Member Stalking

[AquaGGR]

Though, I think for the sake of clarity, it should be pointed out that "spambot" is being taken a little out of context lately... I think it's clear the members in question are not automated computers/machines programmed by shifty people in Russia, China, Bangladesh, or any of those countries to register accounts on forums and post phishy links everywhere (though MC HAS had a problem with those lately as well).

We can't really classify these members as "spammers" or "spambots", because they aren't filling up the site maliciously, nor are they automated computers (like you said). I really don't know what they could be referred to as, maybe something like "hambots", or "hammers".

 

[The Count]

Actually, these idiots can and should be classified as "spammers" because their continuous bombardment is just as pernicious as the other variety who post spam download links. The members in question are secondary-grade spammers in that when they registered as new members everything was okay. But then they started posting in an annoying manner with consecutive posts to the tune of filling up an entire page... And then they just so happened to start bumping every single thread in the fanfic section with pointless crud, evolving to the point that they became spammers. And because they've exceeded the month-long "New Member" period, there's no longer a "Spam Cleaner" button attached to their profiles so I can't ban them.

 

[Sgt Floyd]

I'm really confused as to how liking things constitutes as spam?

I mean, you can turn notifications of liked posts off. Mine are off.

I mean, they aren't POSTING going lol or I agree to the old post, just liking it. Why is that wrong? Now you're sending mixed messages that liking things is wrong?

I am very confused.

 

[Animal31]

I'm really confused as to how liking things constitutes as spam?

I mean, you can turn notifications of liked posts off. Mine are off.

I mean, they aren't POSTING going lol or I agree to the old post, just liking it. Why is that wrong? Now you're sending mixed messages that liking things is wrong?

I am very confused.

I totally agree. It was explained not too long ago that the "like" button was to eliminate one word responses, and now the same button can get you banned? Some of these people live for this forum, and obviously are very interested in what everyone has to say and what they contribute. It's not a perfect world, and what someone may think of as excessive "spam" may be nothing more than someone just trying to be part of something.

Why chase them away?

 

[The Count]

It's not that I'm saying liking someone's posts is wrong. It's that getting a bunch of likes from the same person, consecutively, from a person who has been labelled a spammer through their actions is highly annoying. Hope this helps clear up any confusion Sarge.

 

[D'Snowth]

I kind of see where the others are coming from though...

We just spent a great deal of time in the other thread trying to get it through to some of these people that postings meaningly replies like, "Lol", "That's funny", "Yeah", "Me too", "I like that", "Cool", "Awesome", etc. is frowned upon, and that the Like function is basically here for use instead of making such posts... and it seems like culprits have finally grasped the message, but now there's this thread complaining about them liking posts.

I get what you're saying Ed, even what you said about seeing that really old posts that you probably don't remember being liked, by the same person, over and over again, but like others are pointing out, we're telling them to do one thing, then we they do, we're telling them to stop doing that too.

I think liked posts are far more tolerable than wading through a sea of yeahs and lols. Besides, likes get you trophies.

 

[mspiggy101]

Its sad there are some people doing this is you ask me I think that they shouldn't spam cause children are on here

 

[AquaGGR]

The spam doesn't feature inappropriate content, though. The spam is just annoying and pointless posts.

 

[Slackbot]

Years and years ago there was a Monty Puthon skit that took place in a restaurant. A couple was trying to decide what to eat. Periodically a group of Vikings at another table would begin chanting "Spam, spam, spam, spam," over and over, drowning everything else out, until people yelled at them to shut up. This quieted them down, for a few moments at least, but soon they started up again.

Fast-forward to the days of IRC and BBS chat areas. Sometimes people would set up macros to mimic the Vikings in that skit, thereby filling the screen with "Spam, spam, spam, spam" and making the conversation annoyingly hard to read, especially if it scrolled off the top of the screen.

This is the origin of the term "Spam" as applied to the Internet. It is irrelevant, annoying noise that drowns out actual signal. It does not have to be inappropriate commercial messages, links to illegal downloads, et cetera. It can be irritating yammer by people who don't know how to keep on topic. It can be hitting "Like" on every post someone made in a thread without reading the posts (and don't tell me anyone can read 20 posts in 3 minutes), thus flooding someone's notifications area, for no other reason than wanting to see their name in a thread.

</rant>

 

[The Count]

*Applauds Kim's post. That was perfect. Now would you like some spam spam spam eggs bacon and beans?