Spammer

Josh Cryer · 2006-01-06 05:50:17

Hmm, your one eyed hobo must be out of practice Clark, it wasn't me. I shant tell who it was, though (I know because of the IP crossreference feature), the mystery ought to bug you, hehe.

Anyway, Rxke, I know that most Guests who post in this forum are spammers, but I still feel it needs to be open. I know it's a pain in the arse, but yeah. I will delete any spam I see, though, and I check here at least once a day even if I don't post. So if it really is bugging you that bad, just try to ignore it, I can take care of it. Truth be told, though, I bet it gives you some bit of pleasure to hit the delete button.

Rxke · 2006-01-06 06:04:34

I still feel it needs to be open....

Settled, then.

...Truth be told, though, I bet it gives you some bit of pleasure to hit the delete button.

The novelty of it wears thin pretty quick, hehee

Josh Cryer · 2006-01-06 06:06:44

::deletes Rxke:: j/k

clark · 2006-01-06 06:23:44

I sooooo don't care.

Palomar · 2006-01-06 06:52:35

Anyway, Rxke, I know that most Guests who post in this forum are spammers, but I still feel it needs to be open.

*My 2 cents' worth: Spammers aside, I don't understand the reluctance of some folks to register (only takes a few seconds) for posting. Is it an issue of not wanting their ISP known? It's still visible to Admin, regardless. What's the big secret for remaining "anonymous"? Don't have to fill out the Profile and the user ID doesn't have to involve one's real name.

--Cindy

Palomar · 2006-01-06 06:58:02

*...or lurkers, for that matter. If everyone lurked there'd be nothing whatsoever to read. Register, grab the mike, join in and participate.

--Cindy

clark · 2006-01-06 07:01:43

Mars is a passing fancy for most.

When you register, you are in effect declaring your desire to belong (at some level) to the community. A lot of people, probably on a subconsious level, don't want to belong.

I guess you could say that when you post, you end up trying to find something. You are seeking interaction of some sort. But why?

This is all rather strange when you think about it. People typing on keyboards. Staring at monitors. Interacting with strangers. The association? Some red planet no one has visited.

But what do I know.

Josh Cryer · 2006-01-08 21:12:55

Nice, I just deleted 10 spam topics. Is it always this bad Rxke? You've been grabbing them before I saw them, or did it just get worse?

Rxke · 2006-01-09 01:21:02

I deleted about 5-7 yesterday, and after reading your post another one, usually it's not that bad (i think)
But then again, hard to judge if you don't know whether someone else deleted them before you ...

But I think this 'wave' was worse than usual, never before seen the nonsensical "jokes" posts... What's the reason behind those, BTW, all identical, but no links (none hidden too) ?

Josh Cryer · 2006-01-09 02:29:53

Spam bots like to post 'normal looking' stuff so that they're seen as 'normal' users. Post a normal topic somewhere else, post a spam topic, you might not get banned via IP. BTW, I'm wary of banning via IP because it seems that these bots use a variety of different IPs, probably some Windows PC somewhere that's been taken over.

Ogre3d was inundated with this one rather novel bot that would leave nice normal conversation, like, "Hey, that's cool," and stuff like that, but it quickly became realized that it was a spambot when its profile and signature had links to poker bot sites (it was very veiled though). But that one registered to post its spam.

clark · 2006-01-09 12:48:07

I think you are all wonderful. Great job. You're the best!

BWhite · 2006-01-09 13:04:20

Mars is a passing fancy for most.

Some outgrow it sooner than others.

When you register, you are in effect declaring your desire to belong (at some level) to the community. A lot of people, probably on a subconsious level, don't want to belong.

Classic persuasion / compliance technique. Get folks to agree to something modest and more significant compliance comes later.

I guess you could say that when you post, you end up trying to find something. You are seeking interaction of some sort. But why?

Cool! Ain't it.

When you read / say those words think about John Travolta in that otherwise bad move - - Broken Arrow. Travolta's partner says

"Whoa! You're crazy"

Yeah, I know. Ain't it cool!"

This is all rather strange when you think about it. People typing on keyboards. Staring at monitors. Interacting with strangers. The association? Some red planet no one has visited. But what do I know.

I once listened to an historical anthropologist discuss this very subject. Actually it was about watching television. But the comment applies to web fanatics as well, IMHO.

He said that watching hours upon hours of TV was indeed weird but then in the 14th century people passed the time picking lice out of each others hair. Maybe its not progress, but maybe its no going backwards either.

clark · 2006-01-09 13:33:07

What is beautiful is the social investment into a system that is inherently non-social and has no outside feedback mechanism by which to judge and determine a shared experience.

Lonely little universes colliding, spiraling off into the inky blackness.

BWhite · 2006-01-09 15:58:32

Just got one.

Deleted a "sex" spam thread, that is.

