What is Apolyton definition of 'Spam'?

Brundlefly · August 14, 2003, 15:18

I just read through the Apolyton FAQ's and I don't understand references to 'spam' there. You are not allowed post spam and you will be penalized for 'spamming' a thread. What does that mean? I always thought spam meant just posting commercial overtures or posting one message hundreds of times. I never make any posts like that, however, a few times, I was accused of starting a 'spam thread' in OT. I'm trying to follow the rules, but I need to understand them before I can follow them....

Ming · August 14, 2003, 15:36

spam - senseless crap
spam - worthless post with the sole intent to get +1 in an on topic forum
spam - whatever the mods say is spam is indeed spam

Point 3 being the most important

Harry Seldon · August 14, 2003, 15:38

If you post something way off-topic or if you persist in posting to a thread you've been asked to desist from you could be popped for spamming. It's pretty flexible but you shouldn't worry about it too much; unless you really push them the mods will cut you some slack and they almost always warn you before the PCR's and banning comes down.

atawa · August 14, 2003, 15:41

I agree

mrmitchell · August 14, 2003, 15:41

Example 1

Quote:

Alligators make cuddly pets.

Saying that in this thread is spam.

Example 2

Quote:

+1

The most blatant form of spam. It can be pretty funny if there's a good follow-up, but it is indeed spam...

Example 3
The PC threads in the OTF, especially MrFun's "protest" thread. All in good humour, but you could more or less call them spam.

mrmitchell · August 14, 2003, 15:42

Example 4

Quote:

Originally posted by atawa
I agree

Ming · August 14, 2003, 15:47

examples of spam threads in the OTF

I'm the greatest, bow to me

the alphabet game... post letters of the alphabet

Who here eats

Jamski · August 14, 2003, 17:19

I thought the purpose of the OTF was for all the "spam threads" that would otherwise clutter up the real forums, for example a history discussion in the Civ3 forum would be "spam"

I though "spam thread" was just another word for "off topic thread" I didn't think it was possible to spam the OTF.

Or?

-Jam

Ming · August 14, 2003, 17:26

No... an off topic thread is just that... something off topic. Politics, life, movies, theory, religion... whatever...

It doesn't mean SPAM. Spam is unwanted crap... no matter which forum it appears in.

Nikolai · August 14, 2003, 17:29

Neither did I, Jamski.

I thought the same as you, and I did understand it so that as long as you didn't offend any, you could post as you pleased. Obviously we were wrong...

rah · August 14, 2003, 17:39

I will admit that i'm a little less strict when it comes to spam in the OT since posts don't count there. But if it gets bad, I'll act.

Ming · August 14, 2003, 17:40

It's really simple. A thread about politics or history in an on topic forum is simply "off topic"... Not allowed there, but allowed in the Off Topic Forum.

Spam is just crap, and not welcome anywhere on this site

rah · August 14, 2003, 18:08

Hmmm, I guess my response wasn't corporate enough.

Rasbelin · August 14, 2003, 18:10

Example 5

Quote:

Originally posted by mrmitchell
Example 4

DL!!!!!

Hey, just trying to educate him.

DrSpike · August 14, 2003, 18:54

Spam, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder (mostly the beholder is Ming). Most of the time the intent of the poster is the most important factor. Posting this sincere thread is not spam. If someone less reputable posted a "Do you spam?" thread, then you can bet they wont last long.

Zopperoni · August 14, 2003, 20:13

Quote:

Originally posted by Ming
Point 3 being the most important

Most important is that "mods, per definition, do not spam"

Skanky Burns · August 14, 2003, 20:43

Theoretically, mods could spam. Of course, it would have to involve their post being observed by an admin before it would be called spam.

Frozzy · August 15, 2003, 00:49

Spam n. see Trip

Nubclear · August 15, 2003, 01:16

You'll learn.

Brundlefly · August 15, 2003, 10:19

Quote:

Originally posted by Ming
spam - senseless crap
spam - worthless post with the sole intent to get +1 in an on topic forum
spam - whatever the mods say is spam is indeed spam

Point 3 being the most important

Ming, this is quite a job for you to police all threads and all posts on these forums for spam. If the users could police themselves to some degree, this would take some pressure off of you. Maybe these ideas that follow are not practical because of software/hardware limitations within Apolyton, but I'll throw them out there just in case.

