► New Procedure To Approve Member Applications! ◄

Talk about Forum Improvements or anything about the forums.
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ARCHINSTL
Goldie Forever
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► New Procedure To Approve Member Applications! ◄

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Since Neu added Moderator Approval to new member applications, it really seems to be working!
Just in less than the last month I've not approved 14 applications, based on either their IP info or their email addresses being tagged as spammerscammers.
Dunno about other moderators' similar experiences, but it sure beats deleting up to 15 per day back just a few months ago!
My personal record was 60 (!) in just one day, back in December of 2012.
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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splatterdog
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Re: ► New Procedure To Approve Member Applications! ◄

Post by splatterdog »

Uh-oh.

I would never belong to a club that would have me as a member... :lol:
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Goldie Forever
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My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
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Re: ► New Procedure To Approve Member Applications! ◄

Post by ARCHINSTL »

splatterdog wrote:Uh-oh. I would never belong to a club that would have me as a member... :lol:
Is your middle name "Groucho?"
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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Petros
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Re: ► New Procedure To Approve Member Applications! ◄

Post by Petros »

a good way to keep out the riff-raf. Most of them anyway...I am sure some might seek through. But this will reduced everyone's work load, and keep band width for this forums intended use.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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Neu
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Re: ► New Procedure To Approve Member Applications! ◄

Post by Neu »

While it works I really dislike this method.

I need to figure something out that actually works without us having to manually approve it.

It seems like the things I try work for a little while but they get figured out, then we're hit with a bunch of bots. Sucks we're on some russian spam list somewhere.
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irowiki
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Re: ► New Procedure To Approve Member Applications! ◄

Post by irowiki »

There's better captchas that might work, and more up to date forum software too.
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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Petros
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Re: ► New Procedure To Approve Member Applications! ◄

Post by Petros »

Although the moderator approval makes for larger work load, it would be still less than manually deleting a lot of spam.

I recently joined a Honda forum and the procedure was such a PIA, I failed it like 8 or 9 times. I almost gave up, it was a very messy and complicated procedure, mess anything up and you have to start over and fill in all the blanks again. A real pain, to add insult to injury, there were not nearly the number of knowledgeable people with helpful and correct information as we have here, lots of bad info. Made me feel like the effort was a waste of time.

So if you choose an automated method, please pick a process that is easy to follow for the sake of future members.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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ARCHINSTL
Goldie Forever
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My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis

Re: ► New Procedure To Approve Member Applications! ◄

Post by ARCHINSTL »

I like this method - not from any kind of a power trip, but for the fact that, within a few weeks after it was instituted, spurious applications have dropped to virtually zero.
When it was first implemented, I think I alone refused to authorize at least 25-30 applications (dunno about other moderators); in fact, I just deleted those from my home Inbox.
I'm presuming that, since it's been many weeks since the last spammer attempted joining, they are scared off by the fact that they are told they must pass scrutiny. Of course, I don't know if that requirement is posted, as I've never signed out and tried to "rejoin;" perhaps some newer members can verify that.
It's not a big deal, and it's certainly easy - it takes but a couple of minutes with just two easy - and free - checks, plus some common sense.
I say - let's keep it.
Tom M.
P.S. It's still a heck of a lot easier than deleting dozens of spammers per day! See my note 7 posts prior to this one!
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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Neu
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Re: ► New Procedure To Approve Member Applications! ◄

Post by Neu »

Updated the method to email verification.

Let me know if spam becomes a problem again and I'll change it back.

the Recaptcha has also been redone so that should help.
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irowiki
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Re: ► New Procedure To Approve Member Applications! ◄

Post by irowiki »

Spammer made it in not 12 hours later!
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
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95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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dlb
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Re: ► New Procedure To Approve Member Applications! ◄

Post by dlb »

i just deleted a spammer and a bunch of their posts, and i didn't even get an email asking me to activate their account.

EDIT: Nor did I!
Tom M.
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irowiki
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Re: ► New Procedure To Approve Member Applications! ◄

Post by irowiki »

Because Neu turned that off!
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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ARCHINSTL
Goldie Forever
Posts: 6369
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:52 pm
My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis

Re: ► New Procedure To Approve Member Applications! ◄

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Between dlb and moi - I don't think we mind doing the "due diligence" part of screening applicants.
Dunno what the "email verification" means.
When I looked at the applicant's IP, sometimes that was a clue (country origin of server), and the other was inserting his email address in a Google search blank. So far, those two pretty simple methods have kept out all spammers; well, apparently until now, anyway.
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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irowiki
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Re: ► New Procedure To Approve Member Applications! ◄

Post by irowiki »

Email verify means instead of manually approving, the forum sends an email to a member to click on a link to verify the email exists. Doesn't work on bots.
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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Neu
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Re: ► New Procedure To Approve Member Applications! ◄

Post by Neu »

Oh wow they're quick. I'll turn that back on.
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