Goodman Games

New members -- just to let you know we aren't ignoring you. Your first three posts need to be approved and I'll do the best not to lose you.

Every day I log in 1-2 times and clear out the SPAM posts and threads. The board is set up so that regular members don't see this at all, and it happens "behind the curtain." This is nice because the boards look neat and tidy. Unless you're a moderator.

Most days I clear out 30-40 SPAM threads advertising all sorts of things. The moderator software allows me to clear out around 25-30 at a time, so sometimes it's several pages worth of junk. Before today, the most I'd ever seen was 81 SPAM threads. This afternoon I found 261 threads, which was eight pages of SPAM.

Anyway, for new posters I just want you to know that I'm doing my best to approve you. It's just that when you put one gold nugget in a pile of 260 rocks it's possible that sometimes you won't find the nugget.

Your herculean efforts are greatly appreciated.

Yea, but what has he done for us lately?

Seriously, thank you for keeping the place neat and tidy.

Many thanks from me as well. Your doing a great job.

Thank you for your moderation... (I also moderate a forum and we get similar amounts of spam, so I feel your pain.)

Another 180 SPAM threads today. I just don't get it. Why start so many threads to sell baseball jerseys when none of the threads make it past the moderator and onto the boards. They want to sell me jerseys?

It's like they have no idea what this board is, yet they have software that creates accounts and threads for no purpose other than to tick me off.

Gnomeboy, he's on to us!

*cranks software up to 11*

You are right, Marv -- I do have no idea what the boards are about...

*plants evidence pointing at Jedi*

I had a new experience today. While cleaning out the SPAM I managed to ban a spammer while he was still online.

I clicked on his name to ban him and noticed his status. He was in the process of leaving more goodies for me to purge and I banned his user name, IP addy, and e-mail. Nuked from orbit.

Gives me a warm feeling inside.

I also noticed that 99% of the spammers have hotmail e-mail addresses. I wonder what would happen if I just banned all accounts from hotmail.

Great job Finarvyn! I hope that spammer is at the bar drowning his sorrows with his loser friends telling them about the Goodman Games web site. Telling them how you can't even finish a post before the moderators are shutting you down.

In reality he probably just signed up for a new hotmail account and double-SPAMmed us with a new name.

It's the only way to be sure.

Also, thanks for the heads up re: the three posts need mod approval rule. I didn't know that; didn't see it in the FAQ. Looks like I will soon be free!

Nice job Finarvyn!

BTW, it looks like there is a new version of phpBB that offers better spam control measures. I will look into upgrading the boards soon.

Killed another 150 SPAM threads again today. Five pages on my moderator screen, all selling designer handbags and fake NFL jerseys. Hmmm. Maybe I should have checked out those jerseys...

Six pages of SPAM threads today. 153 individual threads and several additional posts. Have these people nothing to do but try to sell fake handbags to moderators of gaming boards?

It's not like anyone else gets to see the ads. (But if you want a good deal on a fake handbag let me know and I can hook you up with a shady vendor. )

I only buy the ones where the forged brand-name is misspelled in an amusing way...