Have you ever considered implementing a system which will allow users to rate individual posts as spam? When an individual gets enough bad ratings of his posts by other users, he will automatically get penalized. There is already a thread rating system in place here. If enough bad ratings of a thread occur after a predefined number of people have voted on the thread, you could make the thread automatically close. Also, going back to the previous idea, if a thread accumulates enough negative user response to the posts it contains, then it will automatically close. As for the voting, users can only vote for a unique thread/post combination once. What do you think?

DrSpike · August 15, 2003, 10:26

Hehe, there are some insufferable people whose posts would get labelled as bad even if they weren't. You risk turning administrative action into a popularity contest.

And people do police their own posts to a degree..........after all that way Ming wont come along and pcr them.

alva · August 15, 2003, 10:48

Even you spikey ?

-

I do agree on the popularity contest though

-

And I've heard Ming say in the past that he get's several PM's a day/week from people reporting posts a spam..

.

Snowflake · August 15, 2003, 10:54

No, I have to agree with DrSpike that this definitely a bad idea. This could be abused too easily in occassions such as when a bunch of people want to banish someone.

Brundlefly · August 15, 2003, 11:13

Quote:

Originally posted by DrSpike
Hehe, there are some insufferable people whose posts would get labelled as bad even if they weren't. You risk turning administrative action into a popularity contest.

Administrative action already is a popularity contest, isn't it? If your likes/dislikes and sense of humor/ sense of disgust are popular with Ming then you will never be accused of spamming. Correct?

Quote:

And people do police their own posts to a degree..........after all that way Ming wont come along and pcr them.

Yes, but how do I save a thread I've started from threadjacking without having that thread closed?

DinoDoc · August 15, 2003, 11:13

If the mods post something, it isn't spam no matter how much it resembles spam.

Ming · August 15, 2003, 11:34

Quote:

Originally posted by Feephi
Administrative action already is a popularity contest, isn't it? If your likes/dislikes and sense of humor/ sense of disgust are popular with Ming then you will never be accused of spamming. Correct?

Not correct... while some people are treated differently than others... it has nothing to do with "popularity".

There are three classes of people in my mind...

Owners and Mods/staff... Owners can do whatever they please, and Mods get yelled at in private

When I broke the rules... I was punished... but it was handled privately by the owners.

Problem Posters... People who constantly are breaking the rules don't get cut ANY slack. By being wise guys and jerks, they have earned themselves special treatment... While they will sometimes still get warnings, may times, they are just restricted without any warning when they play their silly games.

Everybody else... Unless they do something really bad, they usually get warned before action is taken. If they ignore the warnings (sometimes they get a couple of warnings) then action is taken against them.

People are not treated differently based on their popularity, their political views, or other such garbage.
Contrary to what many people think when they send me nasty PM's after action is taken.

I will repeat here my typical response... "I don't really give a damn who you are, or what you beliefs are... I care only that you broke the rules"

Quote:

Yes, but how do I save a thread I've started from threadjacking without having that thread closed?

If you see a threadjacking happen... feel free to click on the thread/post complaint button. (Lord knows many other people do so) If the complaint is a valid one, action is taken... and sometimes a warning is posted to stay on topic.

Sometimes, nothing will save a thread and it is closed. If it was a valid topic... start another one... but try to word it better so a threadjack doesn't happen.

In many cases... a thread runs it's course, and all that is left is a change of subject... it happens.

rah · August 15, 2003, 12:31

Gotta laugh. Yes I ban every left wing kook here whenever I can. Get real.

Ditto what Ming said. The only exception is Bod. He gets special special treatment.

People must also remember that while we try to be consistent whenever possible, we are just human too, and sometime just have a bad day.

Make me DAY

RAH

Rasbelin · August 15, 2003, 15:31

Quote:

we are just human too, and sometime just have a bad day.

Remember Chicago...

DrSpike · August 15, 2003, 15:33

Hey! Renee Zellweger was not that bad!

Nubclear · August 15, 2003, 17:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Feephi

Administrative action already is a popularity contest, isn't it? If your likes/dislikes and sense of humor/ sense of disgust are popular with Ming then you will never be accused of spamming. Correct?

No matter how much they try to deny it, due to their humanity, I do believe that they have a bias against those whom they don't like (for any reason).
If that were not true, they would not be human!!!

In response to the idea that users could do it...If that were true, I would be banned for all eternity. I would definately not support that idea.

Quote:

And people do police their own posts to a degree..........after all that way Ming wont come along and pcr them.

I once got a 100 percent PCR