'Probie' Status for New Members

[Caldwell's 2IC]

I've missed all this porn spam stuff ( thank God ) because my computer crashed last week, thanks to a Trojan ( the MIRC ). This is a borrowed PC, so don't worry if I'm here now.

My point is, there must be a way to make sure some ( string of curses goes here ) loosers won't mess with our Forum. If probation is the only solution, well, I think true fans will understand why you have to do this.

Getting porn and malicious programs from our favorite places is not my idea of fun.

[topaz_bean]

I can definitely see the logic for this decision, and I'm not sure what other choice you have on a family site after yesterday's attack, but I do have some slight reservations because, truth be told, my first reaction on seeing this announcement was relief that I had registered just before it was implemented. I joined with a definite idea of what I wanted to post and wanted to see the responses, so would have been initially patient in waiting for moderation for the thread to go up. However, it would have made integration difficult and I may have given up on the site fairly quickly. I would have found it really hard to join in ongoing and popular discussions if my replies were potentially going up after the conversation had moved on or someone else had just made the same point as me. I would have ended up coming across as pretty silly.

Having said that, bar the odd flamer, this is one of the friendlier communities I've come across on the net, so I would imagine that people will be pretty understanding of that sort of teething trouble. Hopefully it'll work out.

[TameFarrar]

Keep in mind that the Moderators will be releasing posts of legitimate new members very quickly and as we determine they are not a threat to the Forum we can *promote* them at will

Also as Darren already pointed out this in no way affects our current membership only those signing up after this

[immhotep]

This is a great idea, i wholeheartedly approve, its will also give some of the newbies a small period where they can get to know the forum without being flamedfor posting something that older members will post SEARCH at a thousand times. Does this apply to posting threads and posting regular posts? i assume it does, which is such a good idea.

[tombombadil]

good move mods. i will now remove the word "evil" from my location.

[BeccaBeez]

Will a new member receive any formal notification of their promotion from 'probie' to full member?

[DigiFluid]

That sounds like a lot of work for your staff for the rather rare instance of attack. But hey, no hassle for me

[Darren]

Will a new member receive any formal notification of their promotion from 'probie' to full member?

Not that I know of. Their posts will just cease to be queued at a certain point.

[Wildrose-Wally]

I guess that other board where I'm an admin was not the only one to be hit big time by spammers during the night. This morning I had quite a mess to clean up while hurrying to get ready for work.

We can't use the probie method on our board though. Too bad.

(Oh yes, this post is also a test, it being my first post here. Just to see if I got that new status.)

[Skydiver]

since you were a member before it was implemented, you don't quite fit.

it'll apply to new members once they join

[STILE BOT]

This is my first post but no one can see it yet until it gets approved ?

That's cool and all, just wanted to figure out how this probie status is going to work.

[Morbo]

man its a good thing i am such a well respected member already

[Skydiver]

yes, isn't it

[Morbo]

to be serious for a moment - as a big forum poster type guy person thing, if i couldn't post right away, i wouldn't bother with the forum. i'd move on to the next one.
just my perspective.

[Skydiver]

if that's what happens, so be it.

the alternative is to do nothing and leave ourselves open to another attack like last week's.

Unless and until there is legislation in place to punish those that abuse others online, and the ability to turn transgressors over to the authorities, there's not much we can do beyond try to control and prevent it as much as possible