Hi there,

A lot of you probably don't know where all the spam and stuff goes when Vincent and I remove it. There's a forum here that you're supposed to be able to see, called The Inactive File, where it all goes. But the default website template doesn't think people should see it, so it tends to disappear when we upgrade. Apparently that happened again the last time, which I, of course, who am able to go there whenever, don't realize when it happens.

Anyway. Vincent is coming home from a convention on Tuesday, and then he'll make that forum visible again like it's supposed to be. Then you can see any and all of the posts by, for instance, Vladius since his recent announcement in this forum, preserved unto perpetuity with the foot-fetish porn spam.

This way I don't ban users or delete posts, 'cause I don't want to do that. But it also accounts for the fact that I and, I trust, most of you here don't want to endure stupid antics either. The fun part is there's no negotiation involved at all.

So your job is, whenever any post appears which is spam or to you seems to defy the point of this site, click "Notify moderator."

Best, Ron

Hi Ron!

I see the Inactive file, (I didn't for most of 2006-2007, though) but these is something strange going on. In the global view of the Forge (this one) I see new posts these that I don't see when I go to the Inactive File subform (this one). At this time in the subforum there are only two thread from March. "Acai Optimum  New", and "New Life Cleanse  New". All the others aren't there. But from the global forge view if I click on the "last post" for the inactive file, I find Vladius's last post here

So, at this time the inactive file is visible, but most of the post there, aren't.

When I saw Vladius' posts, I was unsure as to the protocol, to be honest. I know when someone posts a zero-content post with a link to something off-site, even when they try to make it look like a real post, you report it as spam.

Vladius' nonsense wasn't exactly forum-spam, though. I *did* know that you don't feed a troll, but his posts were not overtly abusive, just dismissive wastes of time, which I've seen from time to time from legitimate users.

If I see someone like that, should I just ignore them, as I did this time? Should I report them?

Hi Lance,

Reporting's always an individual call, and I am myself uneasy with creating a police-state culture in which everyone's finking on everyone all the time. Save it for cases you find unambiguous, for sure.

Vladius' case is a little different because he specifically announced that all his further posts were gunning for moderation. By that logic, anything he posts is subject to dismissal, so reporting his stuff to me pitches it directly to my judgment no matter what. That also leaves the door open for him to post more in line with his original constructive habits, and then I wouldn't flip it to the Inactive File.

Moreno, Vincent will work forum-management magic to make things the way I described later this week, or rather, when he returns from the con and can spare the time.

Best, Ron

There's actually a button for Notify Moderator? It's been there this whole time? I don't actually craft a PM to Ron or Vincent?

Bottom right of every post. I had to have it pointed out to me too, but I figure that's because I'm notably clueless about these things. I didn't even notice the post count per person until I'd been running the damn site for about three years, and only because someone mentioned it.

A private message is acceptable instead, if you're feeling more personal.

Best, Ron

The Inactive File is working fine. I was browsing it the other day! The trick is that the majority of the first page of topics in it are "stickied". Everything that isn't stickied is in date order as it should be.

Maybe there should be a rule to unsticky a post if it goes to the inactive file?

Gregor's right, it's working fine. Spam posted originally to a sticky thread remains sticky in the inactive file, that's all that's going on.

I'm not inclined to add another step to my spam-processing, though, so no, I won't be correcting that. Just scroll down to the un-sticky posts.

-Vincent

Since I'm here once a week, I just saw Vladius' thread in which he announces his intent to get himself banned. I was thinking of attempting to engage him on several points, but noticed that no one had posted to his thread, so I am hesitant. I also considered sending him a private message, but would prefer to make my comments in the open.

I'm asking the moderators whether it is preferred that I not engage the poster or all right for me to do so. I probably won't get the answer until next week (unless you e-mail me) and by then I might think not to do so is better anyway, but before I attempt to engage in real discussion with him I thought I should make sure I'm not going to be offending.  (I can see an argument for not posting to his thread so that it will gradually drop off the board without being relegated to the inactive file, and I am not certain I've ever seen a post from him before so I don't know whether others have already concluded it's wasted breath to attempt rational discussion with him.)

Thanks.

--M. J. Young

Please don't reply to irrational, posturing posts.

Best, Ron