Author Topic: Zero-posters Purged  (Read 48031 times)

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Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Zero-posters Purged
« on: March 16, 2015, 04:08:14 am »
The regular purge of zero-poster forum accounts had occurred.
Now counting about 17000 active accounts.
Just keeping the stats tidy!
 

Offline tautech

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2015, 04:22:51 am »
While you're busy doing the housekeeping, why not make a country flag compulsory?

Anybody else second this?
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Offline free_electron

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2015, 04:43:58 am »
While you're busy doing the housekeeping, why not make a country flag compulsory?

Anybody else second this?
Not only country flag , but region as well
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Offline mrflibble

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2015, 05:50:13 am »
Not only country flag , but region as well
Not only region, but address, income and size of household as well.

It is generally handy to better assist people but I'm OK with not forcing those who have personal reasons to not want to make their location public.
Indeed. More information helps in better giving advice when people ask where to buy such and such, but if they don't indicate location in their profile you can always ask. Plus if you make it mandatory, people who don't want to give a location will just select any ole random location. :-//
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2015, 05:54:25 am »
There was a thread a few years ago about country flags. Some people were reluctant as I recall. I think that was where the black flag may have come into use. Not certain about that.  I may have just noticed it then for the first time.
It is generally handy to better assist people but I'm OK with not forcing those who have personal reasons to not want to make their location public.

The final opinion seemed to be that it would force many to put a false country, so just as bad or perhaps worse as no country?
 
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Offline tautech

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2015, 06:37:39 am »
There was a thread a few years ago about country flags. Some people were reluctant as I recall. I think that was where the black flag may have come into use. Not certain about that.  I may have just noticed it then for the first time.
It is generally handy to better assist people but I'm OK with not forcing those who have personal reasons to not want to make their location public.

The final opinion seemed to be that it would force many to put a false country, so just as bad or perhaps worse as no country?
I for one have NO problem with anybody that chooses to display a Black flag, it demonstrates they at least have taken the time and effort to do so.  :-+
Sure some members must remain anonymous, that's what the black flag is for.

Many newbies are just too lazy.
Many of us are just tired of asking them to display their country for pertinant advice to their queries.
To nearly all newbies credit, they do raise their flag when asked.

Failing enough support for this topic Dave, would you consider amending the Newbies guides to strongly recommend the inclusion of a flag in their profile?
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Offline Wytnucls

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2015, 06:43:02 am »
While you're busy doing the housekeeping, why not make a country flag compulsory?

Anybody else second this?
Not only country flag , but region as well

I read that as religion initially...  :o So much for speed reading.

That reminds me of a true story:
Years ago, a British pilot friend of mine had to fill in some forms for the South African government. The clerk, on noticing he had left the 'religion' field blank, asked him: Don't you believe in anything? He thought about it for a while and then wrote: Pratt & Whitney.
« Last Edit: March 16, 2015, 06:51:41 am by Wytnucls »
 
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Offline Psi

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2015, 06:48:50 am »
Just need to force them to select something, even if it's "i dont want to tell you my country"

We just want to stop people clicking right through and not bothering to answer.
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Offline miguelvp

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #8 on: March 16, 2015, 06:51:32 am »
Forget about flags, you have a bot posting nonsense:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/profile/?u=105916

At least I hope it's a bot :)
 

Offline Vgkid

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2015, 06:58:52 am »
Already deleted :( .
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Offline miguelvp

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #10 on: March 16, 2015, 07:07:06 am »
Already deleted :( .

You didn't miss much, some random crap with some links on gold investment or something to that matter.
Not even remotely interesting.
 

Offline SeanB

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #11 on: March 16, 2015, 06:58:08 pm »
That reminds me of a true story:
Years ago, a British pilot friend of mine had to fill in some forms for the South African government. The clerk, on noticing he had left the 'religion' field blank, asked him: Don't you believe in anything? He thought about it for a while and then wrote: Pratt & Whitney.

So that is where those odd selections at Horror Affairs comes from.
 

Offline opty

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #12 on: March 16, 2015, 07:24:42 pm »
why not make a country flag compulsory?

While we are on it. Is that the country of residence, my nationality or sth else?

 

Offline rolycat

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #13 on: March 16, 2015, 07:59:19 pm »
why not make a country flag compulsory?

While we are on it. Is that the country of residence, my nationality or sth else?
Its primary utility is to localise advice about equipment and component buying and similar matters, so country of residence.

