The Wastegate is ruined!

Brasco · Post by **Brasco** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 12:08 pm

But.... is it just me, or does this help solve a side problem with a system that doesn't work very well anyway?

Whether you are deleting them or putting them into quarantine before deleting them, still doesn't amount to making any difference to the fact the wastegate is flooded with spam and the mods can't keep up.

Another thing about this hidden forum, while I'm on a rant... Rich's post was about an upcoming event... now the prob was we didn't get to see it cos somebody (and we don't know who) with the power to delete threads, deleted it off, and by the time the post was kept on the forum, it was too late for me to make any arrangements. If posts are gonna be quarantined a) If it's sat there for a week, the same problem will occur b) Even with a hidden forum, who's to say the same dozy mistake won't be made again and the post be deleted!?

Big Brother · Post by **Big Brother** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:16 pm

I'm fixing things that I can fix as a moderator, post being accidently removed is somthing mods can deal with if they are moved to a hidden area before being deleted. I can't do anything about the number of spammers hitting the forum, One thing that would stop the problem in an instant would be for new user accounts to be approved by an admin, this would require an admin to be around everyday, this way spammers will be weeded out and won't be able to post on the forum. All of this doesn't require any modifications.

Now, as with all Rich's posts that were deleted we were made aware of it within a few hours. I suggested keeping them for a week because in that time I thought you would have noticed if one of your threads is missing.

Brasco · Post by **Brasco** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 5:05 pm

volvo-bigbrother wrote:I suggested keeping them for a week because in that time I thought you would have noticed if one of your threads is missing.

If you log on more than once a week, you might.

Big Brother · Post by **Big Brother** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 5:05 pm

Its still a better alternative than just deleting them, gives the extra time inbetween without anyone having to see the spam threads.

Brasco · Post by **Brasco** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 5:08 pm

volvo-bigbrother wrote:Its still a better alternative than just deleting them.

Well... it'd be better still if member's posts weren't taken off the Forum at all.

welsh-dragon · Post by **welsh-dragon** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 5:45 pm

Well all I can say is......................
Thank goodness I wasn't holding my breath!!
Another 5 days gone by and still no sign or response from apparently the ONLY person who has the powers to sort this out??
Maybe it's just me guys but there is a distinct lack of moderators even bothering to visit the site these days.
Ad in his defence is on most days but does not have the authority vested in him to alter it.
What the hell is going on with the others?
Nothing personal at all here guys but it's getting like the Marie Celeste on here!!
I'm not the only one who thinks this way; check out how many regulars don't bother to post anymore-it's time to sort this out!
Sorry to put it in the public domain but when pm's get ignored................what else can you do??

PS I'm still not gonna hold my breath.........................

stu chacks · Post by **stu chacks** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:12 pm

lol, just thought I'd better add a post as you've been knocked off by our newest member Tony>>>

cagliarita wrote:Benvenuto sul mio sito
Stiamo giÃ organizzando il carnevale cagliaritano 2008!

Benvenuto sul mio sito

I think he just made out point for us if you know what I mean, thanks amigo.

Come on Daniel, there can't be that many 'genuine' new 480 owners joining every month not to be able to have an online application to fill in that allows you to 'vet' them before being given a username and allowing them to post on the forum.

Let's have a proper registration page that is vetted that would stop them! I'll vet the blighters if no-one else has time/inclination to, being a farmers son I know the wheat from the chaff. And you might even get some more sheep (Welsh member reference there!) back in the fold too as I know I'd prefer to be back on seeing genuine posts than a forum full of spam

Stu.

Edit: I've just edited the above link inoperable as I tried it to see if it was a maybe a new Spanish member perhaps - instead Norton went stright into HIGH RISK alert and blocked it. This is getting ridiculous.....

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:23 pm

I can't stop coming!

over 8000 posts but true I don't post much these days as i'm fed up with most of it. I'd be happy to vett all new members if someone wants to give me the job.

I have access to most things from work so it's not a problem

Big Brother · Post by **Big Brother** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 7:31 pm

Brasco wrote:
volvo-bigbrother wrote:Its still a better alternative than just deleting them.
Well... it'd be better still if member's posts weren't taken off the Forum at all.

No genuine threads are removed deliberately, this is a fail safe against it happening.

welsh-dragon wrote:Well all I can say is......................
Thank goodness I wasn't holding my breath!!
Another 5 days gone by and still no sign or response from apparently the ONLY person who has the powers to sort this out??
Maybe it's just me guys but there is a distinct lack of moderators even bothering to visit the site these days.
Ad in his defence is on most days but does not have the authority vested in him to alter it.
What the hell is going on with the others?
Nothing personal at all here guys but it's getting like the Marie Celeste on here!!
I'm not the only one who thinks this way; check out how many regulars don't bother to post anymore-it's time to sort this out!
Sorry to put it in the public domain but when pm's get ignored................what else can you do??

PS I'm still not gonna hold my breath.........................

Gaz has only posted on the forum 4 times this year and in one of those posts he said he was implementing stuff to combat spam, if he did do something it didn't work. I am on here several times a day, I think the only time I haven't been on here atleast twice a day is when I was in the US for 2 weeks. LaserOwl is also like me, just a moderator with no authority to make changes. Daniel can make some changes where PHPBB allow but these will be very limited without access to the forum directories, which only Gaz has access to.

