Board Moderators

[Mad Hatter Madigan]

Who are the board MODERATORS?
This board is filled with spammers, and crap.

If the Gobal Moderator or Admin need help running this forum...
I gladly offer my services... I have been a Mod in 2 other forums...

I will clean the garbage from this forum, if you can not.

[Lady_Melisma]

Bad enough they're on the rampage cluttering up this board. Now they've started spreading to the others as well - but this one's borne the brunt of it all.

[Mad Hatter Madigan]

I PMed the Gobal Mod...
I hope they get my message...

[Mad Hatter Madigan]

You better pray no Global MOD gives me any power, becuase I will PWN All of you...

I have your email and IPs...
Standby to standby...
I hate you spammers, I make it my hobby to harrass and toy with anyone one of you.

[lgw]

I am not the usual moderator here at lookingglasswars.com; he is out of town, returning Wednesday. I just spoke to him on the phone and he is very interested in speaking with those of you who are willing to moderate. Our sincerest thanks to all of those willing to help with the spam problem.

Thanks!

[Mad Hatter Madigan]

Oh Boy!! Hear that Spammers!!

Whooo!!! The board will be open for business, now for some more users....

I'm going recruiting...!!!

[dodge anders]

Well it sounds good, I own several sites, I believe I could help

[Hatter Madigan]

I would also be interested in being a moderator for the LGW forums.

[DthStlkr13]

I am not the usual moderator here at lookingglasswars.com; he is out of town, returning Wednesday. I just spoke to him on the phone and he is very interested in speaking with those of you who are willing to moderate. Our sincerest thanks to all of those willing to help with the spam problem.

Thanks!

I've sent message after message over the past year. I've offered to help several times. I own multiple licenses for vbulletin and have quite an in-depth knowledge of the application. If you need help, just let me know.

btw.. current release version is 3.6.5

Some of the 3.6.x options may help cut down a little on spam. Not a lot mind you, but every little bit helps.

Also, there is an 'aggressive banning' option. You have options to censor anyone using specific words in their email and/or usernames. Placing words like 'diploma' or 'sex' in the banning options will help to cut down on some of the spammers using words like that in their email/usernames.

Anyway... have other suggestions, just hit me up with an email and I can help.

[Her Imperial Viciousness]

This commentary is based on the fact that I've only been reading for about a week, and only actually signed into the site recently.

Currently, the site is at 240 users. Of that 240, 86 have made at least one post to the board. Only 38 have made over 5 posts, and only 25 over 10 (not including myself, but I'm new and I have this eerie feeling I'll push over that soon..). Our most active member has, at present, 79 posts.

In short, we're not exactly 'active' in comparison to other forums.

So...what's the point?

This is still a 'fledgling' board. Maybe...as time moves on and people 'establish' themselves in the site (i.e. actively posting regularly and contributing to the community, etc.) the Powers that Be will delegate a certain level of forum duty to those who are really a part of things. For now, things are still in the starter stage, and I have a feeling that the Glass Eyes are just observing and waiting for the opportune moment.

In the meantime, perhaps there is a certain level of our own policing that we can do. Granted, we can't delete posts, but we can ignore obvious spam. We can treat other posters as we'd like to be treated. If we have to 'argue', be civil about it. No namecalling, none of that stuff. Be adults (or if you're under 18, as close as you can be to adult). That fun stuff.

My two cents...

[dark_faerie_knight]

acutally, i quite agree that we do need a moderator and i will gladly thank pple who are willing to do so. just plz dont over estimate your powers.
seriously, when i got here, i had to shift by ALOT OF porno related threads and posts and they were just sickening, its sad seeing pple who just sign on to trash this site. =[
just inform pple when we are able to get these moderators. :p

[DthStlkr13]

In short, we're not exactly 'active' in comparison to other forums.

So...what's the point?

Imp and Dark,

The point is actually pretty simple. The current spam and settings will increase spam activity. Once a board is tagged as 'easily postable', other spammers will post their links as well. As you probably know, the more links you have on other websites, the more your own link is returned in search results. If a spammer finds a site that does not remove their link, they are more inclined to post additional spam links.

In short, the board becomes inundated with spam and this discourages the regular visitors from being active on a board in which they feel is not being maintained. This is actually the same reason I have not been more active.

The main site is not being completed and the forums section is not being maintained. In order for a site to reach its potential, you must keep it active. As this site is still in its earlier stages, that is never more important than now. The book/comic/etc is gathering a fan base. You do not want to lose that fan bases attention simply because of spam and an inactive website... ESPECIALLY when you advertise its presence in your printed material and on other websites (ie MySpace).

Bottom line...
Yes, this site may not be as active as other forums... but if you don't maintain it... it never will.

[Her Imperial Viciousness]

The point is actually pretty simple. The current spam and settings will increase spam activity. Once a board is tagged as 'easily postable', other spammers will post their links as well. As you probably know, the more links you have on other websites, the more your own link is returned in search results. If a spammer finds a site that does not remove their link, they are more inclined to post additional spam links.

I'm not saying there is no -need- for board mods, but at the same time, it's very possible that just saying "Hi, I'll mod!" is not going to be enough. The main Admin has to decide who he is going to put that responsibility on, if anyone...and what his qualifications will be for those roles.

As for the spammers... after what I went through just to be able to post here, then we have some tough spammers.

First, you have to register.
Then, you have to click the confirmation link in the email that it sends you (which means you have to have access to the email that you give and have to physically go there to get your confirmation mail)
Then you have to wait for the board admin to activate you.