Nationality is personal information which should be left up to the forum member to reveal if he or she wishes.
 
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Offline mikeselectricstuff

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #14 on: March 16, 2015, 08:05:52 pm »
IMO the you should be forced to select a country, but with an "I prefer not to say" option - I'm sure most flagless accounts are just laziness.

Is it possible to restrict the buy/sell/wanted section to users with a specified country?
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Offline Balaur

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #15 on: March 16, 2015, 08:26:31 pm »
BTW, what happened to Bored@Work?

He'd gone silent from Nov 19. Either he's too fed up to contribute to the forum or he was silenced by the evil admins  >:D
 

Offline Richard Crowley

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #16 on: March 16, 2015, 08:56:57 pm »
IMO the you should be forced to select a country, but with an "I prefer not to say" option - I'm sure most flagless accounts are just laziness.

Is it possible to restrict the buy/sell/wanted section to users with a specified country?

 

Offline rolycat

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #17 on: March 16, 2015, 10:09:19 pm »
IMO the you should be forced to select a country, but with an "I prefer not to say" option - I'm sure most flagless accounts are just laziness.

Is it possible to restrict the buy/sell/wanted section to users with a specified country?

In a poll last year by far the largest vote was in favour of requiring new users to specify a country, provided that the 'black flag' opt-out was available. Only 14% were in favour of the status quo.
 

Offline zapta

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #18 on: March 17, 2015, 02:27:28 am »
The final opinion seemed to be that it would force many to put a false country, so just as bad or perhaps worse as no country?

+1 
 

Offline zapta

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #19 on: March 17, 2015, 02:29:57 am »
While you're busy doing the housekeeping, why not make a country flag compulsory?

Anybody else second this?
Not only country flag , but region as well

Like FEMA region IX?
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #20 on: March 17, 2015, 02:53:44 am »
BTW, what happened to Bored@Work?
He'd gone silent from Nov 19. Either he's too fed up to contribute to the forum or he was silenced by the evil admins  >:D

IIRC he was given an ultimatum to pull his head in or else. I think he chose the former.
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #21 on: March 17, 2015, 03:14:59 am »
Buggered if I can find the option to change this!
It's not where it says it is:
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Offline Mechanical Menace

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #22 on: April 21, 2015, 03:40:08 pm »
IMO the you should be forced to select a country, but with an "I prefer not to say" option - I'm sure most flagless accounts are just laziness.

I'd like the option to display the country name rather than the flag. For some reason I instantly associate flags with racism and jingoism.
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Offline sunnyhighway

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #23 on: July 15, 2015, 06:55:36 pm »
I'd like the option to display the country name rather than the flag. For some reason I instantly associate flags with racism and jingoism.

And for obvious reasons the official name of the country should be shown, not the english version.

For example Thailand.
Very few people know what that flag looks like.

Quote
Country: Krung-thep-maha-nakorn-boworn-ratana-kosin-mahintar-ayudhya-amaha-dilok-pop-nopa-ratana-rajthani-burirom-udom-rajniwes-mahasat-arn-amorn-pimarn-avatar-satit-sakattiya-visanukam

Yup, much better this way.
 

Offline JoeO

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #24 on: July 15, 2015, 08:17:00 pm »
While you're busy doing the housekeeping, why not make a country flag compulsory?

Anybody else second this?
Not only country flag , but region as well

Like FEMA region IX?

Even that is not a good indication:
Like FEMA region II - NY, NJ, PR and VI
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Offline ez24

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #25 on: July 15, 2015, 08:22:18 pm »
Quote
I'd like the option to display the country name rather than the flag. For some reason I instantly associate flags with racism and jingoism.

+1

that way I would know if a black flag was ISIS  (the first time I saw the black flag I thought it was a ISIS flag, boy was I surprised).  Is there a chance of a white flag? 
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Offline tautech

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #26 on: July 15, 2015, 09:46:21 pm »
While you're busy doing the housekeeping, why not make a country flag compulsory?

Anybody else second this?
Not only country flag , but region as well

Like FEMA region IX?

Even that is not a good indication:
Like FEMA region II - NY, NJ, PR and VI
Region can be catered for in Profile and under Location.
Quote
I'd like the option to display the country name rather than the flag. For some reason I instantly associate flags with racism and jingoism.