On the subject of vetting new members, the suggestion I made above is one way, the other way is to add multiple pages to the registration page in order to fool spammers, this would require modification though.

Roo · Post by **Roo** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:27 pm

volvo-bigbrother wrote:
Gaz has only posted on the forum 4 times this year

Gaz has spent more time on ebay than the forum recently! All this spam is pretty depressing but its even more depressing that fuck alls being done about it. I dont bother coming in to the wastegate much now, whats the point.

Is Gaz totally uncontactable?

What about starting a new forum where someones willing to put the time in?!

Big Brother · Post by **Big Brother** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:30 pm

Roo wrote:What about starting a new forum where someones willing to put the time in?!

It would take years to get as big as it is at the moment. Plus this forum uses a lot of bandwidth

Murf · Post by **Murf** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:32 pm

What about starting a new forum where someones willing to put the time in?!

Back to the old EZboard ?

pol · Post by **pol** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:01 pm

Thats what i'm talking about! E.Zee, E.ZEE, EZEEEEE!!

I dont mean it really.

pol

Brasco · Post by **Brasco** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:43 pm

volvo-bigbrother wrote:
Brasco wrote:
volvo-bigbrother wrote:Its still a better alternative than just deleting them.
Well... it'd be better still if member's posts weren't taken off the Forum at all.
No genuine threads are removed deliberately, this is a fail safe against it happening.

It's only a fail-safe against posts being lost completely, not from them getting taken off the forum, because it's a manual process and that always means human error.

Look, the point is, it's just firefighting. I know you can't solve the problem that exists, but it needs to be voiced that things as they are, are not good, and are not working. I'm not having a go at you personally Ad, we know you're just an eager beaver trying to help out, this is for the Admin to take note of.

How many more of the regulars do you need on this post stating the same thing before something is sorted, and I mean properly sorted? If the Wastegate dies, then the whole club element will die with it and then you'll just be left with a Technical Forum.... and you'll be well outta your depth then Ad!

Dan the 480 Man · Post by **Dan the 480 Man** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:47 pm

Hmmm...

It's difficult-i don't feel comfortable voicing what i really think purely because of how it all kicked off the last time (and i'm not trying to be demeaning or aiming that at anybody, it's just a comment!).

I think the forum has changed-it feels different. I used to come on here and read as much as i could of the new posts everyday, but i find it less appealing now than i used to. It is real annoying to have this constant barrage of spam, it is off putting. Sometimes scrolling down 15 new threads just to get to one actually written by a human!

It's a free forum-it (was) a great forum, but it does feel like no-body has the time or effort to take care of it anymore. Alot of the longer standing members don't post as regular, and thats a shame-not only is the community falling apart, but you also lose alot of good characters and knowledge with it. There are several people i used to like seeing about who just aren't anymore. The 480 is a dying breed as it is, we don't need the club to go the same way....surely thats the point?!?

If the current admin aren't about as much because their outside workload is too much, or they just don't have the time to deal with it, for god's sake, hand it down to somebody/people that can! It's not about being pushed out, or being made to stand down, it's about doing the right thing! There are several members here i think would make worthy admin-and i think what Ad is doing with his limited capabilities is good-give him more so he can do more! You can keep all the current mod's as they are, just add more so the people who do use/visit the forum everyday don't get so pissed off with all the crap that seems to be going on spam wise. I think it's called delegation-it's not about being replaced, it's about getting the things done that need doing!

I never thought the spam would bother me, but it's really crap-i hate it. I hate it more because with the decline of regular members using the forum it's turning the forum into a less sociable and enjoyable place.

I just really think it's about time this was taken seriously as opposed to 'just a few members having a rant'-it's easy to moan i agree, but as we don't have the power to stop any of this, thats all we can do until it's sorted!

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:05 pm

pol wrote:Thats what i'm talking about! E.Zee, E.ZEE, EZEEEEE!!

I dont mean it really.

pol

Fuck yeah! Ezboard rocked!

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:13 pm

I know why Daniel is not here much and I can understand why. Let's all lay off the shit to him and I'll have a word with him.

just to add, Daniel is not drinking to much or taking drugs. His normal dutch bloke.

LASEROWL · Post by **LASEROWL** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 3:54 pm

Lots of valid points Guys. I also hope Gaz can find time to help sort this.

Like Ad all i can do is remove spam posts as an when they show up.
In fact just removed 3 now. Lets not let this crap kill the forum.

I agree its not the same, doesn't have the same feel to it, but a lot of other forums are run full time, if people want to help by becoming a mod then all i can suggest is PM Gaz and Daniel, sure Ad & I will welcome the help.

Cheers

Wayne

glasgowjim · Post by **glasgowjim** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 6:24 pm

I read this forum practically everyday! Like to follow the craic and info , but wife beginning to think I must be having an online affair

Groomus keep comments to selF!

Guess I am turning into a 480 groupie/geek

PS does percussive maintenance work on the wife ????

Macaroon · Post by **Macaroon** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 9:19 pm

glasgowjim wrote:does percussive maintenance work on the wife ????