Silk Road forums

Discussion => Newbie discussion => Topic started by: babyshiva999 on April 27, 2013, 07:22 pm

Title: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: babyshiva999 on April 27, 2013, 07:22 pm
Even though I'm a newbie, I feel this is inappropriate way to go and it is turning Newbie DB into a joke and discourages senior members from answering newbie questions.

This system is in place for a reason people. This way we are only making the Newbie board irrelevant and redundant.

Just my two cents.
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: mj154 on April 27, 2013, 07:36 pm
It does strike me as being obnoxious, but obviously SR moderators don't seem to mind. In fact, they probably expect it with such a high post requirement.

Then again, if I were looking into someone's profile to see if they are worth doing business with, and I see dozens of spam posts, I'd be turned off.

Personally, I avoid spam topics. I can find enough threads to comment on. I just find it frustrating that I've been around since before the newbie ban, and I can non longer make non-newb threads despite predating the ban.

by two bitcents.
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: I_have_questions on April 27, 2013, 09:08 pm
Yes.
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: Dr Pappy on April 27, 2013, 09:36 pm
 8)Good points babyshiva & mj154. For me, the value of SR seems trivialized by these Spam posters, but perhaps part of the "assignment" of having 50 post before we are cut free to communicate openly is just to acquaint us with the system...  We all know how it is in the black market where people do pull lots of rip-offs, so we come to the SR aware. The reviews and forums provide us the tools to try and keep folks straight. It works on eBay, and seems to work here - if one takes the time to investigate.
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: BlueGrippelrunt on April 27, 2013, 09:38 pm
Spam topics evidently are fine, no moderators have lashed out and there doesn't appear to be rules against them.

The 50 post count system is meant as a control to keep bot spammers isolated to the newbie board. It's actually an ingenious system. It keeps the real spam corralled in single place so the forum mods can adjudicate promptly without it interfering with the main forums. All-the-while the real newbies can learn the basics.

So, spam on on legit users!
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: Shm0keand@Panc@ke on April 27, 2013, 09:41 pm
I was gonna say no but I was high so I say YES! why just because we are noobs should we stay in noob purgatory?
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: sockmonkey supreme on April 29, 2013, 02:37 am
The 50 posts are an anti-spam measure, not some kind of trial.

I agree that posting nonsense in threads that were started with real questions is a rude thing to do, so I think nonsense answers should only be posted in spam threads, but there's absolutely no reason not to spam in spam threads.
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: babyshiva999 on April 29, 2013, 09:50 am
Allright, seems, there's a consensus more or less, at least among senior members that the point of spam topics is to eliminate bots or spammer from autoposting to other boards. Okay, I can just go and spam the hell out of the newbie board !:)
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: novembertest on April 29, 2013, 09:56 am
probably not
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: Razorspyne on April 29, 2013, 10:13 am
Even though I'm a newbie, I feel this is inappropriate way to go and it is turning Newbie DB into a joke and discourages senior members from answering newbie questions.

This system is in place for a reason people. This way we are only making the Newbie board irrelevant and redundant.

Just my two cents.

While I will never defend this policy, I myself post in this section sometimes as I love the diversity I find in here. It's everything rolled into one. I hate the trolls and there are a lot of unbelievably dumb stuff here too (probably from cops), but I end up here anyway. I also drill a lot and wind up here that way too. It does not discourage ME from coming here and there's a few other senior members that wind up here too.

Anyway what was your original question you wanted answered before you created this thread?

Piece, Love, and Fuck Haters.
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: MuddbuttJenkins on April 29, 2013, 10:17 am
hahahaha newbie purgatory....
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: babyshiva999 on April 29, 2013, 10:21 am


While I will never defend this policy, I myself post in this section sometimes as I love the diversity I find in here. It's everything rolled into one. I hate the trolls and there are a lot of unbelievably dumb stuff here too (probably from cops), but I end up here anyway. I also drill a lot and wind up here that way too. It does not discourage ME from coming here and there's a few other senior members that wind up here too.

Anyway what was your original question you wanted answered before you created this thread?

Piece, Love, and Fuck Haters.
[/quote]

I wanted to hear opinion from senior members on this particular matter. That was my idea.
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: newhorizen on April 29, 2013, 10:23 am
It most certainly is appropriate.  I have a bit of a gripe, this account I have had for awhile and I occasionally posted things.  Not much because I have an actual full time job, my own side business and actual friends and a life(not the internet kind).

