Why aren't all questions that have been asked before locked?

This is an archive of the phpBB 2.0.x support forum. Support for phpBB2 has now ended.
Forum rules
Following phpBB2's EoL, this forum is now archived for reference purposes only.
Please see the following announcement for more information: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1385785
Locked
PrimaryLynx
Registered User
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2005 5:27 pm

Why aren't all questions that have been asked before locked?

Post by PrimaryLynx »

1. I would like a moderator to search for answers to a question and see how many days they have to sift through things to find the answer that works
on 'their' board.

2. I would like moderators to treat everyone the same and lock all
questons that have been asked bofore.

3. If someone posts a reply, it is a CURRENT post.
espicom
Registered User
Posts: 17905
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 1:14 am
Location: Woodstock, IL

Post by espicom »

When there are already multi-hundred-message-long topics on spamming, which show up any time someone searches for "spam", there is no need to start a new one, just because someone didn't think to search for "spam" before clicking "new topic". It is NOT an obscure topic. Two of the three main topics on it are rarely more than the fourth page from the top.

"Searching for the solution that works for my board" is going to happen any way you look at it. For some people, instant ban is not acceptable. For others, changing the visual confirmation (or even turning it on at all) is not acceptable. If individual spam topics were allowed, you'd still go through a whole list of things before finding the combination that is acceptable to you. Best to keep them concentrated.

The reason for starting the special topics was to keep things where people can find them, rather than scattered all over the millions of messages on this board.

As for locking all "solved" topics, that is a lot of work, particularly because only a few people bother to post back when their problem is solved... they just disappear. For example, your topic from 2005 about categories not being shown when added is still "open", because you never indicated whether or not the solution given answered the problem or not.
Jeff
Fixing 1016/1030/1034 Errors | (obsolete link) | MySQL 4.1/5.x Client Error | phpBBv2 Logo in ACP
Support requests via PM are ignored!
"To be fully alive is to feel that everything is possible." - Eric Hoffer
User avatar
Secret Cloud
Registered User
Posts: 76
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2006 12:01 pm

Post by Secret Cloud »

zing!
Dave Bean
Registered User
Posts: 210
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2001 4:55 am
Location: Denver, Colorado
Contact:

Post by Dave Bean »

There are many different angles to fighting spam and spam is the single biggest issue that I face with my boards. After a while the longer threads become difficult to discuss specific concepts. I think we need a separate forum section for spam and hope that someday that it is not needed anymore.
Building Internet Communities
www.ColoradoHealth.info
User avatar
bonelifer
Community Team Member
Community Team Member
Posts: 3542
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2004 11:35 pm
Name: William
Contact:

Post by bonelifer »

While phpBB boards and other types of boards get SPAM. SPAM isn't a phpBB subject. If the had a forum for SPAM, what's next WEBHOSTING? [Sarcasm]Come on you have to admit phpBB boards need a web-hosting solution so there should be a forum devoted specifically for this.[/Sarcasm] These sorts of things are best left in the threads that are already there. Also sites like www.theadminzone.com provide good resources on board administration(spam fighting, etc). Of course again(probably a nasty idea for some of you) you'll have to be patient and read(OMG) the threads on them.
William Jacoby - Community Team
Knowledge Base | phpBB Board Rules | Search Customisation Database
Please don't contact me via PM or email for phpBB support .
Dave Bean
Registered User
Posts: 210
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2001 4:55 am
Location: Denver, Colorado
Contact:

Post by Dave Bean »

While phpBB boards and other types of boards get SPAM. SPAM isn't a phpBB subject. If the had a forum for SPAM
I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. In my opinion, not only is spam a phpBB subject, at the current time it is the most important subject.

Without better Spam self defense tools in phpBB, my boards are shutting down.

We're limping by with the following mods and extra effort each day:
(1) Registration Stopper - We stop registrations completely when we are not available to monitor
(2) Notify_on_all_posts - every posting is reviewed
(3) Waiting on the Approval Groups Mod so that #2 will not be necessary

(4) Of course have the normal registration required, image verification, email activation which may help, but lots of spam makes it through.