+1

that way I would know if a black flag was ISIS  (the first time I saw the black flag I thought it was a ISIS flag, boy was I surprised).  Is there a chance of a white flag? 
Black flag should still be retained as a valid option for those that NEED to remain anonymous.

The facts are it is bloody hard to give many relevant LOCAL advice when they won't disclose location when joining.
We've seen all sorts of  :bullshit: names added to location, and when I look and see this: some other sucker can help this plonker.

So Dave, please can you have another attempt at a compulsory flag requirement when joining up.
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Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #27 on: December 28, 2017, 06:05:23 am »
Doing another user purge now.
Anyone with zero posts, not a supporter, and hasn't logged in for a month gets the boot.
Most are obvious spam accounts that got through.
 
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Offline Muttley Snickers

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #28 on: March 05, 2018, 01:22:09 pm »
Doing another user purge now.
Anyone with zero posts, not a supporter, and hasn't logged in for a month gets the boot.
Most are obvious spam accounts that got through.

As of about five minutes ago I counted 6824 members with zero posts in the members list,  68 pages of 100 plus 24 on page 69 some of which date back to 2012. I thought if purged they would disappear altogether thus freeing up some good user names, not the case apparently unless I'm missing something.
 
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Offline wilfred

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #29 on: August 29, 2019, 12:25:24 pm »
It's over 12000 now. But that's not what I am curious about.
I was looking through the forum stats and noticed there are 52K members but the new members in the last 2 years is 3 time that. I think the stats are incorrect. Not sure when it happened though.

I was actually looking at where the TEA thread fits in the scheme of things. I wonder when the forum software will break. Just how big is it? You can't print it to see. It is way too big for that.
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #30 on: August 30, 2019, 04:45:22 am »
Just tried to purge a bunch and I get a database error.
gnif has been alerted
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #31 on: August 30, 2019, 06:23:07 am »
Purging now, but I'm getting tired and I'm still on the A's...
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #32 on: August 30, 2019, 06:31:42 am »
I'm onto the D's and have lost the will to live...
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #33 on: August 30, 2019, 06:33:28 am »
Someone registered Dave Is A Fool  ;D
 
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Offline taydin

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #34 on: August 30, 2019, 06:53:48 am »
Are you doing the deletions manually? Running a carefully crafted SQL statement, after a database backup, would do it automatically.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2019, 06:55:45 am by taydin »
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Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #35 on: August 31, 2019, 01:10:09 am »
So Dave, please can you have another attempt at a compulsory flag requirement when joining up.

The option is ticked, so it seems to be an SMF bug.
About the flags, I do find them rather hard to see, and of course for it to be useful you have to know what every flag is.
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #36 on: August 31, 2019, 01:20:33 am »
Well, I screwed that up, two flags are now displayed  :palm:
 
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Offline tautech

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #37 on: August 31, 2019, 01:23:02 am »
So Dave, please can you have another attempt at a compulsory flag requirement when joining up.

The option is ticked, so it seems to be an SMF bug.
About the flags, I do find them rather hard to see, and of course for it to be useful you have to know what every flag is.
Only on a tablet while on a PC you just hover the mouse pointer over flags and the country pops up.
I use it a fair bit to give posters relevant regional advice.
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Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #38 on: August 31, 2019, 01:29:38 am »
Anyway, I installed the latest version of CountryFlags and I think it's supposed to fix the login requirement.
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #39 on: August 31, 2019, 01:35:39 am »
Found out you can delete up to 999 members at once instead of 50, the purge is now much faster!
 

Offline Mr. Scram

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #40 on: August 31, 2019, 02:42:00 am »
Compulsory flags only lead to people entering nonsense flags. Maybe I can whip up a script that randomizes it every post for giggles.
« Last Edit: August 31, 2019, 02:53:52 am by Mr. Scram »
 

Offline wilfred

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #41 on: August 31, 2019, 04:57:35 am »
Anyway, I installed the latest version of CountryFlags and I think it's supposed to fix the login requirement.
If you had CountryFlags (whatever that is, I assume some forum plugin)  installed before, could you still have the old one installed. Now both are running. Maybe a restart is required.
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #42 on: August 31, 2019, 04:59:05 am »
Anyway, I installed the latest version of CountryFlags and I think it's supposed to fix the login requirement.
If you had CountryFlags (whatever that is, I assume some forum plugin)  installed before, could you still have the old one installed. Now both are running. Maybe a restart is required.