Now I go to post and I realize I am not at the stupid 50 post count thing.  Despite being able to post freely in the past.  Not grandfathering older accounts was pretty STUPID, IMHO...
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: FrankSidebottom on April 29, 2013, 10:26 am
Anti-spam tactic. Another might be to create a separate discussion  for only spam / junk that way keeping the newbie forum just for noobs who have stuck around long enough to care.
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: Razorspyne on April 29, 2013, 10:48 am
Well, my idea is that it was created to bottleneck spam and also b/c new members were asking the same questions without reading anyone else's posts and finding their answers there. There is a Search function on this site that some thought was never getting used. Anyway, the information I have is it was suggested and implemented for those 2 reasons, though the most important being spam. I have to admit it has made it a hell of a lot easier to keep the spam in one section because of it, which means it can be targeted more effectively as the time taken to find and consequently remove it it is dramatically reduced.

The problem with this policy is that no one bothered to explain to you guys WHY it was implemented, via a pinned Topic ('stickie'). I have no clue why that would be, but it means that every new member is confronted with having to post 50 times with a ridiculously high difficulty setting catchpa that does not permit normal-length posting, without knowing this. And members have to tell this time and again to newbies as this information is not available until asked.

I have given up explaining this a long time ago, and so have others. But I do feel for those who have to belt out 50 without even knowing the reason why. I also think that there may be spam alternatives but I have not researched them and feel that it is not my job to do so.

Anyway, the good news is that they have removed the restriction of Junior members and higher from being blocked from posting here, and there are frequently long-time members here in this section.

Don't forget that, in addition to spam threads (do not spam normal threads), there is also PGP Club for newbies via a stickie. It is like spam, but you learn something as well.

Piece, Love, and Fuck Haters.
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: babyshiva999 on April 29, 2013, 03:02 pm
Well, my idea is that it was created to bottleneck spam and also b/c new members were asking the same questions without reading anyone else's posts and finding their answers there. There is a Search function on this site that some thought was never getting used. Anyway, the information I have is it was suggested and implemented for those 2 reasons, though the most important being spam. I have to admit it has made it a hell of a lot easier to keep the spam in one section because of it, which means it can be targeted more effectively as the time taken to find and consequently remove it it is dramatically reduced.

The problem with this policy is that no one bothered to explain to you guys WHY it was implemented, via a pinned Topic ('stickie'). I have no clue why that would be, but it means that every new member is confronted with having to post 50 times with a ridiculously high difficulty setting catchpa that does not permit normal-length posting, without knowing this. And members have to tell this time and again to newbies as this information is not available until asked.

I have given up explaining this a long time ago, and so have others. But I do feel for those who have to belt out 50 without even knowing the reason why. I also think that there may be spam alternatives but I have not researched them and feel that it is not my job to do so.

Anyway, the good news is that they have removed the restriction of Junior members and higher from being blocked from posting here, and there are frequently long-time members here in this section.

Don't forget that, in addition to spam threads (do not spam normal threads), there is also PGP Club for newbies via a stickie. It is like spam, but you learn something as well.

Piece, Love, and Fuck Haters.

I appreciate your insight Razor. I guess the system makes sense, with spam topics or without. But nonetheless the system is not perfect as you've pointed out, but I cannot think of any proper alternative to it.

Does anyone have any ideas or insights on this matter?
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: rsab57821 on April 29, 2013, 03:33 pm
No better way I can think of to prove your not a spam bot. Though 50 posts may be a little much. 25 is enough of a pain. What am I on? Like 5... ugh
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: Razorspyne on April 29, 2013, 08:28 pm

Thank you (+K). I'll keep looking at this thread. Just a really quick point though, you cannot change the minimum from 50 to 25 as the limit is not based on post count like many believe, but on membership. You would need to lower the Junior requirement to 25, which I believe would be a mistake as this would set a precedent for changing Global Settings for this site based on a changing dynamic. (Spam threads and PGP seem quickest way)

Piece, Love, and Fuck Haters.
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: JohnJohnerson333 on April 29, 2013, 08:32 pm
Is making a shitty thread appropriate for getting your post count up to 50?
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: the cali connect on April 29, 2013, 08:43 pm
50 posts?? gonna be here all night.....
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: Vasrik on April 29, 2013, 08:47 pm
lol wut
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: Clockwork66504 on April 29, 2013, 08:54 pm
Its a bit long but im glad it is the rule.
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: Vasrik on April 29, 2013, 09:01 pm
spam is always appropriate, especially in a can
Title: Re: Are spam topics for gaining 50 posts appropriate?
Post by: s1lk3n on April 30, 2013, 12:36 am
totally appropriate.