I miss the spammers

**Andy Freeland** · 12-05-2012, 05:30 PM

Do you think they'll come back if I ask real nice?

Fed up with constantly deleting spam I finally did what I didn't want to do. When a user first signs up, all of their posts are moderated until I determine that they are not a soulless spammer. Moderated means that I can see them, but no one else can unless I validate the post, which obviously I would be disinclined to do if the primary purpose of said post is to sell ugg boots.

The big problem of course is that this will dissuade new users from joining the conversation, but since we haven't seen one of those in a while I went ahead and pulled the trigger.

**hobbes27** · 12-05-2012, 05:49 PM

You big meanie.

As a suggestion, when a new user signs up, you should send them a welcome email and maybe explain a little bit about the purpose of the new policy. Or something like that, I dunno.

**Trumpetbdw** · 12-05-2012, 06:24 PM

Aw, man! It was good while it lasted. And life is much more comfortable in my new ugg boots! And that knockoff Jon Konkak Hawks throwback I'm rocking is pretty sweet!

What if the new user's first post includes a promise that he's not a spammer? Will that convince you?

**Andy Freeland** · 12-05-2012, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by Trumpetbdw

What if the new user's first post includes a promise that he's not a spammer? Will that convince you?

Actually it would, as long as it isn't accompanied by a link to really cheap cialis.

**packa7x** · 12-05-2012, 08:07 PM

Hey, if I have that problem, I'd buy Cialis off of a spambot.

**wxwax** · 12-05-2012, 08:50 PM

Glad you finally took the step, Andy. And no need to shoulder the burned by yourself. Why not tap some of your yellow-line contributors (or anyone you trust) to share the burden? That way you don't have to do all the work and n00bs can get into the flow more quickly.

**Andy Freeland** · 12-05-2012, 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by wxwax

Glad you finally took the step, Andy. And no need to shoulder the burned by yourself. Why not tap some of your yellow-line contributors (or anyone you trust) to share the burden? That way you don't have to do all the work and n00bs can get into the flow more quickly.

That's the plan but I need to do a little research to figure out how to let you guys moderate posts but not have any of my other cool super powers like editing/deleting posts and turning polishguy into frog.