| ideas on how to do new user signups | by marasmus |
| I've been thinking about ways to do new user signups so that we can still let new users in, but keep the virus/spam distribution crowd out of our nice little service here. A few ideas have come across my head, but I wanted to see what ideas you all have about this situation. Here goes:
1. Collect more information. Realistically, I can't think of any particular information to collect that would discourage the miscreants from falsifying their credentials and getting in anyways. 2. Make the signup system more restrictive. To do that, we'd have to restrict based on the information we gather: username, email address and real name. Although we do block most of the major free email hosts (isp email required), there are certainly a lot more we aren't blocking. Other than that, I don't think we could block much more unless we blocked entire TLDs... but that not only avoids the problem, it excludes so many good people who would love to have an account. 3. Only allow a select group of people to receive signup requests (manually). Well, this is what we used to do. Volume-wise, it's just impossible. None of us (read: just me) have enough time to filter through all the signup requests, even with the automated system, and give each one a fair looking over. So that idea's pretty much down the tube. 4. Allow "senior" users to refer new people to VectorStar. This idea I like the best so far. Let's say that any VectorStar user who's been using our system for more than a year is allowed to "sponsor" someone to the system... Basically, stick in the new person's email address and then that person would be allowed to go through the current signup process. The staff still approves/denies as the final step. If the user turns out to be a scumbag no-good rotten bastard, we can stop allowing referrals from the sponsor, or if bad enough, take their account away too. That way our users have an incentive to only sponsor people who aren't going to abuse our system. It also helps keep a tight community, since every new user will already know at least one person on the system! So, what do you all think about these signup shenanigans? Is there any hope at all of keeping the spamlords and virus writers off our network? | |
| Re: ideas on how to do new user signups | by nuzod |
| I'm all about #4. I've had a couple instances where friends of mine have asked about good hosting services and naturally I mention Vector. More often than not, though, signups are disabled. This way there's at least some semblance of community advocacy and unless we encounter some patient spammers, we should stay reasonably asshole-free.
On the other hand, #3 is pretty sweet, too. I'll bet you have time to kill, Laird. Ha! | |
| ideas on how to do new user signups | by (anon)chevy |
| You know, the sad thing is the fact that this used to actually be a community... now the staff consists of... let me see, oh yeah, Laird. There are huge gaps in time in between anyone posting and then very little interaction with users. Even the ones that know each other personally hardly ever post or comment to anothers post. I miss the days when everyone would crack on, insult and defame each other, hell we would all keep up with each other. I think Stale put pictures of his kid up for all to see. Now it seems like everyone has their head up there ass to much be a part of the vectorstar crew. | |
| Re: ideas on how to do new user signups | by ellvis |
| I am for #4 too. When I found Vectorstar for the first time, the signups were disabled, I was waiting lot of months (checking it about 1 time per week) to finally find that the signups are back. so, I won't lost this place... ;-)
As for the community, I think that people are maybe more "busy". Work in IT (as most of us do probably) is usually very time-consuming, people use to have some other interests too (like getting the penalties for the alcohol drinking in the streets and so:), time for being here is usually during the night. I believe that it will grow up again, if there was some in past. | |
| Re: ideas on how to do new user signups | by (anon)ripleyx |
| I'm all for #4, as well. The spam on my account is the Devil; I'm thinking of asking for a new username which is a pain since this is my main acct (but Frank's email keeps bouncing back...???).
Marasmus --- I found an interesting URL for spam "blacklists" which may be incorporated into any email/URL rule sets vectorstar.net has: http://www.joewein.de/sw/blacklist.htm | |
| Re: ideas on how to do new user signups | by (anon)nhat minh |
| I'm sorry to post here. But i dont know how to register. I dont know anybody here. So. How can i find a "member invitation?"
Please help me. Thanks | |