Cobra Commander · 2006-01-10 06:00:55

Just as a reference, I check in here at least once every weekday morning and generally 3 out of five days I'll find and delete 2 or 3 spam posts. It's not really a flood that warrants closing up non-registered posting, but it does require that an eye be kept on it to stop a huge pileup.

Rxke · 2006-01-10 11:35:47

I do the same as CC, and it's also 2-3, sometimes more, sometimes none, last time was exceptional (the 5 and more)

Palomar · 2006-01-10 13:59:54

*Perhaps Mod/Admin issues should be discussed privately.

--Cindy

clark · 2006-01-10 14:09:19

Perhaps users should expand their ignore list.

Rxke · 2006-01-10 14:16:09

*Perhaps Mod/Admin issues should be discussed privately.
--Cindy

Why? I know, this thread was intentionally set up as a spam-alert-vigilante thing (and one of the few I actually subscribe to)

But discussing banning-deleting policies is IMO a good thing to do in the open, so other people (i.e. non-admins) can give their opinions.

Democratic rule-building, in a way...

I mean, don't you want to know why or how certain things are errr... handled here? You cannot possibly prefer CIA-spook-style secret discussions above this? :?

clark · 2006-01-10 14:27:47

I prefer to remain ignorant to the manner in which the rules that govern me are created and enforced with no say in the process.

But then, I'm an American.

Palomar · 2006-01-10 14:38:22

*Perhaps Mod/Admin issues should be discussed privately.
Why? I know, this thread was intentionally set up as a spam-alert-vigilante thing (and one of the few I actually subscribe to)

*Right. I set it up so members could notify Admin. Then Admin could decide whatever course of action (or non-action) they wanted to take.

But discussing banning-deleting policies is IMO a good thing to do in the open, so other people (i.e. non-admins) can give their opinions.
Democratic rule-building, in a way...
I mean, don't you want to know why or how certain things are errr... handled here? You cannot possibly prefer CIA-spook-style secret discussions above this? :?

:?

You're joking, right?

Simple cause and effect, Rik.

I've noticed that the spamming has increased quite a bit since it's been discussed publically by Admin. It's for you guys to decide amongst yourselves how to handle it (or not handle it). Continuing to discuss it publically seems to be encouraging spammers, egging them on ("ooooo, we've got that forum's Admin talking about us; let's post more!"). Discuss it in the Admin/Mod Usergroup (if that's still in use).

Yeah, it's good to keep this forum as open as possible. But it's also (by the owner's own admission) a "benign dictatorship" and to that end decisions need to be made and those decisions carried out.

Just my opinion, but continuing to discuss this publically will only encourage spamming/trolling activity ("yeah! we got 'em going now!"). But hey, if you guys like to be kept busy...

--Cindy

Rxke · 2006-01-10 15:03:34

You're joking, right?
Simple cause and effect, Rik.
I've noticed that the spamming has increased quite a bit since it's been discussed publically by Admin.

no, I'm not. And you noticed wrong, If I may be so cocky. I happened to be insomiac (sp?) for quite a couple of days, and was *a lot* on the board, not always logged in (and that was real CIA spook thing) And I began raising the topic AFTER the spam increased, not before.

Anyways: spammers don't give a rat's ass about being discussed, that's trolls. Spammers just want their links being clicked. That's what they're paid for.

I could be mistaken, but IMO these are bots, not actual people. (one of the reasons for not logging in was looking wether it made a difference: and admin online or not, AFAICT it made little difference, but my method was not very scientific to begin with, heh.)

Scripts running on some lame ass' computer (or maybe on several, infected ones) spewing out massive amounts of spam, using scripts to log on and write etc... It's only actually *clicking* those links that worsen the effect, because then the spamsoftware knows where it was successful (refferers, cookies etc, tell from where people log in)

Now, it could maybe, maybe be someone pissed off with the board or some of its members, and actually going through the trouble to manually enter the messages, and if that's the case: clicking the 'delete' button is less work than you writing your stuff, buddie, and we're the Admins from Hell (TM) so you better watch out! :twisted:
But the cookies point to bots: lots of 'one-day' IP sources etc.

A whole system set up to make life for spammers easier, some people make money by making spammers have 'throwaway I.P.s , some people will buuuurn, I guess, heh...

I'm convinced they're bots, the wiki spammers, for instance: I happened to frequent another wiki, and going through their logs, it were exactly the same fake I.D.'s , exactly the same spam... And they have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with Mars.
You know, 90% of all spam is generated by a handful of people over the world, I guess there's just a new kid in town. And I think he's from Eastern Europe. Normally big-time spammers hail from America (literally a caravan with an airco and a fat pipe (broadbband connection) and a couple of computers...

clark · 2006-01-10 15:09:49

I believe the current discussion is devolving to the point of actually proving Cindy's point.

