sarcasm
-Merriam-Webster

[Jon Szanto]

I remain surprised that anyone takes an internet forum so seriously, whether it's the complaints or the spam. Seems like a determination to be miserable about something that's trivial at best.

I take people seriously, and I take community seriously. The loss of both friends and a once vibrant cohort of knowledgable and enthusiastic pen friends bothers me. I've never asked anyone else to share that same feeling, but I remain surprised that anyone takes the trashing of a resource like that so cavalierly. It is what it is.

[dneal]

Good thing Eric provides this last remaining and sole conduit that allows you to keep in touch with those pen friends.

Unless you have other means, in which case this is just another of many internet forums.

[Brilliant Bill]

I remain surprised that anyone takes an internet forum so seriously, whether it's the complaints or the spam. Seems like a determination to be miserable about something that's trivial at best.

I take people seriously, and I take community seriously. The loss of both friends and a once vibrant cohort of knowledgable and enthusiastic pen friends bothers me. I've never asked anyone else to share that same feeling, but I remain surprised that anyone takes the trashing of a resource like that so cavalierly. It is what it is.

Oh, Jon, Jon, Jon. You have done it now --- opened Pandora's ontology box! I will stipulate that you may have "friends" here on this forum, but only if they are people you actually know. Perhaps you know them from pen shows, pen club or maybe your bowling league. Others, like me, are simply ones and zeros lighting up a monitor shooting light beams into your eyeballs. Emotional connections with users here is essentially a fantasy. Enjoy the fantasy, if you will, but don't confuse it with reality.

I've been involved with online forums nearly 50 years --- back to the BBS days. And all that time I've been perplexed about the inherent ontological issue --- just how real is online communication? For a time, especially in the AOL chat room days, I was a believer. There were even emotional attachments. Over the years, however, I decided otherwise. Unless I have met you in person, you're just digital data that may or may not have legitimacy. Personal human interaction is the key. Through this forum, even honest people transmit a tiny percentage of their humanity. In person, I get to see your face and body language, and I can test such with statements and questions. I can plumb your depths in a big hurry. On a non-visual forum like this, all that is missing. That's why these sort of "tools" are dying off, and why we live in a utube and tik tok world --- the visual factor. Ever notice how old the users here are? I'd put the median age around 55 for active users. One new member recently talked about using fountain pens in the forties. I'm nearly 80 myself.

Here's a personal example. You'll surely recall Matt Armstrong. His Pen Habit utube channel was a delight to watch because he revealed himself to be a pleasantly personable fellow. I see you as being very much like him --- deeply and intelligently interested in fountain pens, and both having a real connection to that ephemeral (to me) world of music. But Matt is real, both because of the visual element and that I've met him at a pen show. You I have never met, so it's all just a guess. Do you really exist, or are you just my digital fantasy? Had I met you in the days I worked at Kearney Mesa, it may be different!

Going back to the point of this thread, what I've talked about makes it much easier to bulk spam a forum like this than any visual forum. I think we probably got complacent because we were mostly spam-free for a long, long time. Now the issue is upon us, and it's only going to grow. Like others have suggested, and I agree, sit back and enjoy the show.

[~JJ]

Like others have suggested, and I agree, sit back and enjoy the show.

~vs~

Fascinating. The subtle need to tell other people what to do, always couched in terms of being nice and courtesy and good manners. The great passive-aggressive FU.

What's good for the goose is good for the goose?
Just sayin'...

[wingwiper]

I remain surprised that anyone takes an internet forum so seriously, whether it's the complaints or the spam. Seems like a determination to be miserable about something that's trivial at best.

agreed...........

[Lloyd]

I think FPGers are missing out on all the tremendous advice and offers the spambots are so generously providing. I just took out my third mortgage with full confidence that I'll soon reap the benefits of the crypto-currency that spammy suggested.

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