'Probie' Status for New Members

[Jper]

^*just brought back bad memories*

I can't remember this. Did I miss it?

[jelgate]

I can't remember this. Did I miss it?

Well according to your join date you came after the porn spam attack as probie status first came in August 2008. I remember it well. Its funny how only a few posters can do so much damange to GW. And by funny I mean sad.

[Jper]

Well according to your join date you came after the porn spam attack as probie status first came in August 2008. I remember it well. Its funny how only a few posters can do so much damange to GW. And by funny I mean sad.

But I was lurking a bit before that. Anyways, if it was in August 2008, it's very possible that I missed it. That was one HOT Summer, not only temperature-wise. Thanks for the info.

[zsozso]

Ah, I found the reason why I can't add avatar yet
OK, reasons understood, I'll be patient.

[Mozzza]

I didn't know you could do such a thing with vBulletin, as a web developer I think that's kinda neat (albeit annoying for me at the moment).

[GateGhost]

Just checking in to say hi to everyone out there.

[Jper]

Just checking in to say hi to everyone out there.

May I redirect you to the "Welcome new members thread" for that?

[kweerone]

Probie is just a funny word... I kinda like it..

[sgc]

we do ban them. Thing is the internet is a big place, they - or others - just keep coming back. I think due to our large member list we're a 'ripe target' for them.

Spam links are why profiles are locked until a user is no longer a probie, same with visitor and private messages and why they can't edit their posts. Because we've experienced the same thing you have.

Unfortunately, in this day and age of proxy servers and the such, permanently banning a singular spammer is almost impossible. The more we try to stop them, the more they find ways around it.

You would think that when over 60% of the internet and e-mail traffic are unwanted spam, clogging up the lines, people 'in charge' would be motivated to do something about it. But they aren't. Probably because they really don't understand the technology, and probably because it's almost impossible to totally track one of these folks down. Not only is it hard to track through the proxies to find them, there's also issues like china and russia being a 'safe haven' for hackers and spammers and it's almost impossible to deal with them due to complex international laws.

They're like replicators . When you build new barriers for them, they consume them and become harder to stop . That's why I like the probie status. Sure, when I was a new member, of course it wasn't fun, but it is necessary. It is for a lot of very good reasons, and it makes you work harder to become a beneficial contributing member of this community. It makes it a lot more fun and engaging to see how your progress in the forum takes you to bigger and better features and privileges in the forum, especially after waiting to get there. It gives you a sense of the ranking hierarchy that I find to be quite beneficial.

[bahamut8591]

thats nice....can i have my permissions now?

[sgc]

thats nice....can i have my permissions now?

I hate to break it to you, but you are not going to get your permissions until you deserve them.

I understand that nobody likes Probie status, but it is for very good reason, and you just have to accept it. Just positively contribute to the forum by joining in on discussions, behaving properly, and not asking for permissions, and you will be out of probie status in no time and will be a fully-functioning member of the forum . I hope I have helped clear things up for you.

[Pharaoh Atem]

thats nice....can i have my permissions now?

nope asking,begging,pleading,threatening to get off probie status is pointless.

[Skydiver]

Try posting and proving to us that you're real. I hate to break it to you, but the last person that passionately begged for permissions ended up spamming and attacking a few other posters as soon as they got them. So we're a bit skeptical I'm afraid.

[syfygyrl]

Try posting and proving to us that you're real. I hate to break it to you, but the last person that passionately begged for permissions ended up spamming and attacking a few other posters as soon as they got them. So we're a bit skeptical I'm afraid.

Oh good grief. Seriously? That is just.....wrong. Wouldn't it just be easier for them to go spam somewhere else? Instead of expending all this energy to come after us?

I hate to break it to you, but you are not going to get your permissions until you deserve them.

I understand that nobody likes Probie status, but it is for very good reason, and you just have to accept it. Just positively contribute to the forum by joining in on discussions, behaving properly, and not asking for permissions, and you will be out of probie status in no time and will be a fully-functioning member of the forum . I hope I have helped clear things up for you.

Very well said.

[jelgate]

Oh good grief. Seriously? That is just.....wrong. Wouldn't it just be easier for them to go spam somewhere else? Instead of expending all this energy to come after us?



Very well said.

You would think but experence has shown just how far spammers will go to spam. They look for any hole available