Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Talk => Forum News => Topic started by: Dennis Markham on August 22, 2010, 12:17:21 AM

Title: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Dennis Markham on August 22, 2010, 12:17:21 AM
Earlier today the membership number hit 500.  It was what I refer to as a spammer.  Someone that joins simply to place an Ad in their profile, usually directing the viewer to an off-site sales pitch for on-line betting, drugs, whatever.  Lately I have been deleting them at the rate of 3-5 a day.  Many of their I.P.'s originate in Latvia, Taiwan, India, the UK, Russia and even the good old USA.  If I have any doubt, they stay.

Sometimes I'll click on an user name and then their I.P. only to discover they joined this forum using 3-5 different names.  The I.P.'s are all the same.  None of the deleted accounts ever posted.  But I realize we have members that do not post but are legitimate.  Another way I can tell if the user name is spam is by searching Google for a given name.  For example JoeBlow.  If I search JoeBlow (fictitious) and Google responds with a list of Forums where JoeBlow has joined but never posted, that is confirmation enough for me.  They're gone!  So I deleted about 75 accounts today.  There may be one or two or three remaining that are not legitimate but questionable.  That means for the most part we have about 425 legitimate members or real people that signed up that are interested in old telephones.

If you hear of anyone that I removed by accident please let me know and I'll release the ban on their I.P. address.  I made a list today of all of the names I deleted.

Here's an example of one user that was loged in numerous times:

Carolinecorts, AKA/gianfrancobertin, harrietpreston, johnshakaraz, carolinecorta, Janet Errol, pietershamari, PeterLeHureye, MarkyBowan

I spent the better part of four or five hours this morning working on this.  Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with it from here on in.  I'm also looking at another way of screen members upon joining.
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: McHeath on August 22, 2010, 01:34:26 AM
Holy multiple personality Batman, someone had 9 separate personalities all interested in old phones!   ;)
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: LarryInMichigan on August 22, 2010, 08:46:07 AM
One might think that these people would have better things to do with their time ???

Larry
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: jiggerman on August 22, 2010, 10:33:55 AM
This is just my opinion but if someone hasn't logged in for a year they should be deleted. I think more than a few members have joined to get info for their ebay auctions and don't give a hoot about phones. These members will probably never return to the site anyway. At least this why we'll know how many legitimate members there are. Just my 2 cents, Jiggerman
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Doug Rose on August 22, 2010, 10:41:27 AM
Jiggerman.... I know from experience on the TCI and ATCA lists, there was a huge group who just monitored the conversation. Some too afraid to appear ignorant and other who just like to learn from the postings. I agree with your premise, but there is another side. Myself, I think this Forum is an invaluable tool for knowledge and conversation. Show and tell is also very cool. It would be a shame if one person was turned away that shouldn't have been.

Dennis...I understand weeding out the spammers, but does it hurt in the least to have the others who might just be along for the ride? If it skews the figures of membership, is it really that important? Just me on my Sunday Morning Rant.....Doug
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Dennis Markham on August 22, 2010, 10:43:38 AM
That's a good point Jiggerman.  I did delete some that had joined but never logged in since day one.  Most of those were in 2008 and 2009.  I didn't "ban" their I.P. address from returning, just deleted the account. They can re-join if they desire.  

People can browse without joining.  I see all the time where "guests" are printing topics, etc.  Some of the people that have joined but not posted are known phone collectors.  Most of them use their names or their name appears in the e-mail address and I recognize them from the TCI or ATCA.  I've got not problem with them doing that at all.  Maybe some day they'll decide to join in on the discussions.

I got rid of two more this morning that joined over night.  I don't know how those Forums with thousands of members keep up with it.  I guess the answer is that they don't.
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Dennis Markham on August 22, 2010, 10:47:46 AM
Doug, I posted while you were posting.  I agree, no harm with people joining to watch, but they really don't need to do that.  They can read all the stuff without becoming a member.  I don't concern myself so much with how many members there are either.  It's just a rough idea of how many people we have attracted since we started this thing with just a handful of members.  I remember thinking 100 was a lot.

People don't seem to be logging in just to read as many of the zero posters haven't logged in since they joined.  You can read their profile and it shows "last active".  Their last active and join time are the same.  But they may view the forum without ever logging in....it's quicker and sometimes a hassle for people to remember passwords for everything they want to do. 

I do like to weed out those that make a user name just so they can post Ads for non-phone related stuff.
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Doug Rose on August 22, 2010, 11:08:36 AM
Quote from: Dennis Markham on August 22, 2010, 10:47:46 AM
Doug, I posted while you were posting.  I agree, no harm with people joining to watch, but they really don't need to do that.  They can read all the stuff without becoming a member.  I don't concern myself so much with how many members there are either.  It's just a rough idea of how many people we have attracted since we started this thing with just a handful of members.  I remember thinking 100 was a lot.

