Guests Can No Longer Post Images or Links

I seems that when most guests post someone will reply "please join and list your equipmemt so we can better help you". Most cases they join. Those that choose not to will still be able to post and get good advise. I think it will be a win win solution.

johnnygoodman wrote:Howdy All,

We were unable to hold the spamming hordes at bay any other way. We worked to make the error messages clear and the ways around our policy accessible for guests that run into it.

To test it, log out and try to post a picture or URL.

The "polls" say that this is the right move, my gut is screaming that it isn't. I am thankful to those who police our streets and clean the spam. They do a lot more zapping than I do and see a lot more porn/spam/badness. However, on balance I'd rather see a CPAPtalk where there's some spam and all guests with questions are answered than no spam and a guest who reads an error message as "you can't post here, move on."

I will watch new user post activity closely in the coming days. If its hurting guests, we've got to turn back.

Johnny

Johnny, I don't think it will work. I am a moderator for another forum that requires only registered members to be able to post links (and we don't allow ANY "live" links that go to outside sites and we mark those posts that have live links as SPAM). The spam bots are now clever enough to set up an account and then spam from that account. They have gotten so clever as to hide their links behind the emicons (smiley faces). Unfortunately, we have had to add spam software with the results that it marks some of the valid posts as spam and a mod has to fix a few of those each day. It is an unfortunate and very real problem in the present environment. I am glad that you let members delete SPAM as that really seems to help and the users here are very responsible with that power (except for one or two)!

I have deleted many spam posts here, and I believe this will cut them down until they add the register information to their spam bots, then some more will show up.

Thank you Johnny -- the scientific evidence based solution for your painful gut ( ) is a search for valid links in valid guest posts....

As others have said - valid guest posts are usually text questions.

I've just tried to post a link as guest: I would emphasize the error message text that says "please remove the following text in your message".


O.

I think I was the only one who voted 'no' in that poll. I still disagree with this move even after reading the conversation on it. I think guests should be able to post links, at least.

nobody wrote:I think I was the only one who voted 'no' in that poll. I still disagree with this move even after reading the conversation on it. I think guests should be able to post links, at least.

What is your reasoning on this, Nobody?

Hi Johnny,

Another option considering most of the illegal posting of links/porn/pictures is done by spambots is to use Captcha - phpBB has a mod for this http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=382890
it cut done 99% of fake signups and spambots for me

Regards

phil1001 wrote:Hi Johnny,

Another option considering most of the illegal posting of links/porn/pictures is done by spambots is to use Captcha - phpBB has a mod for this http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=382890
it cut done 99% of fake signups and spambots for me

Regards

Captchas are used for guest posts now. It worked for a while and then the spam continued. Now we've got to actively strip content out as well.

Johnny

Thanks, Johnny! That should help, at least for a while.

It looks like guests receive the following message when trying to post a link or image:

WARNING: Your Message Has Not Yet Been Posted

To prevent spam, guests may not post links or images to CPAPtalk.com.
Please register or remove the following content from your post:
nwww.cpap.com

That will work just fine. But if that wording is changeable, may I respectfully suggest something along the lines of the following:

PLEASE NOTE: Your Message Is NOT Posted Yet

Guests are welcome to post text. To post links or images, go to "Register Username," above.
Or, to continue the guest post, please delete the following content from your message:
nwww.cpap.com

There may be reasons not to word it as I suggest, but I thought I'd throw the wording out there in case in might be of use to you.

Thanks again, Johnny and staff.

jeff