These single posters asking for cracks/etc are gettign excessive. Perhaps its time to restrict these new users to a separate forum where they can post to after seeing the FAQ but unable to post to other sections of the forum.

Lets say until you reach 20 valid posts (not just quick replys) you have to click through the FAQ and the button to proceed only appears after 30 secs. Then when posting they can also see a short version of the FAQ where it states that the post must confirm to these rules.

Anyway my 2 cents worth.

Well I have suggested that in the past since the faq has made.
Forcing them to read the faq for 2 or 3 weeks before they can post on any section or maybe just like exetools in the past hide certain sections which new comers

Such "initial limits" can be quite annoying to the "good" new users, and in turn scare them away I think. As long as we are able to flame/delete all bad posts I think this is the most efficient way, while at the same time keeping the good new users coming. Forcing people to see the FAQ might be worth it, but I doubt the ones who make the bad posts would care much anyway in the end.

Howdy,

Despite the "BIG RED LETTERS", people will do what they want.
If they have no plans to stay and learn they will ask whatever it is they want. We just delete them as soon as possible.

I think the bigger problem would be those who say they read the FAQ and include such a statement in their post. Just because they said they read the FAQ doesnt mean they actually understood what they read because after saying they read it they post their lame ass question anyway.

Since I dont want to place restrictions on new posts, the way things are done now seems to be the best way.

Woodmann

What about giving every new User as default signature something like:

Please flame me if my question could have been answered using the Search (http://www.woodmann.net/forum/search.php?) or the FAQ (http://www.woodmann.net/fravia/rce-faq.htm).


After like 10 posts allow them to change their signature

It has potential

Woodmann

Hehe, kinda good idea actually. The problem is that there doesn't seem to be any option to set a certain default signature on new users (all other necessary functionality to create such a thing exists though), so it seems like it would require a hack. First of all, it always takes a little time to create a hack, but that would be ok if it wasn't for the fact that you have to manually maintain (and possibly update) these hacks for each new vBulletin update, which sorta sucks.

Oh to hell with it, it's patched and done. Due to a stupid problem in vBulletin this default signature can still be changed by the new users though (ssh, don't tell them), but I'll fix this soon too. Thanks for the idea JimmyClif, let's hope it turns out well.

Oh no not a 10 post limit. Where did you guys steal that concept?

Regards,

The Devil's Advocate Here.
And No, I am not trying to start a professional competition with JMI.

Question to the public: Why do you get so much annoyed when a renegade pre-teen posts a crack request or some other nuisance like that?
It is part of the background noise, the price of being public in the net. . .

If you cannot tolearate mosquitoes, you will miss the marvels of Kenya National parks.

Wrong move.

Its not in the spirit of spreading of knowledge. And the fact that we allow open access is what makes this board special.

Its like saying that till we use a GNU software application at least 10 times, they will continue showing a nag screen. After that it will stop showing the nag screen. This may be a good idea by purists who think that _only_ really interested people will therefore use the software. In reality most people who need the software would look for alternatives.

I think let things remain as they are. Of course, its not my board so feel free to ignore me if you really want to do it.

But expect a decrease in the traffic. And decrease in the chance that we may come up on a really good cracker.

Keep things open. Otherwise I see us going on the road to "elite" group of fravia's and nothing more. We are no better than PC or UCF.

Have Phun

Aimless, please note that this policy wouldn't imply any other limitation whatsoever in addition to not being able to change your signature for the first 10 posts.

But sure, the wording may be unnecessarily harsh, so it is now changed to the following instead:

I promise that I have read the FAQ (http://www.woodmann.com/fravia/rce-faq.htm) and tried to use the Search (http://www.woodmann.com/forum/search.php?) to answer my question.

And we'll also leave it for now that people can change it to something else at any time they want, e.g. immediately. It will still be a good reminder for everyone, and make it harder to claim that "I didn't know that".

Finally, for the people wondering why we care so much about members following the rules. First of all, there are possible legal implications if this board gets a public image of being a place where people trade cracks and do other illegal stuff, which might in turn lead to it being closed altogether, and that's not very good, now is it? Second of all, most of you don't see half of all the stupid/illegal posts, because we remove them before you do. Third of all, as cute as it may be with the odd moron making a fool out if himself, if these posts get too common, it will indeed scare away the people "with potential" too, because it just makes the board look like another gathering place for immature and non productive crack exchange.

It is a fact that our ISP does get requests to close this place down when others think they get a hint of the posting of prohibited materials under US law. We have had to "re-locate" on more than one occassion because of such threats. Therefore, as dELTA says, we have to be as viligent as possible.

While these first type of posts are potentially dangerous. the second class are simply an annoyance and part of life on such Boards. As Woodmann says, those who aren't going to take the time to look around and get acquainted with the rules, aren't going to look around and get acquainted with the rules, no matter what we do to them. The are simply too self-possessed to get instant gratification and a "solution" to their issue, that nothing else matters to them and they don't care whether or what the rules may be. They will simply have to be dealt with as they appear.

Regards,

How about adding a time aspect to it as well? I've been (mostly) lurking here for several months, read through the FAQ many times, etc...

Seems a bit presumptuous to think anyone with less than 10 posts has little to add.

As I said above, we're skipping the initial period altogether for now. All we're doing is setting the discussed default signature upon registration, but the new members can change it at any time they like.

'tis nothing more than another reminder.

Woodmann

Which the truely lame will not even notice.

Regards,

How about requiring new members to pass a quiz based on the FAQ before they can post? The quiz can be multiple-choice, so it can be automated and not require Admin intervention to "grade" the quizes.

Thoughts?

Noble idea, but not all new registrations are necessarily newbies, or unwilling or incapable of searching for their own basic answers before posting. It would seem a shame to submit them to some kindergarten faq quiz before they might contribute something perhaps interesting to the board. Some experienced reversers return here from time to time under a new moniker, with no need or interest in reading the faq, pity they should be subject to grading as well.

I tend to agree with Kayaker. The truely lame will not read the FAQ no matter what and those who are new, but "not-lame," will read the FAQ or, more probably, do not need to.

Regards,