Yes, I was dumb and didn't listen when SMF told me there was an error in the uninstall of the old version.
 
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Offline Nusa

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #43 on: August 31, 2019, 06:42:12 pm »
Now if you want something useful, make one flag user-set and the other flag an IP to country lookup. Given the use of VPN's combined with users who try to be amusing they wouldn't always agree, but still useful.
 

Offline Gyro

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #44 on: August 31, 2019, 07:21:47 pm »
Compulsory flags only lead to people entering nonsense flags. Maybe I can whip up a script that randomizes it every post for giggles.

That's one that has never ceased to puzzle me, even after thread discussions in the past. I've never seen a convincing argument.

Unless somebody lives under the threat of a particularly sensitive or vindictive regime, I can't see any reason for not setting a country flag. It is so helpful in many aspects, from being able to provide relevant/realistic component sourcing advice, understanding local mains supply, climatic conditions and other issues, through to being more understanding and forgiving of potential issues in translation by non-native speakers.

Given that many people  leak their locations in posts, given enough time anyway, being that paranoid just strikes me as stupid. Countries are big places, even the small ones!

Nobody needs to know your birth nationality, just what country you are located in.  :(
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Offline Mr. Scram

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #45 on: August 31, 2019, 07:23:22 pm »
Now if you want something useful, make one flag user-set and the other flag an IP to country lookup. Given the use of VPN's combined with users who try to be amusing they wouldn't always agree, but still useful.
Why on Earth would you want to do that? Not to mention you'd run afoul of all kinds of legislation. You already do when you force users to set a flag. Forcing users to set a flag isn't very useful but at least provide some generic flags like one for each continent as that's a high enough resolution to be useful. An EU flag wouldn't be less specific than a US flag.
 

Offline Mr. Scram

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #46 on: August 31, 2019, 07:51:55 pm »
That's one that has never ceased to puzzle me, even after thread discussions in the past. I've never seen a convincing argument.

Unless somebody lives under the threat of a particularly sensitive or vindictive regime, I can't see any reason for not setting a country flag. It is so helpful in many aspects, from being able to provide relevant/realistic component sourcing advice, understanding local mains supply, climatic conditions and other issues, through to being more understanding and forgiving of potential issues in translation by non-native speakers.

Given that many people  leak their locations in posts, given enough time anyway, being that paranoid just strikes me as stupid. Countries are big places, even the small ones!

Nobody needs to know your birth nationality, just what country you are located in.  :(
If you don't see a convincing argument you set a flag. If you don't see a reason for it you don't. I've never seen the need. If you ask a question which is location specific you obviously provide the information as is needed and that should be plenty. Some people can't resist pigeonholing others and not having a flag eliminates that. It's also obvious some people display their country of origin and some display their current location so it's ambiguous as it stands. Unless you want to crack down on this and start enforcing strict flag rules the situation won't change and I think we all agree this wouldn't befit the laid back nature of the forum.
 

Offline BBBbbb

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #47 on: August 31, 2019, 07:52:54 pm »
Anyway, I installed the latest version of CountryFlags and I think it's supposed to fix the login requirement.
Uninstalling the old one is possibly needed:
 

Offline Nusa

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #48 on: August 31, 2019, 08:00:05 pm »
Now if you want something useful, make one flag user-set and the other flag an IP to country lookup. Given the use of VPN's combined with users who try to be amusing they wouldn't always agree, but still useful.
Why on Earth would you want to do that? Not to mention you'd run afoul of all kinds of legislation. You already do when you force users to set a flag. Forcing users to set a flag isn't very useful but at least provide some generic flags like one for each continent as that's a high enough resolution to be useful. An EU flag wouldn't be less specific than a US flag.
a) I didn't say a single thing about FORCING someone to set it.
b) What legislation could possibly apply to a voluntarily set flag? Please point at at least one actual example of such legislation, preferably one that that has jurisdiction over this forum.
c) A generic flags based on IP is EXACTLY what I suggested. Although I pointed out that VPN's allow anyone to change what continent they appear to be in.
 

Offline Mr. Scram

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #49 on: August 31, 2019, 08:07:36 pm »
a) I didn't say a single thing about FORCING someone to set it.
b) What legislation could possibly apply to a voluntarily set flag? Please point at at least one actual example of such legislation, preferably one that that has jurisdiction over this forum.
c) A generic flags based on IP is EXACTLY what I suggested. Although I pointed out that VPN's allow anyone to change what continent they appear to be in.
Forcing users to set a flag is what this discussion is about. The legislation also applies to forcing users to set it. Making it voluntary or even encouraging it isn't an issue. IP addresses aren't the best way of determining someone's location for a number of reasons. By automating that you'll inevitably have a host of edge cases that'll cause a lot of confusion.
 

