Change re guest posting? Please comment

Post by **emmzee** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 12:06 pm

Hi all,

I just spent about 20 minutes manually removing spam in the three (well, now two) forums that are open for guest posting. As a result, I'm considering removing guest posting for Find Old Games and Get Games to Work. This will result in less posts overall but probably better quality posts (quality over quantity). Anyone have comments on whether or not that should happen?

Also, I think there's too many forums. Some should be combined ... the "Site suggestion" ones should be combined for sure, but I'm not sure 'bout the others. Also the "General DOS Games" has been renamed to "General Gaming Talk".

So, any comments/suggestions, please post 'em below. Thanks all, hope you're having a happy holiday season, and Merry Christmas!

(This reminds me, I have to do a Christmas DOSGames.com logo!!

)

Update: Since the spam keeps coming, I've locked guest posting on all boards for now. Also, check out the limited-time-only DOSGames.com logo (seen on the main site only not the boards )

486 player · Post by **486 player** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 1:59 pm

Disallowin' quest posts is NOT a wise idea. What it'll brings about, is "registered to get problem solved and never getting back" users. If a quest really wants to spam (s)he registers anyway.

Hey! Where are new games?

Post by **emmzee** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 3:38 pm

The reason guest posting has been (temporarily for the moment) disallowed is that bots were posting 20+ spam posts to each of the open forums that I had to manually remove ... so the issue here isn't legitimate people registering to ask a question. I'd much rather just find a way to prevent the bot/spam posts but there is no easy way AFAIK; blocking IPs won't work either since they all come from different (proxy) addresses.

Post by **Wally** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 4:53 pm

Thats not good.

http://www.phpbbhacks.com/download/4817 - Google Bot Detector
might solve somethings but issues would still arise from yahoo and other search engines.

Just a hope.

Post by **Dogbreath** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 12:41 am

It's not really my concern anymore, but IMO, only bad will come of this. The dedicated spammers register anyway (and e-mail addresses are as easy to find as IPs), but it'll make it much harder for normal people (who, say, find the site via google) to ask questions. Forcing them to register adds +5 minutes worth of wait time, and about 90% won't be willing to go through the hassle of waiting.

My $0.02.

Wed Dec 21, 2005 1:21 am

Well as far as I’m concerned nuts to them then, we go to the effort to find games and solutions for people when they ask. If they’re not willing to spend 5 minutes registering then they can just solve their problems on their own.

Dosser · Post by **Dosser** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 4:05 am

I think removing guests is good: it won't deter all of them, but it does remove a little of the anonymity, and makes it harder for bots and the like.

I think making people register will only improve the number of members here for the long term. There are a few forums I have joined just to ask a question then come back months later and stayed for the long term.

SpaceFans · Post by **SpaceFans** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 6:12 pm

So if I am right Guest can not Post at all Right in Section of the forum here right.

Post by **emmzee** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 8:58 pm

I just installed an additional security hack, so I've re-enabled guest posting in Find Old Games and Get Games to Work for now just to see if the spamming stops. (If all seems well, I'll re-enable guest posting in the Help forum too)

For those who favor keeping guest posting, do you have any ideas on how to stop the spamming? (If this security hack doesn't work I mean) I don't have time to manually sit and delete dozens of spam posts every day.

SpaceFans · Post by **SpaceFans** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:06 am

Will there one way Ban the guest then That Work alot in some forum Will you need to delte the people are stuff caniso stuff and other stuff on the forum here I love to help you guys out here.

Fri Dec 23, 2005 6:13 am

Banning the guest wont work because if you looks at most of the guest spam it’s obvious that it’s done by bots. And they spawn IPs faster then breeding rabbits.

SpaceFans · Post by **SpaceFans** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 7:46 am

oh ok Then Ban guest is a Bad Idea then So how can we get away from the Bots then any question.

GameMaster.EXE · Post by **GameMaster.EXE** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 9:08 am

With AOL, guests can escape IP bans and come back for some more spam. Won't matter if you ban them all, they will always find a way back.

Post by **emmzee** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 3:16 pm

I'm well aware that its pretty easy for a bot to register and post instead of just posting as a guest. However, 100% of the spam that has been posted on this forum lately has been from guest posting. Therefore, bots registering and then posting is NOT currently a problem. Plus I installed a security mod that tries to prevent bots from registering in the first place.

Since guest posting has been turned off there has been no spam. Unless someone can find a solution to stop spamming when guest posting is on, it will have to remain off. I spent nearly an hour yesterday cleaning out spam from the two boards that were open (as well as trying to clear out old spam from previous days that I'd missed). So if anyone has ideas how to prevent guest spamming, please post. Otherwise, no most guest posting for now.

SpaceFans · Post by **SpaceFans** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 6:19 pm

emmzee wrote:I'm well aware that its pretty easy for a bot to register and post instead of just posting as a guest. However, 100% of the spam that has been posted on this forum lately has been from guest posting. Therefore, bots registering and then posting is NOT currently a problem. Plus I installed a security mod that tries to prevent bots from registering in the first place.

Since guest posting has been turned off there has been no spam. Unless someone can find a solution to stop spamming when guest posting is on, it will have to remain off. I spent nearly an hour yesterday cleaning out spam from the two boards that were open (as well as trying to clear out old spam from previous days that I'd missed). So if anyone has ideas how to prevent guest spamming, please post. Otherwise, no most guest posting for now.

That is so right emmzeewas in the Forum last night Cleaning the Up the Spammed of guest are doing To this forum I think Turning off the guest Posting is a Good I dea So there For the Stupid Bots don`t have to post that most Topic in the Forum here.

Post by **emmzee** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 11:04 pm

In order to prevent spam (and because many of the other mods are MIA) The_Sinister_Mastermind has been made a mod of Find Old Games and Get Games to Work, and SpaceFans has been made a mod of Game Help, Hints & Tips ... both on a trial basis for now although I don't anticipate any problems.

Sat Dec 24, 2005 1:30 am

I’ll be pretty busy over the next few days since my family is all coming over to my house for xmas, but after that I’ll trawl through the phpBB main download site and see if I can find anything to help prevent bots from posting.
BTW thanks for the new postition Emmzee

.

Post by **Dogbreath** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 2:12 am

Hey, welcome to our two new mods! Sinister Mastermind, is, I think, the fastest person ever to make mod rank after joining... he'll probably take over the website in another month.

Sat Dec 24, 2005 2:43 am

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see

.

And thanks for the welcome Dogbreath.

Gamer_V · Post by **Gamer_V** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 1:26 pm

Well congratulations to y'all!

Your endless posting has made you a mod, TSM.

I was browsing and I saw TSM was a mod now. I'm like, wtf.

What annoys me is that this post has no point nor does it have any sense behind it.

Bah.