James, if it were as simple as figuring out where to put one line of code, we would have done it a long time ago. BPL runs on a hosted application - we do not have access to the code. We can't just dive-in and do anything we want. Being a one of the tech advisors here, trust me when I say that we are doing all that we can :-)

Damien,
Little you can do if you cannot even write code. Yeah, that is STILL the same problem, compounded by not being able to do ANY maintenece programming.

So, anything that was suggested, as far as coding, adding CATCHCAs, programming questions, etc isn't really possible. This means all you can do is set parameters on an existing program.

Economics is the only viable solution. That is, making it cost more to spam than what it they get paid to spam.

Yes, you guys are doing the best you can, given you arn't even allowed access to the code.

" Being... one of the tech advisors here, trust me when I say that we are doing all that we can :-)"

Godspeed, then!

> BPL runs on a hosted application - we do not have access to the code.

Wow. Being as this forum software is nothing like any other I've come across, it sure seemed like a homemade solution. Are you suggesting you don't even have access to the database that houses all the post history so we won't lose anything whenever you do switch to something else?

You should be getting after your host then to update their software to control spam. Other than that, you're pretty well screwed for now except doing the $1 membership thing I guess.

Michael, no I was not suggesting that we don't have access to the data. I was just responding to the issue of access to the code for quickly resolving problems.

OK. That's good to know. I hope you've tested your backup strategy! ;)

Would have been nice to hear about the code problem from the start so we didn't suggest all these possible solutions. :)

they're still attacking certain forums/threads- evidently the member only post isn't fully being applied to the entire site

I have noticed.
It is being investigated. One possibility is that these are 'dormant' accounts created some time ago. Dunno.

Cheers

Roger, I noticed that just previos to the new spammer, un-paid members were also posting on that thread. ????

What, I wonder, do the spammers get out of their attacks? This doesn't seem like a likely place to pick up customers for typical spam products.

Search Engine Optimization

If there's a link to their site, from BPL which is rated fairly high, then the rating for their site goes up

It has nothing to do with whether BPL readers will ever go to their site or buy anything

Then, when someone searches on google or whatever, for wedding dresses or whatever, their site will come up higher

sorry for my ignorance, but is it legal???

cut to the chase, impose a guaranteed refundable after one month registration fee and stop these a$$holes in their tracks while a longer term solution is developed? Along with this, I think it would be fairly easy to waive this requirement for known, upstanding non members who have already proven their good citizenship, e.g. Bob Gross, Bucktoof Willy, Newton, et. al.

Many people will be scared off it you ask them to pay anything - you have access to their financial info

Maybe paypal would be safe

Use of PayPal would insulate the buyer from the website: no financial data would go to BPL or its servers. Some folks would still complain, of course.

There are two more issues with PayPal and/or refundable payments: 1) PayPal limits the time frame in which one may refund all of any fee paid (after that, the cut PayPal takes is permanent) and the dashboard for such work doesn't include alarm timers or the ability to code particular transactions after they occur. What seems like an "easy idea" wouldn't be so easy.

I know this because I process/account PayPal subscriptions to another website. So, my input to fellow BPL members is that: "a refundable fee isn't a viable solution to anything", because it would necessarily involve significant labor at the computer and shrieking by customers. Do you see whining and conspiracy theory, now? Ha ha ha ha!!!! Yeah.

"The Answer", visible to those outside the forest, is a migration to new forum software that includes modern, standard features. Here's hoping that move would not require migration to a new front end -- if it does, that's why nothing can happen fast.

portlandhikers.org has similar spammers - seems like higher frequency lately

more moderators than just Rog

Four "clicks" to get rid of the spammer and all his posts

March 2007: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=9398

Edit: I forgot I have to manually code http links....

Edited by adrianb on 11/01/2012 12:42:53 MDT.

Somehow despite the dated software, and obnoxious mid-thread ads, this remained one of the best forums I spend time on, because of the people. Now you've just shut a huge number of them out, with no short term prospect of return, and you hope this will raise the quality level?

I suggest rather than trying to extract money from reader generated content (forums), you take inspiration from the packrafting forums, and set up a separate independent forum with a "sponsored by BPL" link back to the pay site. See their (I think very admirable)forum mission and disclaimer.

Forums are not expensive to host, see http://www.activeboard.com/pricing.spark - starting at eight dollars a month (!) for 25,000 page views. You would probably get volunteers from here to help you with migration of the database.

Edited by adrianb on 11/01/2012 13:25:10 MDT.

+1 Adrian

Any guess as to how long this situation will last? Well the pay to post situation. We all know about the software limitations. They have been built in. Adrian pointed out the problems with that choice years and years ago.

More spam is hitting the backpacking.net forum, too, but nothing like here. Again, we have lots more moderators as well as alert members. I received ten spam notices (an unusually large number) in my email a few days ago, but one of the moderators in an earlier time zone got them all. I tend to pick up the ones that post about now (after 9 Pacific time) when the eastern time zones mods have gone to bed. We also notify the site owner so he can ban the ISPs. That seems to slow them down for a week or two at least, sometimes longer. We do monitor new members, since a lot of our spam comes from folks who post half a dozen innocuous messages and then insert their commercial links. We usually can spot them from the beginning (poor English and ISPs from Asia), but since we welcome international members we can't ban them until they actually post spam. We don't wait, though, for those whose posts are complete gibberish and whose ISPs are identified as known spam sites (easily found by googling the ISP number).

Edited by hikinggranny on 11/04/2012 22:28:15 MST.