'Probie' Status for New Members

[RogueRanger]

can an existing member add a Probie to their friend or contact list? use to be able to click on their name and "add to contacts" I don't see that anymore?

[Bagpuss]

Nope.Tested that out to be certain yesterday.

It's a feature among others that was disabled because of Spammers and Scammers joining or rejoining ,then using it to circumvent the rules.

[SF_and_Coffee]

Just venting...

It's really frustrating to want to be a part of the community here when I'm not really allowed to participate in most of the discussions that really interest me. I've run forums myself, so I do understand the hassle of dealing with spammers, but I also have to say I wonder how many legitimate members give up and go away before ever getting off probie status because the alternative would seem to be just generating a lot of largely content-free postings in the few areas we can access in the hope of one day hitting that magical and elusive point where the mods finally decide they deserve to be allowed to play with the big kids?

I realize that sounds petulant, but one reason I joined here is because I'd seen some fun discussions that I wanted to participate in. And now that I've joined, I find that I really can't do so. I understand the value of patience, but time has value too and I don't have so much of it available to me that I can afford to spend it all just looking around for places I can post something halfway meaningful in an attempt to elevate myself to the recognized status of "real, non-spammy person".

[Siara.Corvus]

Just venting...

It's really frustrating to want to be a part of the community here when I'm not really allowed to participate in most of the discussions that really interest me. I've run forums myself, so I do understand the hassle of dealing with spammers, but I also have to say I wonder how many legitimate members give up and go away before ever getting off probie status because the alternative would seem to be just generating a lot of largely content-free postings in the few areas we can access in the hope of one day hitting that magical and elusive point where the mods finally decide they deserve to be allowed to play with the big kids?

I realize that sounds petulant, but one reason I joined here is because I'd seen some fun discussions that I wanted to participate in. And now that I've joined, I find that I really can't do so. I understand the value of patience, but time has value too and I don't have so much of it available to me that I can afford to spend it all just looking around for places I can post something halfway meaningful in an attempt to elevate myself to the recognized status of "real, non-spammy person".

I feel your pain. Trust me
But probie status doesn't stop you from enjoying the forum and being a part of the community.
I'm managing just fine

[Bagpuss]

Just venting...

It's really frustrating to want to be a part of the community here when I'm not really allowed to participate in most of the discussions that really interest me. I've run forums myself, so I do understand the hassle of dealing with spammers, but I also have to say I wonder how many legitimate members give up and go away before ever getting off probie status because the alternative would seem to be just generating a lot of largely content-free postings in the few areas we can access in the hope of one day hitting that magical and elusive point where the mods finally decide they deserve to be allowed to play with the big kids?

I realize that sounds petulant, but one reason I joined here is because I'd seen some fun discussions that I wanted to participate in. And now that I've joined, I find that I really can't do so. I understand the value of patience, but time has value too and I don't have so much of it available to me that I can afford to spend it all just looking around for places I can post something halfway meaningful in an attempt to elevate myself to the recognized status of "real, non-spammy person".

Not a lot I can say to that except to assure you that the Moderators get to Probie posts as quickly as humanly possible.

To the best of my knowledge you haven't had to wait unduly at any point,and as I am as you can see ,currently online ,I will get your posts through to the forum as quickly as possible.
There are other Moderators too who share all duties so there may sometimes be a few hours delay if the Mods aren't online .
You're human with a Real Life offline.We have Real Lives too.

( Usual disclaimer r submissions : if posts/other messages break the rules and CVS etc ,they may be modified accordingly just like anyone else's.)

Darren's post at the beginning of this thread explains why the Probie status is compulsory.The security of our members is a top priority and anyone who was a member during the Pre-Probie status Spam and dos attacks can tell you just how repugnant it was to find inboxes,profiles and threads filled with porn,abuse and so on.


Therefore,we make absolutely no apology for vetting posts,but that said,we have no interest in playing power games .

Go ahead and find the threads you want to respond to.Happy posting !

[SF_and_Coffee]

Pardon me while I perform the happydance of happiness! :-) Thank you!

[amocksun]

Hi, could a moderator please manually promote me so that I can make my profile picture a pic of Lya?

[syfygyrl]

Hi, could a moderator please manually promote me so that I can make my profile picture a pic of Lya?

When you have proven you're not a spammer.

[Thunderstorm]

Hi, could a moderator please manually promote me so that I can make my profile picture a pic of Lya?

Sorry, but the spammers persistance has made in impossible for the moderators to trust newbies anymore until they have stayed around long enough to assure they are valid members. And you should be here for the discussion not the profile perks. Have fun reading and posting and soon enough you will get promoted.

[Kilgharrah]

Hi,
Just one question. If a probie can't put an avatar, then why do some probies have avatars?
Thanks

[jelgate]

Hi,
Just one question. If a probie can't put an avatar, then why do some probies have avatars?
Thanks

Because they are off probie status. The probie rank under your user name is different than the real probie status

[Bagpuss]

What Jel said.Probie Status and Probie Post Rank are different (but overlapping) stages of GW membership.

Probies ,please read your registration e-mail including the links ,and post 1 of this thread ,as it could save you time otherwise spent trying to figure out a lot of things !

[Speesh]

I just have to say as a probie, and as someone who's seen the sort of nonsense that spammers can get up to on forums (some really nasty stuff turns up from time to time on a writing forum I'm a member of), I think it's a good idea. Can't say as it causes me any inconvenience having posts moderated.

[amocksun]

Well I'm the kind of person that likes to personalize new things whether they be cell phones or forum accounts...though that wouldn't be why I'm here. I can definitely see why the guilty until proven innocent attitude around here would run people off. I'd also imagine that it would require the same amount of effort (maybe less) of the mods to simply delete someone when they see spammy activity rather than watch everything every new member says...but whatever.

[Kilgharrah]

Well I'm the kind of person that likes to personalize new things whether they be cell phones or forum accounts...though that wouldn't be why I'm here. I can definitely see why the guilty until proven innocent attitude around here would run people off. I'd also imagine that it would require the same amount of effort (maybe less) of the mods to simply delete someone when they see spammy activity rather than watch everything every new member says...but whatever.

I'm sorry to say, I don't agree. I think they have every right to do this. You would only agree with me if you knew how difficult it is to manage a forum. I had a friend who ran a forum and I know how difficult it is. I believe that this is much better for everyone.
Although I'm upset that my posts don't show up right away, I just wait coz I know they have ever right to do this

That's why I'll take this opportunity and thank the moderators for all the hard work they do for this forum to stay as awesome as it is and I think you should too.