Spam resurrected dead thread

[Uncle Dog]

Having been advised to write indirectly to the great gods and their underlings - a suggestion about something that's been irritating me for a while.

Once I've logged in I always use the New Posts link to find "what's hot" but often find ancient corpses dredged to the surface by idiots/bots posting stuff like 'Yeah, me too', 'Totally agree', 'Like your opinion', 'I have an embarrassing rash'...

I can't imagine it's only me who finds this completely infuriating, particularly when you've not visited WPW for a while.

Would it be possible AND practical AND acceptable to make threads over a certain age (from the last post) only open to new post 'resurrection' by qualified WPW members? Who qualifies? I'm not sure but some or all (assume OR) of the following come to mind - long membership, good rep, moderator, Scottish, gorgeous, hirsute...

Regards

Uncle Dog

[rah]

Who said that you should only contact us indirectly? Feel free to contact anyone of us as you see fit.

As for your concern, we are all aware of this and the best thing to do is report the posts. I don't want to setup any kind of special permissions that only allow a certain group of users to be able to post on older threads. Segregation of any kind is never a good alternative in my mind. That would only create resentment in our community.

[crankydave]

While we do not catch them all, we catch a whole lot of them and they get deleted. I use the same function Uncle Dog and I regularly browse those type of threads looking for such posts.

I agree... it's very irritating.

As Rah pointed out, reporting such posts alerts all of us so we can not only take action on those posts, but any other posts that they have made and the member themself should it be deemed appropriate.

Dave

[Tubby]

Rah asked
"Who said that you should only contact us indirectly?"

Nobody . .
I wrote.
"You probably should start a new thread in Guidelines/Announcements/Suggestions.
This way we can get a better feedback from other users. I do not know exactly what options are available on the forum software.

We delete posts all day long and revived threads is a bit of a target.
"Me too" posts ? Yes a few of those get through . . "

So the indirectly originated from me.

RAH added the word 'only' But we love him anyway! ('only' is far to big a word for me to use)

.

[kgun]

The new post functionality is great. I only scan it.

And on your user CP page (upper left corner), you can find a subset of posts that you are involved in. Highly recommended to use that page if you have been away from the forum for a while.

[weegillis]

Originally Posted by rah

Segregation of any kind is never a good alternative in my mind.

Great philosophy!

Opine:
The member will [ engage | segregate ] one's own self accordingly--we are all known by our works.

[wige]

I know what you are referring to. I see these necros every once in a while and delete them when I see them. What might be helpful is showing the date of the original post next to the original posting in the New Posts lists - this would at least show the age of the thread, and might give clues to which threads have been necro'd.

[kgun]

Originally Posted by weegillis

Great philosophy!

Opine:
The member will [ engage | segregate ] one's own self accordingly--we are all known by our works.

I don't absolutely agree. No rule without an exception. There is a Norwegian saying:

"Du kan ikke gjøre alle til lags" = You can not please everybody.

In addition there are people that would like to see you fail.

The worst is when you offer free services to the world and you get negative (in the worst cases) destructive feedback. Don't misunderstand. Constructive feedback can be hard.

Generally, I agree. Segregation is a second best (what economists may call a corner) solution.

Originally Posted by wige

I know what you are referring to. I see these necros every once in a while and delete them when I see them.

It distracts you and you can loose focus. Worst of all it takes time.

There is another relevant Norwegian saying:

"Mange bekker små blir til en stor å". = Many small brooks (correct word for a small river?) grow to a big river.

In theory, that may lead to your final bankruptcy.

Originally Posted by wige

What might be helpful is showing the date of the original post next to the original posting in the New Posts lists - this would at least show the age of the thread, and might give clues to which threads have been necro'd.

Good proposal (and in different colours?)

[Doc]

I agree that segregating is not a viable solution. The fact that a member is new does not preclude them from having valuable input or new information. Some boards will close a thread automatically, after a certain period of inactivity. I have seen many such closed threads here, so I assume (dare I?) that WPW may do so. In such a case, a poster can start a new thread on the topic, and if they're sly, will link to the old post, as background.

Unfortunately, spammers seem to be here to stay. I have spotted such revived posts, and have never been bashful about reporting them as such (ask Dave! ).

[crankydave]

I've posted this elsewhere when "topics" like this come up...

I realize it's frustrating, aggravating, etc. But what you don't realize is how much of the 'crap' get's deleted before you ever see it. All members see is what gets through and that is a very small percentage of the whole.

Locking the forum down and putting measures in place so that no member ever sees any 'crap' is wholely unrealistic and not going to happen.

The Admins and Mods are continuously discussing ways to make the 'crap' members see less and less.

If the measures that are currently in place to prevent spam were turned off, and the Admins and Mods stopped deleting the 'crap' for a single day, I am certain you'd all gain a new 'perspective' on how little of the 'crap' you actually see.

Dave

[Tubby]

Yes . . We need better quality crap. We moderators want Crap that is worth reading before we delete it, We want original and well written crap for us to cast into the bottomless pit of deleted posts. We demand 'Me too' posts to have wit and humour so we can chuckle silently as we click on the 'burn in hell' button.