People don't seem to be logging in just to read as many of the zero posters haven't logged in since they joined.  You can read their profile and it shows "last active".  Their last active and join time are the same.  But they may view the forum without ever logging in....it's quicker and sometimes a hassle for people to remember passwords for everything they want to do. 

I do like to weed out those that make a user name just so they can post Ads for non-phone related stuff.
Dennis....Agreed...I now understand. Keep up the outstanding work!....Doug
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Dan/Panther on August 22, 2010, 11:20:04 AM
Dennis;
Whatever it is you are doing, appears to be working quite well. Keep it up.
D/P
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: KeithB on August 22, 2010, 11:46:49 AM
Having previously helped administer and performed software upgrades on a phpBB forum last year, you have my support and great thanks for the efforts you're making.  The insane amount of spam attacks is never-ending, and you have to wonder how much they're getting paid to do this kind of thing.  Sometimes, it's used as an entry vector for malicious software, either by SQL injection or cross-site-scripting, Javascript, and other 'drive-by' attacks.  IP address banning will work for a while, then they'll change their assigned range of IP addresses. 

Good luck!!

Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Dennis Markham on August 22, 2010, 11:58:05 AM
Thanks for the support guys.  I know it's like trying to bail out the ocean with a t-spoon.  Perhaps I'll have to look into some software to help with it.  Doing it manually is time consuming and probably futile.

Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: ntophones on August 25, 2010, 05:05:11 PM
Thank you for all the work you have done! I know I have not posted for a while, but, I still love this forum and old phones. I am so glad I am a member here. I think you guys are the best.
ntophones
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Dennis Markham on August 25, 2010, 10:20:33 PM
Thank you nto...good to hear from you!
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Phonesrfun on August 26, 2010, 12:44:44 AM
Dennis:

Let me say that you are doing a wonderful job at keeping this forum a great place to be.  It is very much appreciated, and I know you spend a great deal of personal time keeping it that way.

Thank you so much!
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Dennis Markham on August 26, 2010, 07:38:04 AM
Thanks Bill.  I appreciate your comments.

By the way, last night I modified the registration process a bit.  Prospective members now have to send me an e-mail before I will approve their membership to the forum.  Prior to that it was just a matter of self registration.  Already there have been two attempts to join without the second requirement of sending me the e-mail.  The accounts won't be activated unless I receive that personal e-mail.  In a couple of days I'll just delete the accounts waiting for activation.

~Dennis
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: m1898 on December 11, 2011, 09:58:50 AM
I agree with having to send an email before being approved. Several of the groups I belong to on Yahoo make you tell the moderators a little about why you want to join. As a former BBS Sysop, I can appreciate such measures to help contol spam. The only spam I like is the eatin' kind.
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Dennis Markham on December 11, 2011, 12:35:20 PM
The volume of "members" wanting to join has really stepped up in the past few months.  I get as many as 100 a day, sometimes more, sometimes less registering for the forum.  Without the obligatory e-mail sent to me directly, those get trashed after 3 days (waiting for the accompanying e-mail, knowing by now which e-mails will never come).
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Phonesrfun on December 11, 2011, 01:33:53 PM
Dennis:

I see the last time this thread was active is over a year ago.

You still do a wonderful job.  I really appreciate the work you do behind the scenes.  We all benefit greatly from your work.
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Adam on December 11, 2011, 02:13:27 PM
I second that!
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: AE_Collector on December 11, 2011, 02:48:19 PM
I look at the "Users Online" on the Home page quite often. It shows the number of guests and registered users on-line at any given time. At the moment there are 4 users and 36 guests. It also shows what each person is looking at including guests and I used to be surprised to notice the phrase "registering for an account on the forum". Someone just happened to be "signing up" right then. Then I noticed the large increase in applications over the last year and even larger increase over the last few months. Just now when I looked there were 3 applications in progress at the same time. Dennis has his work cut out for him.....

Terry
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Dennis Markham on December 11, 2011, 08:21:34 PM
Thanks guys.  You're welcome.  I try and keep this Forum clean from spammers and it's working pretty well.  None of them seem to take the time to send me an e-mail saying they own a Model 500 or whatever and want to talk about it.