My hope is the Approval Groups Mod will keep us in business. Otherwise, other phpBB issues won't really matter, because we just can't be running and showing porn to our audience.
Building Internet Communities
www.ColoradoHealth.info
User avatar
Lumpy Burgertushie
Registered User
Posts: 69223
Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 3:11 am
Contact:

Post by Lumpy Burgertushie »

Dave Bean wrote:
While phpBB boards and other types of boards get SPAM. SPAM isn't a phpBB subject. If the had a forum for SPAM
I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. In my opinion, not only is spam a phpBB subject, at the current time it is the most important subject.

Without better Spam self defense tools in phpBB, my boards are shutting down.

We're limping by with the following mods and extra effort each day:
(1) Registration Stopper - We stop registrations completely when we are not available to monitor
(2) Notify_on_all_posts - every posting is reviewed
(3) Waiting on the Approval Groups Mod so that #2 will not be necessary

(4) Of course have the normal registration required, image verification, email activation which may help, but lots of spam makes it through.

My hope is the Approval Groups Mod will keep us in business. Otherwise, other phpBB issues won't really matter, because we just can't be running and showing porn to our audience.


well, just before this gets locked ( it is not a phpbb support issue ),
it may be the number one issue to you, but obviously not to everyone.

also, from what you have just said, you have not yet tried some of the "solutions" found in the long running spam topic here.

the approval MOD was not really meant to be a spam blocker originally.

if you apply some of the already proven spam blocking solutions in that topic, then you will not need to worry about having to approve all posts. the spammers will never get that far.

when phpbb was feature frozen, there was not a spam problem, there was no reason to expect one.

now it is a problem, but, phpbb is feature frozen, if you want to make the changes necessary to block the spammers, then you have to install whatever combination of the MODs that solves your problem

I don't know if phpbb3 will have things already in place for this issue, but I assume it will.

So, complaining that phpbb was not designed to suit you ( this applies to anyone ) is not very productive. Take advantage of the many great MODs created by the many great members here and go on about running your boards. You will be much happier.

luck and joy,

robert
Premium phpBB 3.3 Styles by PlanetStyles.net

I am pleased to announce that I have completed the first item on my bucket list. I have the bucket.
Dave Bean
Registered User
Posts: 210
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2001 4:55 am
Location: Denver, Colorado
Contact:

Post by Dave Bean »

I have put in other mods including the agreed hash, memberlist not listing for 0 posts, newestmember not listed for zero posts, admintool kit to whack zero post. Each mod may help some but spammers seem to find there way in. Yes, it does seem that spam is not an issue for many. I'm not sure if the spam has not found its way to their boards yet, or if some combination of mods has solved the problem for them.

However, we would not have the huge spam threads and having to lock new threads to keep them from multiplying if there were not also many others with spam problems that they have not solved.

I have high hopes for the Approval Groups mod, but we'll just have to see.
Building Internet Communities
www.ColoradoHealth.info
User avatar
KevC
Support Team Member
Support Team Member
Posts: 72339
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2004 10:44 am
Location: Oxford, UK
Contact:

Post by KevC »

Each mod may help some but spammers seem to find there way in.


A lot of the MODs are designed to fend off registration bots. You'll never get round people who are paid to sit in their bedrooms and sign up to forums. They're only doing what real users are doing.
-:|:- Support Request Template -:|:-
Image
"Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb"
User avatar
Jim_UK
Former Team Member
Posts: 18480
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 5:36 pm
Location: Darwen N.West UK

Post by Jim_UK »

I can't believe that this discussion has run so long without being locked as it is a support forum.
The fact is that we have 3 topics running already on dealing with spam bots and all the info is in there you will need to completely stop spam bots. I have locked numerous attempts to start fresh topics and have even had folks respond by asking if I thought they should have to spend their time reading those topics when it was easier to just start a fresh one.
The answer is YES!

Locked

Jim
The truth is out there.
Unfortunately they will not let you anywhere near it!
Locked

Return to “2.0.x Support Forum”