Offline Gyro

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #50 on: August 31, 2019, 08:09:09 pm »
That's one that has never ceased to puzzle me, even after thread discussions in the past. I've never seen a convincing argument.

Unless somebody lives under the threat of a particularly sensitive or vindictive regime, I can't see any reason for not setting a country flag. It is so helpful in many aspects, from being able to provide relevant/realistic component sourcing advice, understanding local mains supply, climatic conditions and other issues, through to being more understanding and forgiving of potential issues in translation by non-native speakers.

Given that many people  leak their locations in posts, given enough time anyway, being that paranoid just strikes me as stupid. Countries are big places, even the small ones!

Nobody needs to know your birth nationality, just what country you are located in.  :(
If you don't see a convincing argument you set a flag. If you don't see a reason for it you don't. I've never seen the need. If you ask a question which is location specific you obviously provide the information as is needed and that should be plenty. Some people can't resist pigeonholing others and not having a flag eliminates that. It's also obvious some people display their country of origin and some display their current location so it's ambiguous as it stands. Unless you want to crack down on this and start enforcing strict flag rules the situation won't change and I think we all agree this wouldn't befit the laid back nature of the forum.

Oh well, still lacking a convincing argument, and based on the practical benefits of setting a flag that I set out, I guess I will have to stick with my assessment for a while longer.  :-\

P.S. I don't agree that it has anything to do with the laid back nature of the forum, so not quite all.


EDIT: BTW, I didn't intend anything about making it compulsory. I just don't understand why people (apart from the few that I mentioned) would choose not to perform that simple act.
« Last Edit: August 31, 2019, 08:14:24 pm by Gyro »
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Offline Mr. Scram

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #51 on: August 31, 2019, 08:17:11 pm »
Oh well, still lacking of a convincing argument, and based on the practical benefits of setting a flag that I set out, I guess I will have to stick with my assessment for a while longer.  :-\

P.S. I don't agree that it has anything to do with the laid back nature of the forum, so not quite all.
The lack of a convincing argument is mutual. The practical benefits put forward seem to be non-existent or approaching it. The forum is run on a "use some common sense and don't be a dick" policy in lieu of a detailed and fine grained rulebook and having a strictly flag policy wouldn't be in the same vein.

Post adjusted after the edit of the post responded to.
 

Offline Nusa

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #52 on: August 31, 2019, 08:21:32 pm »
a) I didn't say a single thing about FORCING someone to set it.
b) What legislation could possibly apply to a voluntarily set flag? Please point at at least one actual example of such legislation, preferably one that that has jurisdiction over this forum.
c) A generic flags based on IP is EXACTLY what I suggested. Although I pointed out that VPN's allow anyone to change what continent they appear to be in.
Forcing users to set a flag is what this discussion is about. The legislation also applies to forcing users to set it. Making it voluntary or even encouraging it isn't an issue. IP addresses aren't the best way of determining someone's location for a number of reasons. By automating that you'll inevitably have a host of edge cases that'll cause a lot of confusion.

Yet you are the ONLY one this this thread that has brought up legislation, but have yet to point at any.

Although it just occurred to me that perhaps this is a language problem. "Legislation" typically means laws passed by governments that apply to their citizens. Perhaps you are misusing the word to mean rules?

And I still haven't said anything about FORCE, so that part of the topic simply doesn't apply when you are quoting me.
 

Offline Mr. Scram

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #53 on: August 31, 2019, 08:30:08 pm »
Yet you are the ONLY one this this thread that has brought up legislation, but have yet to point at any.

Although it just occurred to me that perhaps this is a language problem. "Legislation" typically means laws passed by governments that apply to their citizens. Perhaps you are misusing the word to mean rules?

And I still haven't said anything about FORCE, so that part of the topic simply doesn't apply when you are quoting me.
This discussion is getting a bit confused. I'm not aware of any SMF plugin which does what you're suggesting so I gather there's little use getting into it.
 

Offline tautech

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #54 on: August 31, 2019, 08:34:25 pm »
Has anyone thought that if a compulsory flag at forum registration could reduce the some 12k zero posters Dave has had to purge.

