Currently the only criteria to access the Banquet Room forums is strictly based on reaching 50 posts. This has led to some newcomers flooding old threads with one-liners to reach the total asap.

Wouldn't it be better to add a time element too (4 weeks for instance) so that there's no incentive reaching 50 posts in a couple of days? I do think it would reduce the amount of spam

Apology if this has already been suggested (and turned down).

Perhaps amend requirements to "50 meaningful posts"?

Give us a little credit. Also take a look at the rules. Access to the secrets area is not based entirely on post count. I look at every new member and check the how fast they are posting. New member posts are read and evaluated for content and removed if it's deemed the member is "running for the border" so to speak. Meaningless posts are removed. The rules state the first 50 posts must be legimate, meaning meaningful, and contributing to the topic.

It's a little more difficult to catch a member whose been here dormant for awhile. Usually we get a bad post report from someone that sees the sharp increase and then I evaluate the posts as I do for new members.

That member review includes checking IP addresses, email addresses and tell tale posting similarities to previously banned members or duplicate registrations.

Imposing a time frame could have a detrimental effect on an experienced person who has a lot to offer by restricting his ability to contribute.

Did I hallucinate or did this thread disappear for a few hours yesterday?

I do give you more than a little credit, Dave. I had a couple of interactions with you in the past and you were always diligent and courteous. I don't know the whole team, but I have no doubt they all work hard at maintaining this site shipshape.

What I suggested could well reduce the amount of time you spend cleaning after us. The "meaningful" bit in the rules is so vague as so to be meaningless, that's why I left it out. Maybe 4 weeks is too many, what about one? It should stop the most ardent newcomers from trying to reach 50 posts in one or two days. And if they're so keen on posting in the Banquet room, waiting 7 days is probably not such a big deal. I have noticed the post count diminished on some new members after a flurry of activity, but it was not immediate (it can't be) and I and others had to sieve through the necroposting junk.

Again, I have much respect for the whole team, so please don't take my posts as an under-handed criticism.

Anyway, this is simply a suggestion which would be easy to implement technically if it were to be found helpful.

Best,
Claudio

Thanks for the kind words and support. The whole team currently basically consists of one moderator and myself. It really doesn't take that much time to check on new members. I check the new member list everyday anyway to catch members who have been banned and reregistered, of created a new account in addition to their existing one. As long as I'm there, it's easy to see a rise in post count since I check it everyday.

Most of the new members who post quickly are trying to get into the sales forum rather than the secrets area. The word "meaningful" in the rules isn't too bad and it does indicate that the post needs to mean something in regard to the topic. The word that is very vague is "legitimate". What does legitimate mean to a poster? Not much. It's more for me and the moderators to determine the contribution.

I think what you're suggesting is a limit on the number of posts that can be made in say "7 days". Many members join and don't post much and then all of a sudden weeks or months later start posting. Let's say we limited access to 15 posts in a week and the subject he is posting in is very active. He may have a lot to contribute if it's in an area he is knowledgeable about and limit would prevent him from contributing. Would the limit only apply to new members? A 15 post limit per week would stop long time members from posting or it would only take a little more than 3 weeks to get to 50.

It's a lot easier and fairer to use the review process we already have.

Also, your post was temporarily removed while I worked on the answer. In order to prevent a lot of members voicing their opinions with meaningless or uninformed information, I put the topic out of site for a day. I read the topic while at work and it was too difficult to answer using my phone so I waited until I got home on my computer. It was out of site for a little less than 8 hours.

I hear what you're saying.

Just one last thing though, before I drop this, as I think you've misunderstood my suggestion. I'm not suggesting that you curb a new member's posts (it would be impractical and unfair), but that the automatic access to restricted access forums be dependant on the 50+ posts and a 7-day 'cooling' period.


In other words:
. A member has 50 posts, reached in 4 days say; access will only available 3 days later. Meanwhile the member may keep posting.
. The poster has 30 posts and has been posting for 3 months; access will be granted when 50 posts are reached (as the 7 day criteria has been long met.)


The idea is to reduce the incentive in posting 50 posts in one or two days - that I, and others I believe, find irritating - with the sole aim of accessing restricted areas asap, because the time delay would, hopefully, damper this behaviour.

Another problem with this rule is that many are not meaningful posters like we are, many just want to buy or sell magic. Not everyone has the talent or interest in posting, many just lurk and read. But they are quick to buy magic, especially beginners. So some never make it to the point of 50 meaningful posts because it simply is not who they are.

Some are shy or afraid of getting bashed for their opinion also. But then you got the spammers and those only interested in selling stuff. I think they should be able to buy at any time though at least if not be able to sell. So not sure how you could implement that.

The only way to do that would be to set up a special set of forums. One for buying and one for selling. Then we'd need another set for those looking to trade. The buy would have access but the sell and trade would not. Of course this would require staff attention to another set of forums. However, Let's make a deal is for members who continually contribute to the Café. It's a priviledge not a right.