Obviously public discourse regarding board policy should not be pursued with everyone.

That of course includes me.

Palomar · 2006-01-10 15:21:56

You're joking, right?
Simple cause and effect, Rik.
I've noticed that the spamming has increased quite a bit since it's been discussed publically by Admin.
no, I'm not. And you noticed wrong, If I may be so cocky. I happened to be insomiac (sp?) for quite a couple of days, and was *a lot* on the board, not always logged in (and that was real CIA spook thing) And I began raising the topic AFTER the spam increased, not before.
Anyways: spammers don't give a rat's ass about being discussed, that's trolls.

*That's for certain. And another reason why it's foolish to encourage them too.

Spammers just want their links being clicked. That's what they're paid for.
I could be mistaken, but IMO these are bots, not actual people. (one of the reasons for not logging in was looking wether it made a difference: and admin online or not, AFAICT it made little difference, but my method was not very scientific to begin with, heh.)
Scripts running on some lame ass' computer (or maybe on several, infected ones) spewing out massive amounts of spam, using scripts to log on and write etc... It's only actually *clicking* those links that worsen the effect, because then the spamsoftware knows where it was successful (refferers, cookies etc, tell from where people log in)
Now, it could maybe, maybe be someone pissed off with the board or some of its members, and actually going through the trouble to manually enter the messages, and if that's the case: clicking the 'delete' button is less work than you writing your stuff, buddie, and we're the Admins from Hell (TM) so you better watch out! :twisted:
But the cookies point to bots: lots of 'one-day' IP sources etc.
A whole system set up to make life for spammers easier, some people make money by making spammers have 'throwaway I.P.s , some people will buuuurn, I guess, heh...
I'm convinced they're bots, the wiki spammers, for instance: I happened to frequent another wiki, and going through their logs, it were exactly the same fake I.D.'s , exactly the same spam... And they have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with Mars.
You know, 90% of all spam is generated by a handful of people over the world, I guess there's just a new kid in town. And I think he's from Eastern Europe. Normally big-time spammers hail from America (literally a caravan with an airco and a fat pipe (broadbband connection) and a couple of computers...

To me the breakdown is this: Adrian has the final say -- he's the Owner (the self-described "benign dictatorship," which -isn't- a democracy). It seems, then, that it's up to Admin (Josh) and the Moderators to keep tabs with members, get some feedback (staying "open")...and once the feedback has been obtained, consider it in discussion amongst yourselves, arrive at a decision and then implement the decision.

Most people (I hope) are coming to New Mars to discuss space exploration, the MERs and other missions, science, astronomy...not to take endless opinion polls about management.

--Cindy

Rxke · 2006-01-10 15:36:34

That's for certain. And another reason why it's foolish to encourage them too.

I don't see how discussing bots (that cannot read) and talking kills is encouraging it...

It seems, then, that it's up to Admin (Josh) and the Moderators to keep tabs with members, get some feedback (staying "open")...and once the feedback has been obtained, consider it in discussion amongst yourselves, arrive at a decision and then implement the decision.

I gather, then that your feedback is: stopp talking, and do something?
Ok, how? I mean, the discussion so far is about how bad it really is, and wether the action taken now is enough etc... Does the spam bother you? (it bothers me) how much?
Do you think it is taken care of succesfully enough?

Most people (I hope) are coming to New Mars to discuss space exploration, the MERs and other missions, science, astronomy...not to take endless opinion polls about management.

Sure, but board related stuff is part of the whole picture,.. requests, ideas, objections,... And I don't see any polls about the subject, would be pointless, because, anyways, Americans don't vote

Seriously: you can not tell people not to discuss this.

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#101 2006-01-06 05:50:17

Re: Spammer

#102 2006-01-06 06:04:34

Re: Spammer

#103 2006-01-06 06:06:44

Re: Spammer

#104 2006-01-06 06:23:44

Re: Spammer

#105 2006-01-06 06:52:35

Re: Spammer

#106 2006-01-06 06:58:02

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#107 2006-01-06 07:01:43

Re: Spammer

#108 2006-01-08 21:12:55

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#109 2006-01-09 01:21:02

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#110 2006-01-09 02:29:53

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#111 2006-01-09 12:48:07

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#112 2006-01-09 13:04:20

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#113 2006-01-09 13:33:07

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#114 2006-01-09 15:58:32

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#115 2006-01-10 06:00:55

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#116 2006-01-10 11:35:47

Re: Spammer

#117 2006-01-10 13:59:54

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#118 2006-01-10 14:09:19

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#119 2006-01-10 14:16:09

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#120 2006-01-10 14:27:47

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#121 2006-01-10 14:38:22

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#122 2006-01-10 15:03:34

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#123 2006-01-10 15:09:49

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#124 2006-01-10 15:21:56

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#125 2006-01-10 15:36:34

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