So a new member with a flag should serve us better and show intent that they’re intending to participate rather than just sit with 0 posts.  |O

So give a member the choice of a black flag or Antarctica and let’s move on.
« Last Edit: August 31, 2019, 08:52:49 pm by tautech »
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Offline Mr. Scram

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #55 on: August 31, 2019, 08:38:40 pm »
Has anyone thought that if a compulsory flag at forum registration could reduce the some 12k zero posters Dave has had to purge.

So a new member with a flag should serve us better and show intent that they’re intending to participate rather than just sit with 0 posts.  |O

So give a member the choice of a black flag or Antartica and let’s move on.
It doesn't seem that adding a single checkbox to the entire sign up process would change much. That process is a much bigger commitment already.
 

Offline tautech

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #56 on: August 31, 2019, 08:52:11 pm »
Has anyone thought that if a compulsory flag at forum registration could reduce the some 12k zero posters Dave has had to purge.

So a new member with a flag should serve us better and show intent that they’re intending to participate rather than just sit with 0 posts.  |O

So give a member the choice of a black flag or Antarctica and let’s move on.
It doesn't seem that adding a single checkbox to the entire sign up process would change much. That process is a much bigger commitment already.
Well you write a SMF plugin that allows that !

Dave only has the SMF tools/updates he can find and install to work with to shape the forum how HE wants.
That we each get the chance to suggest improvements and discuss them is a luxury not offered by many forums.
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Offline Mr. Scram

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #57 on: August 31, 2019, 09:00:45 pm »
Well you write a SMF plugin that allows that !

Dave only has the SMF tools/updates he can find and install to work with to shape the forum how HE wants.
That we each get the chance to suggest improvements and discuss them is a luxury not offered by many forums.
I'm not suggesting or demanding Dave should do anything. I'm not sure why you interpreted my comment that way. You suggested requiring new users to set their country flag as it would encourage participation. I'm saying it's unlikely to make a difference as the sign-up process is already a much larger hurdle and commitment.
 

Offline tautech

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #58 on: August 31, 2019, 09:12:38 pm »
Well you write a SMF plugin that allows that !

Dave only has the SMF tools/updates he can find and install to work with to shape the forum how HE wants.
That we each get the chance to suggest improvements and discuss them is a luxury not offered by many forums.
I'm saying it's unlikely to make a difference as the sign-up process is already a much larger hurdle and commitment.
My reply to that is tough luck !
Every forum has rules.

It's plain Dave doesn't give a shit about the #'s of forum members to wave to the world like my forum is this big instead he wants active participation from committed members and doesn't need thousands of zero poster registrations sitting on his server.
In my memory this is the third time he's had such a purge and a scroll through the members list using the post # count always finds a long list of zero posters.

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Offline Mr. Scram

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #59 on: August 31, 2019, 09:24:30 pm »
My reply to that is tough luck !
Every forum has rules.

It's plain Dave doesn't give a shit about the #'s of forum members to wave to the world like my forum is this big instead he wants active participation from committed members and doesn't need thousands of zero poster registrations sitting on his server.
In my memory this is the third time he's had such a purge and a scroll through the members list using the post # count always finds a long list of zero posters.
No one is saying there shouldn't be any rules and no one is arguing to leave zero posters alone. I'm not sure why these replies don't quite correspond with the messages they're a reply to.
 

Offline wilfred

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #60 on: September 01, 2019, 01:55:31 am »
Has Dave ever said why he thinks purging zero-posters is something of benefit to him and/or the forum? I don't see it myself since the forum has gradually accumulated zero-posters for quite some time without obvious detriment.

Nor do I see compulsory flags as vital. Sure it occasionally benefits someone asking for help where location specifics might better target an answer. MY gut feel is it was more useful in the past. There seems to be a change in the type of post the forum gets these days. Not so many people asking for help.
 

Offline Mr. Scram

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #61 on: September 01, 2019, 02:04:40 am »
Has Dave ever said why he thinks purging zero-posters is something of benefit to him and/or the forum? I don't see it myself since the forum has gradually accumulated zero-posters for quite some time without obvious detriment.

Nor do I see compulsory flags as vital. Sure it occasionally benefits someone asking for help where location specifics might better target an answer. MY gut feel is it was more useful in the past. There seems to be a change in the type of post the forum gets these days. Not so many people asking for help.
Keeping the statistics relevant was mentioned in the first post.
 

