Alan Longmire Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 The spammers are at it again. I am getting extremely tired of having to check every single IP. Therefore I am setting the following rules out once more. I'm almost ready to make the real name thing an ironclad requirement, no ifs, ands, or buts, no exceptions, not even if you've gone by whatever screen name you submit on other forums for years. If you feel you must use a screen name because you're famous/infamous/need your privacy at all costs, please email me before you register. Anywhere in this post you see the words "email me," just click on those words to send a message directly to me. 1. Please use your real name or a variation of your real name. NO numerals with your name. It's getting to the point where I do not approve cute or silly usernames. You are NOT "swordmaster," "forgegod," "pestilence," or "bonecrusher." Please don't use "Smith" or "Smithy" unless your name is Smith, we're all bladesmiths here. Same with "Forge," "knives," blades," and so on. The use of real names shows respect for the forum and the collective expertise gathered here. 2. Speaking of respect, do not upload offensive avatars or signature lines. A few weeks ago a new member uploaded an avatar calculated to be offensive to at least three major religions and a few ethnic groups besides. I deleted that avatar and politely asked him to use something less confrontational. This user replied with great disrespect to the whole forum, and has been summarily and permanently banned. I will not hesitate to do that. 3. Spam links in your signature line are expressly prohibited and will also get you permanently removed. Email addresses that are obviously spam sites will result in your approval being denied. 4. When you register you will be sent a confirmation email to ensure you are not a spambot. If you do not reply within 48 hours you will not be registered. I handle all the registrations myself. I check the list daily, sometimes two or three times a day, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM Eastern Time, U.S. time zone. Be patient, I'll get to you. 5. We are real humans here. Admins can see your email address and your IP number. You are NOT anonymous. Flagrant abuse will result in a report to your ISP. The overwhelming majority of people here do not need to read this, of course. This is a fantastic community of talent the like of which exists nowhere else on the web. We are respectful and adult. Let's keep it that way, okay? Finally, if you want to change your screen name to your real name, just let any of the admins know. We'll be happy to do it for you. Edited 27 September 2010 to add: Apparently four out of five applicants don't believe me about the name thing. Consider it an IQ test to gain admission. If you think you have been unfairly denied admission, email me, not Don. If you just really really have to use a screen name, email me about it before you register or chances are you won't get approved. Yes, there are lots of screen names here that aren't real names. They're grandfathered in or just got by me when I was feeling agreeable. I do not want to be the draconian "that guy." I will, however, do everything in my abilities to keep this forum the place it has become over the years. Edited 24 September 2013 to add: Some people are telling me they get an error message when trying to register. This appears to be a glitch in your firewall/ your organization's firewalls. If you get an error message when trying to register a new account email me and I will set you up manually. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Stephens Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Ah man . . .. I really wanted to be "bonecrusher." Thanks for doing all the heavy lifting on new registrations, Alan. Without your careful screening we'd be unable to have the great discussions we have because we'd be drowned in spam. --Dave 1 -----------------------------------------------"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." -- Theodore Roosevelthttp://stephensforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 Just call me the human spam filter, Dave! Seriously, I just deleted 27 Russian spambots. < _< edit 6 Jan 11: make that around 150 in the last two days... Edit 01/07/11, 8:00 AM: 225... 1:34 PM: 253. 7:32 PM: 268. Edit 01/08, 4:02 PM: 313. 7:10 PM: 331. End of tally. You get the idea. REAL NAMES, people. NO numbers with names. If it bothers you, kill a spammer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 The level of spammer registrations is now officially ridiculous. We're getting around 150-200 applications per day, of which one or two are real people. If you do not use your real name I will no longer even consider signing you up. Even those of you who use what appears to be a real name get your ISP checked, so keep that in mind. I can see from what city and country your internet provider is operating. If anything at all looks suspicious you will not get in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted January 19, 2011 Author Share Posted January 19, 2011 As of this morning, if I even THINK you might be a spammer because of your choice of username or your email address, your IP will be permanently banned, no questions asked, no appeals. Think hard before you apply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 Topic bump. Read this. It does apply to you. Yes, even you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted January 16, 2012 Author Share Posted January 16, 2012 I suppose it's just that time of year, and the Eastern Bloc spamming mafia has just stolen a new range of IP numbers, because they're at it again. What this means for you: I am going through the registrations and removing something like 20 to 40 spam registrations every few hours. This means if you do not pay attention to the guidelines posted in this thread AND in the announcement that appears at the top of every single page on this site, I will not bother to check to see if you are a spammer or not. Your IP will be added to the permanently banned ones, along with your email and username. If you are applying from Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Romania, Bulgaria, or China please take special care to let me know you are not a paid spammer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted April 19, 2014 Author Share Posted April 19, 2014 Topic bump. REAL NAMES ONLY, people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted August 31, 2015 Author Share Posted August 31, 2015 We still do the real name thing, guys. Those who are here with a nickname got in prior to the rule change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 Topic bump again. We have changed the registration process so that you have to answer "yes" to the question "I understand I must register with my real name, no numbers, no nicknames, etc." and fully 2/3 of new registrations apparently do not believe we mean that. We do. It is a sign of respect to those who share their knowledge here. We have been fairly lenient with this, allowing fragments of real names (if we can tell by your email address), but we are not mind readers. Make it obvious, please. Everyone is welcome here, we just require the same honesty of you that we provide to all members. This has been a request since 2006, and a rule since 2011. Thanks for reading. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 Bump! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted January 3, 2020 Author Share Posted January 3, 2020 Another bump. Come on, guys, you have to answer "yes" to the statement you used your real name or enough thereof that I can tell. Old Norse isn't gonna cut it either. This is the internet. You have zero anonymity. If you're online the bad guys (and a few of the good guys) know who and where you are. Don't make it hard on me, you'll just get deleted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted May 13 Author Share Posted May 13 Again, no handles, made-up cutesie names, or numerals in your name. You will be deleted on sight. Fictional or historical characters are not up for grabs. No gods, demigods, or folk-culture-hero smith names. If you really absolutely have to have a fake name, run it by me first. My email address is linked on the registration page and contact page. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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