Elektronauts feedback & improvement suggestions

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#21

Is it possible someone on the administration side would please consider enabling a safeguard that requires new accounts to hit 10 posts before they can post offsite links or something along those lines? Maybe it’s in my head but I’ve been seeing some bot-like spam the last couple days and it’s the only thing I can think of that may discourage accounts created for the sole purpose of posting an offsite link.

I know this might be inconvenient for someone who wants to (in good faith) share a youtube link or whatever, but if you can’t make 10 friendly posts before sharing your youtube link maybe there’s a bigger problem.

These are just my opinions, if you disagree please don’t take it too seriously, I just don’t want to see a bunch of shit posts made by bots in the near future and it feels like it’s coming. Thanks.

10 Likes
#22

I guess the stock answer would be for the community to flag spam posts and the mods to then deal with them as they wish.

The only time I’ve used flags is for blatant spam, but there are definitely times where it’s difficult to judge if something is spam or just a new person who’s tone is maybe a bit spammy (I have a theory that social media is slowly turning everyone into spambots) for us old gits, and in that (probably hypothetical) case, it would suck for that person to have their first post flagged into oblivion.

As spam gets more sophisticated it’s definitely going to get much more difficult for it to be community policed as it is now and some sort of minimum level of entry for external links and such, as @shigginpit suggests, seems reasonable, as I feel that mods are going to be dealing with exponentially more of this shit in the near future.

2 Likes
#23

Any examples of this would be helpful.

The only outright scam post that i recall was this one :

This was a pretty carefully constructed confidence building post, but would have been so much better if they had been required to make those ten posts first. Fortunately i don’t think anyone got scammed by this.

1 Like
#24

I notified the moderator team and at least one post was removed, I was under the impression that would be the appropriate chain of command. I made this post as a suggestion, but I’m not encouraging a witch hunt of any kind.

I just checked and one is still here… but it seems “semi-appropriately” categorized, so I don’t know if I would push the button on it without further evidence. As @Fin25 noted in the thread however, it was “a bit spammy for a first post”. Still though, I’m not advocating for the inquisition, just a small cushion to discourage that kind of throw away account mentality, because the one which remains has a username that looks awfully similar to the one who’s post was removed, but is a unique account.

1 Like
#26

It depends of course, but usually it takes more moderation time and energy to explain to legit newcomers why they can’t post external links than to deal with the occasional spam link that isn’t caught automatically by the Discourse software.

#27

The forum software decides on its own how to capitalize a thread’s name. Best if this feature was just turned off.

As for instance, i’d like to name the thread “NAMM 2024”. The forum software forces the name to “Namm 2024”, which is of course incorrect. ( thread )

Perhaps there is a trick to override, i’ve tried a few things with no success.

#28

ah hum. well at least it’s not a bot.

: sigh of relief :

1 Like
#29

Discourse has a setting allow uppercase posts that is disabled by default. This is likely the cause here because “NAMM 2024” is all caps (numbers don’t count, pun intended).

If you change the title to something like “The NAMM Show 2024” it will probably work.

3 Likes
#30

Thank you. This did work. I still would like to drop the ‘The’ at the front.

Something changed because the all cap namm like “NAMM whatever” was allowed in the past.

#31

Have you tried “NAMM Show 2024”?

2 Likes
#32

“NAMM 2024 a” works. It is ridiculous, but I’ll leave it for now.

If I wanted to shout a thread title, DAMN IT WHY NOT ? :smile:

3 Likes
#33

Here’s a request to not delete interesting threads containing many dozens of replies without explanation. Very disrespectful to everyone that participated and of course the readership at large. See, or should I say don’t see, the “white vapor in the studio” thread. Poof - gone. Disappeared. Just like the vapor. Or not.

Seemingly again enforcing the notion that the moderation here can be heavy handed and disappointing. Oh I’m probably not allowed to say that, see… ? : |

1 Like
#34

Just because you can’t see a good reason why something is moderated the way it is, doesn’t mean there isn’t a good reason for it.

I think the mods deserve the benefit of the doubt in most cases.

I only caught the early part of the vapour thread, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out why it might have disappeared.

Why would you not be allowed to say that?

9 Likes
#35

Point made, thank you. The best kind moderation is when explanations are given, rather than things are just made to disappear. In other words, if you’re going to be - at least in many people’s eyes - heavy handed, do us the basic courtesy of explaining why. So tell us “the good reason” or you’re just patronising us.

Ok genius, explain away : )

#36

Just my musing:

As curious as the situation may have been, the conversation dealt with matters that could have been considered medical and private.

I hope the amount of interest the user garnered wasn’t insensitive, but if the topic was removed for privacy’s sake best let it be.

8 Likes
#37

Terms of Service - Elektronauts

“The Website is offered subject to your acceptance without modification of all of the terms and conditions contained herein and all other operating rules, policies (including, without limitation, elektronauts.com’s Privacy Policy and Community Guidelines)…”

Section 13. Termination:

“Elektron may terminate your access to all or any part of the Website at any time, with or without cause, with or without notice, effective immediately…”

Threads are included in this clause, so the moderation isn’t under any obligation to explain anything, whether I agree with the policy or not is inconsequential, I agreed to the terms of service when I created an account.

This thread isn’t for infighting, we’re all liable to the same agreement and aggressive blame cycling isn’t productive, it just doesn’t change anything. Elektron owns the forum, those are the terms.

1 Like
#38

I never said they’re obliged to; I consider it a basic courtesy. So to be filed under feedback and improvements surely?

#39

Come on, you surely know why I said that and if not I’ll spell it out for you - I’ve been censured on here for far less and for pretty innocuous comments. So it’s obviously said in this case to provide a degree of protection, such as it is…

Edit: an already above I’m being somehow called out for infighting. QED.

#40

When you say censured, are you referring to having posts hidden after flags, or to having posts removed or other, perhaps more actively punitive, actions?

2 Likes
#41

Let’s just pause a moment and picture a group of Elektron mods adorned in bedazzled robes, chanting in Latin while swinging incense censors.

3 Likes