Offline tautech

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #62 on: September 01, 2019, 03:49:43 am »
Has Dave ever said why he thinks purging zero-posters is something of benefit to him and/or the forum? I don't see it myself since the forum has gradually accumulated zero-posters for quite some time without obvious detriment.
The most obvious would be a greater choice of user name options with zero posters gone.

I can't understand why someone would sign up and not participate.  :-//
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Offline BravoV

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #63 on: September 01, 2019, 05:18:31 am »
I can't understand why someone would sign up and not participate.  :-//

Handy, should someday, at annual free scopes contest, Dave makes new rule with min. post count AND not a new comer.  >:D

Offline wilfred

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #64 on: September 01, 2019, 06:54:01 am »
Has Dave ever said why he thinks purging zero-posters is something of benefit to him and/or the forum? I don't see it myself since the forum has gradually accumulated zero-posters for quite some time without obvious detriment.

Nor do I see compulsory flags as vital. Sure it occasionally benefits someone asking for help where location specifics might better target an answer. MY gut feel is it was more useful in the past. There seems to be a change in the type of post the forum gets these days. Not so many people asking for help.
Keeping the statistics relevant was mentioned in the first post.
The statistics of zero-posters was never in question. Was it?

The stats that I questioned were related to the massive numbers of new members with respect to the actual number of forum members. If you go here and look at the reported new members each of the last 4 years you find it adds up to 5 times the number of actual members. 70K new members in 2019 alone.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/stats/

Kinda makes you question all of the stats doesn't it. There has to be a bug somewhere. The new member stats should really reflect the actual members, possibly minus the number Dave has been purging.
 

Offline PA0PBZ

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #65 on: September 01, 2019, 08:17:34 am »
I can't understand why someone would sign up and not participate.  :-//

To be able to send a PM, I've had several from zero-posters.
Keyboard error: Press F1 to continue.
 

Offline tautech

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #66 on: September 01, 2019, 11:17:21 am »
I can't understand why someone would sign up and not participate.  :-//

To be able to send a PM, I've had several from zero-posters.
Oh yes that, me too.

I always point them to a thread in which they can participate but not all do.
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Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #67 on: September 01, 2019, 11:46:14 am »
Kinda makes you question all of the stats doesn't it. There has to be a bug somewhere. The new member stats should really reflect the actual members, possibly minus the number Dave has been purging.

 

Offline wilfred

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #68 on: September 01, 2019, 12:28:49 pm »
I was looking at the new member stats. Those stats you are showing look correct but are not the ones I can see. Here is an excerpt.

 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #69 on: September 01, 2019, 12:39:49 pm »
I was looking at the new member stats. Those stats you are showing look correct but are not the ones I can see. Here is an excerpt.

The stats must be counting spam registrations.
Many hundreds of spam accounts get set up every day, but almost all of them get trapped by the spam filter and the accounts are not activated, but they are still accounts in the database. I go in manually and purge those every week or two (easy, just a few clicks to kill them all)
I have just enabled another spam trap and I think it's working, as I only have 46 members "awaiting approval", normally that would be a thousand by now.
 

Offline StillTrying

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #70 on: September 01, 2019, 12:48:54 pm »
Before the purge there was a zero poster named  stilltrying2  who'd appeared about a year ago.

I'm surprised the Super Contributors count is as low as 315,  :o and that even I'm one. :o

About 18 months ago I noticed that the message numbers increment about 10 times faster than the number of new posts that do appear.
« Last Edit: September 01, 2019, 12:50:40 pm by StillTrying »
.  That took much longer than I thought it would.
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #71 on: September 08, 2019, 11:39:57 pm »
I'm surprised the Super Contributors count is as low as 315,  :o and that even I'm one. :o

It takes a 1000 posts to get Super Contributor status, that's a lot of posts!
 

Offline Psi

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #72 on: September 09, 2019, 12:59:13 am »
I'm surprised the Super Contributors count is as low as 315,  :o and that even I'm one. :o

It takes a 1000 posts to get Super Contributor status, that's a lot of posts!

Says the person with 29381   ;D
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Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #73 on: September 09, 2019, 01:28:24 am »
EDIT: BTW, I didn't intend anything about making it compulsory. I just don't understand why people (apart from the few that I mentioned) would choose not to perform that simple act.

The country flag is compulsory at registration, but there seems to be a bug in the plugin that screws that up.
 