The quality of the Crap at WPW is simply not good enough . . .

[Uncle Dog]

It's a good thing I'm here then. Thanks to everyone for their feedback... I guess that's a No! then.

[Doc]

Originally Posted by Tubby

Yes . . We need better quality crap. We moderators want Crap that is worth reading before we delete it, We want original and well written crap for us to cast into the bottomless pit of deleted posts. We demand 'Me too' posts to have wit and humour so we can chuckle silently as we click on the 'burn in hell' button.

The quality of the Crap at WPW is simply not good enough . . .

I think that's a pretty crappy thing to say, Tubby!

[weegillis]

It is difficult to pull the plug and watch a 'semi-decent' post go down the drain, so I confess, some do slip by, for a time. Kind of like wait and see. I don't think many of us started off as major guru posters (least of all myself) but many do take hold and in one way or another put down roots, too.

Somewhere I read a post about the various kinds of posters. By keeping an open mind there will always be new ideas floating around, and we don't know which shy, demure new member is going to come out with the next big profound revelation.

[crankydave]

Originally Posted by Tubby

Yes . . We need better quality crap. We moderators want Crap that is worth reading before we delete it, We want original and well written crap for us to cast into the bottomless pit of deleted posts. We demand 'Me too' posts to have wit and humour so we can chuckle silently as we click on the 'burn in hell' button.

The quality of the Crap at WPW is simply not good enough . . .

Here! Here!

More good 'crap'... less 'crappy crap'!

'Crap' that I can green rep... then swing the hammer.

Dave

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by kgun

I don't absolutely agree. No rule without an exception.

To quote Justice Oliver Wendel Holmes - "Young men know the rules; old men, the exceptions."

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by Tubby

Yes . . We need better quality crap. We moderators want Crap that is worth reading before we delete it, We want original and well written crap for us to cast into the bottomless pit of deleted posts. We demand 'Me too' posts to have wit and humour so we can chuckle silently as we click on the 'burn in hell' button.

The quality of the Crap at WPW is simply not good enough . . .

Suggested new Breakroom Sub-Forum : "The Best of the Best Crap"

Rather than simply burn all of the really good crap, move it to an archive for all to enjoy.

[Tubby]

There are several forums that place all the crap into a seperate thread.

I do not think I am in favour of it . .

[deepsand]

Why not share the humor?

[weegillis]

If you want humor, become a mod.

Add.

Crassness, aside, I don't think we really need to share this stuff. Half of it is what we're trying to peel out...

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by weegillis

If you want humor, become a mod.

Now that's humorous.

Originally Posted by weegillis

I don't think we really need to share this stuff. Half of it is what we're trying to peel out...

Note that my suggestion related to the "Best of the Best" alone. I've some that were truly of ROTFLMAO quality.

[weegillis]

Something for the Break Room, maybe... A sticky dedicated to George Carlin, recent recipient of the Mark Twain Award? Might have him turning in his grave, but he could respect our intentions, if any body could.

Trouble is, it would have to have posting restrictions since it would contain only cleared for flight guffaws that had been peeled out by mods and admins. The general public would need to see it. More work for the IT department.

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by deepsand

Suggested new Breakroom Sub-Forum : "The Best of the Best Crap"

Originally Posted by weegillis

Something for the Break Room, maybe...

Echo?

Originally Posted by weegillis

A sticky dedicated to George Carlin, recent recipient of the Mark Twain Award? Might have him turning in his grave, but he could respect our intentions, if any body could.

FWIW, in appearance, I've been frequently mistaken for George.

Originally Posted by deepsand

Trouble is, it would have to have posting restrictions since it would contain only cleared for flight guffaws that had been peeled out by mods and admins. The general public would need to see it. More work for the IT department.

[Tubby]

Lol
"FWIW, in appearance, I've been frequently mistaken for George."

The question instantly popped into mind "Did they know he was dead " when the resemblance was noted?

I find it more reassuring when people think I resemble (in appearance) movie stars. They rarely do this. I have been compared to the school janitor "jock?" in the Simpson's. I am undecided about this because someone mentioned this at a barbecue and everyone thought it was hilarious - ( I cannot see the joke)

I wrote this short poem on this topic about 20 years ago.

In each of there's 'three'
there's is who I am the way that others see,
Who I am, they way I think myself to be.
and who I am; reality.

I do not know quite who I am
I know that I am 'me'
I would dread to be the me
that other people see.

[deepsand]

Originally Posted by Tubby

Lol
"FWIW, in appearance, I've been frequently mistaken for George."

The question instantly popped into mind "Did they know he was dead " when the resemblance was noted?

[Presses finger to ear, hears heartbeat, breathes sigh of relief.]

The possibility of a new career as a George Carlin impersonator beckons.

[Tubby]

I just had another wicked thought . (I do have an evil streak)

If WebPro World were ever to make an option available where deleted post could be retained in a place that could 'be found' rather than on Public display. . . . You do realise I would instantly lobby for the the place to be titled 'DEEP SAND' buried in deep sand. (people would need to take the efforts to un-dig the posts. . .

Roflmam ( that's; rolling on floor laughing madly at myself..)

[deepsand]

High praise indeed; I blush at the honor.