I can click on the user's I.P. and if they've already registered for an account it will show the various names.  Sometimes when I click on a new I.P. there will be three user names associated with it...none of which have been approved.  So they're coming back or an automated process is coming back time and time again within a 3 day window to try and register.  I don't know what happens once one is approved, but I'm sure it's a way to get some type of automated foot in the door to proliferate the particular Forum with junk.
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: AE_Collector on December 11, 2011, 09:00:33 PM
Quote from: Dennis Markham on December 11, 2011, 08:21:34 PM
None of them seem to take the time to send me an e-mail saying they own a Model 500 or whatever

I doubt any of them know what a model 500 is!

Terry
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Bill Cahill on February 10, 2012, 01:01:30 PM
What's a 500?  ;) Just kidding!
Dennis, as always, you are doing a wonderful job here. We thank you very much.
I'd trying to do my part. Any time I get a chance, I'm pushing this forum.
This is a great place.....
Bill Cahill  ;D
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Bamagirl88 on February 10, 2012, 03:35:25 PM
Hi Dennis and Good Day to you from the Sunny South!
I know I want to thank you for having this site and for ya'll having me as a member.  I've already been taught quite a bit, picking up a little here and a little there.  So please don't be rid of me.  I am real and there's only one of me.  :)  I told my Husband about it, not sure if he will sign up or not-so one more might come from my side of the South-but if so-you'll know it'll be a Smith-you can hit me up on email and ask me if he belongs to me or if he is real or a spammer.  LOL  Bless your heart, I bet you get some kind of folks that sign up on here don't ya!  Well just dropping in to say hi!  I'm still looking for that area on the front page or somewhere there abouts....it's to tell me how to lift off some of the discoloring or some of the fading or whatever it might be on these phones I have.  I haven't quite got the gist of this website yet.  I'm lost bigger than a Bessie bug.  :(  Maybe it will come to me soon.  I did hear something about some hair peroxide and a UV light-not sure what voltage to use though.  Then someone posted about the paint I was asking about, or what they use to coat the phones in, is it called Polane paint?  So if someone can help me with those 2 questions that would be grand.
Thanks,
Sherry
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Russ Kirk on February 10, 2012, 04:25:20 PM
Quote from: Bamagirl88 on February 10, 2012, 03:35:25 PM
I did hear something about some hair peroxide and a UV light-not sure what voltage to use though.  Then someone posted about the paint I was asking about, or what they use to coat the phones in, is it called Polane paint?  So if someone can help me with those 2 questions that would be grand.
Thanks,
Sherry


Hi Sherry,

Check out this tread.  Peroxide Treatment Detailed Instructions
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1146.0

Also do a forum search for Retro-brite or retr0bright and check out this site.

http://retr0bright.wikispaces.com/

There has been many discussions about this process and it seems to work very well.  I bought my materials but have not had the time to do it.

Russ



Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: George Knighton on December 31, 2012, 01:56:15 PM
Does SMF give you the option of forcing a security check at sign on to try to help determine whether the screen name is being managed by a real human and not an automation?  I cannot remember when I signed up if this was presented to me, or not.
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: Dennis Markham on December 31, 2012, 02:01:23 PM
Quote from: George Knighton on December 31, 2012, 01:56:15 PM
Does SMF give you the option of forcing a security check at sign on to try to help determine whether the screen name is being managed by a real human and not an automation?  I cannot remember when I signed up if this was presented to me, or not.

George, there is no captcha required when a member logs on to the forum.  I'm not sure if the Simple Machines software provides for this as being an option.  No one can log in anyway unless I approve their registration.  Therefore anyone that logs in must have been pre-approved so no captcha is required.  I believe when creating an account there is a captcha area that must be completed by the applicant for an account.
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: DavePEI on December 31, 2012, 02:15:13 PM
Quote from: George Knighton on December 31, 2012, 01:56:15 PM
Does SMF give you the option of forcing a security check at sign on to try to help determine whether the screen name is being managed by a real human and not an automation?  I cannot remember when I signed up if this was presented to me, or not.

Fact is CAPTCHA is no longer the "perfect" system for determining it a user is human or not. Modern robots have very sophisticated OCR routines which can read many captcha graphics and enter the phrase. I still use Captcha on portions of my site, but even so, some robots have snuck in. Some robots even use human interaction to read the CAPTCHA graphic, and will then submit the correct answer.

What Dennis does, ie. requiring a prospective member email him to explain why they wish to belong is the best, was though it is time consuming for Dennis. That way he can determine if it is a real person, but also determine a bit about their reason for joining.

Dave
Title: Re: Membership House Cleaning
Post by: TelePlay on December 31, 2012, 02:18:00 PM
Quote from: Phonesrfun on December 11, 2011, 01:33:53 PM
Dennis:

I see the last time this thread was active is over a year ago.

You still do a wonderful job.  I really appreciate the work you do behind the scenes.  We all benefit greatly from your work.


Dennis, ditto, a year later . . .  :)