The last part I'd never had to do before, and I had to wait about a day for it before I could even post (give or take).

So -something- has been done on high from the 'default' settings of vBulletin (which I believe the security is set to just the reg email) to kick down the spam end of things, and also, it means that someone is paying attention around here, if not subtly.

[Hatter Madigan]

This commentary is based on the fact that I've only been reading for about a week, and only actually signed into the site recently.

Currently, the site is at 240 users. Of that 240, 86 have made at least one post to the board. Only 38 have made over 5 posts, and only 25 over 10 (not including myself, but I'm new and I have this eerie feeling I'll push over that soon..). Our most active member has, at present, 79 posts.

In short, we're not exactly 'active' in comparison to other forums.

So...what's the point?

This is still a 'fledgling' board. Maybe...as time moves on and people 'establish' themselves in the site (i.e. actively posting regularly and contributing to the community, etc.) the Powers that Be will delegate a certain level of forum duty to those who are really a part of things. For now, things are still in the starter stage, and I have a feeling that the Glass Eyes are just observing and waiting for the opportune moment.

In the meantime, perhaps there is a certain level of our own policing that we can do. Granted, we can't delete posts, but we can ignore obvious spam. We can treat other posters as we'd like to be treated. If we have to 'argue', be civil about it. No namecalling, none of that stuff. Be adults (or if you're under 18, as close as you can be to adult). That fun stuff.

My two cents...

Beautifully spoken. Though, I do hope that things will become more active. Perhaps by the time Seeing Redd comes out, we'll see these boards become much more lively.

[Her Imperial Viciousness]

Beautifully spoken. Though, I do hope that things will become more active. Perhaps by the time Seeing Redd comes out, we'll see these boards become much more lively.

Which estimates out at....about September if I heard correctly from Mr. B. He said the book's done, afterall. I think now it's a matter of the process between "done" and "published".

*steeples red-painted fingernails and grins evilly*

I'm not waiting impatiently. Nope. I'm not ;D

[DthStlkr13]

I'm not saying there is no -need- for board mods, but at the same time, it's very possible that just saying "Hi, I'll mod!" is not going to be enough. The main Admin has to decide who he is going to put that responsibility on, if anyone...and what his qualifications will be for those roles.

As for the spammers... after what I went through just to be able to post here, then we have some tough spammers.

First, you have to register.
Then, you have to click the confirmation link in the email that it sends you (which means you have to have access to the email that you give and have to physically go there to get your confirmation mail)
Then you have to wait for the board admin to activate you.

The last part I'd never had to do before, and I had to wait about a day for it before I could even post (give or take).

So -something- has been done on high from the 'default' settings of vBulletin (which I believe the security is set to just the reg email) to kick down the spam end of things, and also, it means that someone is paying attention around here, if not subtly.

You would be suprised at how much is automated for those spammers. It is relatively easy to create a script to run on any site using vbulletin as most registration options are identical on all vbulletin sites. It is also very simple to click links in your email to activate those ID's and then post spam. All of this can be accomplished by creating a simple script to jump through all those hoops.. and they may never have to do any more than get a list of sites from someone else and let the script do the rest.

Unless something has changed since I first registered last year... The option for image verification was not enabled.. and I don't believe I had to wait to be approved before posting.. that must be new.

Obviously, the spam is less now than it was before. At one point, it was completely out of control. It does not appear to be as bad as it used to be. There are multiple configurations that can be created to setup someone with moderating capabilities. This does NOT mean you have to give someone secure access that could result in harm to the site. In fact, you could limit them to simply being able to delete inappropriate posts and nothing more. The options are almost endless as to the level of 'authority' they could bestow upon someone. That would eliminate the 'power happy' people that tend to work their way through the door (for those who were worried about that... and yes, I would be one of those people that would be worried about someone abusing the system).

[Queen Alyss]

I am not the usual moderator here at lookingglasswars.com; he is out of town, returning Wednesday. I just spoke to him on the phone and he is very interested in speaking with those of you who are willing to moderate. Our sincerest thanks to all of those willing to help with the spam problem.

Thanks!


I would be more than willing to moderate.

[The Dark Hatter]

This commentary is based on the fact that I've only been reading for about a week, and only actually signed into the site recently.

Currently, the site is at 240 users. Of that 240, 86 have made at least one post to the board. Only 38 have made over 5 posts, and only 25 over 10 (not including myself, but I'm new and I have this eerie feeling I'll push over that soon..). Our most active member has, at present, 79 posts.

In short, we're not exactly 'active' in comparison to other forums.

So...what's the point?

This is still a 'fledgling' board. Maybe...as time moves on and people 'establish' themselves in the site (i.e. actively posting regularly and contributing to the community, etc.) the Powers that Be will delegate a certain level of forum duty to those who are really a part of things. For now, things are still in the starter stage, and I have a feeling that the Glass Eyes are just observing and waiting for the opportune moment.

In the meantime, perhaps there is a certain level of our own policing that we can do. Granted, we can't delete posts, but we can ignore obvious spam. We can treat other posters as we'd like to be treated. If we have to 'argue', be civil about it. No namecalling, none of that stuff. Be adults (or if you're under 18, as close as you can be to adult). That fun stuff.

My two cents...

Actually I have posted 114 posts. I'm pretty one here the most, and i just registered like 4 weeks ago. Sad. :(