Offline tautech

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #74 on: March 13, 2021, 06:51:50 pm »
EDIT: BTW, I didn't intend anything about making it compulsory. I just don't understand why people (apart from the few that I mentioned) would choose not to perform that simple act.

The country flag is compulsory at registration, but there seems to be a bug in the plugin that screws that up.
Reviving an old thread.

I thought that was fixed and it certainly seemed to be however a recently joined member has been able to mess with his profile to hide his flag.  :-//
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/profile/?u=764816
Maybe you need a compulsory Location also with locations only selectable from a popup menu.
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Offline edpalmer42

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #75 on: March 13, 2021, 07:20:55 pm »
EDIT: BTW, I didn't intend anything about making it compulsory. I just don't understand why people (apart from the few that I mentioned) would choose not to perform that simple act.

The country flag is compulsory at registration, but there seems to be a bug in the plugin that screws that up.
Reviving an old thread.

I thought that was fixed and it certainly seemed to be however a recently joined member has been able to mess with his profile to hide his flag.  :-//
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/profile/?u=764816
Maybe you need a compulsory Location also with locations only selectable from a popup menu.

It's pretty easy to change your country to '00' like the user you listed.  Just edit your forum profile.  The 'Country' pulldown has a blank line at the top of the list.  Select the blank line and click the 'change profile' button.  I'm now a proud citizen of 00.  ;)
 

Offline tautech

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #76 on: March 13, 2021, 10:02:44 pm »
EDIT: BTW, I didn't intend anything about making it compulsory. I just don't understand why people (apart from the few that I mentioned) would choose not to perform that simple act.

The country flag is compulsory at registration, but there seems to be a bug in the plugin that screws that up.
Reviving an old thread.

I thought that was fixed and it certainly seemed to be however a recently joined member has been able to mess with his profile to hide his flag.  :-//
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/profile/?u=764816
Maybe you need a compulsory Location also with locations only selectable from a popup menu.

It's pretty easy to change your country to '00' like the user you listed.  Just edit your forum profile.  The 'Country' pulldown has a blank line at the top of the list.  Select the blank line and click the 'change profile' button.  I'm now a proud citizen of 00.  ;)
Sure, and some flexibility need be maintained. I've used it too when travelling to Perth to see our son and other members use it also should they reside in other than their native country for some period.

Dave made flags compulsory and went to some trouble to do so yet it appears to me it's being abused.
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Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #77 on: November 17, 2021, 12:32:19 am »
Just did another zero user purge who haven't logged in the last three months.
10 pages worth, so thousands of accounts.
 

Offline Muttley Snickers

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #78 on: November 17, 2021, 08:35:14 am »
Just did another zero user purge who haven't logged in the last three months.
10 pages worth, so thousands of accounts.

I still see pages of zero posters in the members list and the forum stats number doesn't appear to have changed. This is not a criticism, just an observation as prior purges never seemed to remove zero post accounts either.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/mlist/?sort=posts;start=0
 

Offline Nusa

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #79 on: November 17, 2021, 09:42:44 am »
Just did another zero user purge who haven't logged in the last three months.
10 pages worth, so thousands of accounts.

I still see pages of zero posters in the members list and the forum stats number doesn't appear to have changed. This is not a criticism, just an observation as prior purges never seemed to remove zero post accounts either.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/mlist/?sort=posts;start=0

"who haven't logged in the last three months" -- that index page shows creation date, not last active date.
Spot-checking a few, those remaining zero-posters still log in and presumably read, so not eligible for deletion. They just are silent types.
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: Zero-posters Purged
« Reply #80 on: November 17, 2021, 10:17:20 am »
Just did another zero user purge who haven't logged in the last three months.
10 pages worth, so thousands of accounts.

I still see pages of zero posters in the members list and the forum stats number doesn't appear to have changed. This is not a criticism, just an observation as prior purges never seemed to remove zero post accounts either.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/mlist/?sort=posts;start=0

"who haven't logged in the last three months" -- that index page shows creation date, not last active date.
Spot-checking a few, those remaining zero-posters still log in and presumably read, so not eligible for deletion. They just are silent types.

Correct. I do a search for zero post accounts and who haven't visited after a certain date. I got 10 pages worth, and as a I delete each page I have to redo the search and it lowers by a page worth each time, so they are being deleted. It was probably 62 pages if you did this same search just before I did this.
 


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