Senseless threads, Polls, trolls, and jacka$$ery.

[FreedomEclipse]

I cant remember which forum it was that I had visited. could be [H] or Toms, maybe even OCuK where I was trying to get hold of a service rep about some faulty hardware. I joined and my account was heavily restricted till a mod greenlighted me. I dont think i was really able to post in the forums or message anyone then a week later my account got 'deactivated' by a mod and i was like...

 

[Divide Overflow]

The latest arc in South Park is pretty much on target for this issue. Trolltrace anyone?

 

[Aquinus]

if ($posts < 10) & ($posts*2 - $reports <=0} then
{
$isAsshat = True;
}

It's a little more complicated than that because you can theoretically find problems before something is reported if the behavior you're looking for is well known. Also shame on your for using PHP and assuming that $posts and $reports are aggregates. I would assume that each post would have its own set of "reports" so, you need to sum them up for the thread (to determine if it should be closed,) or by user (if they should be punished or investigated.) Even then, that's a huge simplification. In fact, that code better describes a potential problem thread, not individual problem posts or users.

I also have learned to hate PHP and have embraced Clojure and would expect something to look more like this:

(defn problem-thread?
  [thread]
  (let [posts (:posts thread)
        pc (count posts)]
    (and (<= pc 10)
         (<= (- (* 2 pc)
                (reduce
                  + (map
                      #(count (:reports %))
                      posts))) 0))))

Even then, a thread with more than 10 posts can be derailed and in need of attention, so that's probably not even a good way to describe a thread that needs moderation intervention.

To be serious, using analytics to find these kinds of problems is pretty tricky but, the payoff is huge because it means you could be able to take preemptive action before someone reports a problem. The problem is that identifying these behaviors is hard and to quantify it and set a threshold is even harder.

 

[slozomby]

Also shame on your for using PHP and assuming that $posts and $reports are aggregates.

1st there are half a dozen languages that would fit that approximate syntax. but it was just formatted as such that it was readable. would $user_total_posts and $user_total_reports be better. maybe I need to //comment my pseudo-code.

2nd. it was a quick example of new users getting reported being flagged as an asshat. since the vast majority of trolls have very few posts and lots of reports i'd be willing to be that caught most of it. heck I even gave the trolls the benefit of the doubt by doubling the post count vs reports and i'd still be willing to be that if you checked the stats of total posts vs reports it would catch 75+%.

To be serious, using analytics to find these kinds of problems is pretty tricky but, the payoff is huge because it means you could be able to take preemptive action before someone reports a problem. The problem is that identifying these behaviors is hard and to quantify it and set a threshold is even harder.

preemptive filtering can be tricky but basic reactive filters are easy. yes the Chinese spam will appear. and when flagged it will quickly drop off. asshats with low posts that are just here to flame will quickly get flagged.

heck a simple if postcount = lowthreshold & pm.contains(obscenities) check would catch most of these idiots as well.

its about making the admins lives easier. I'm sure they're not about to invest the time/system resources to build the search parameters to preemptively flagg asshats

 

[qubit]

I know that there are forum software plugins to help control spammers and time wasters and the damned banned. The better ones are cloud based so similar activity and IP addresses over at these other sites gets flagged up before they can do any damage. Presumably there's a fee for using these services.

For all we know TPU is using these and it's prudent for W1z not to let on what they are.

Of course there will be false positives and stuff that slips through the net which is why we have a human moderation team as well.

Your idea is sound jboyd.

 

[natr0n]

8======================D~~~~
no idea whats going on in here

 

[hat]

Seems like this is all stuff the mods already do anyway. It's very rare for me to see anything odd on the forums, and even rarer to get some asshat sending me a bullshit PM. Maybe you pissed somebody off somehow? At least you can laugh at them, knowing their best shot at pissing you off was spamming your TPU PM inbox.

Asshats exist. The more you try to filter asshats though, the more difficult things become for everybody else. If you spot asshattery, you can report it to your local TPU authorities and it will be handled, quickly I assume, because I rarely see it.

If there is a persistent asshat who continues to make accounts or change IPs, then... that's a bigger problem. I've seen these types of asshats before as well and they appear to be very difficult to get rid of. I'm not sure what you can do in this situation... but I'm sure the mods can help in some way. Surely W1zzard would know. W1zzard knows all.

 

[PLAfiller]

I've never been a mod, and I have no idea what they are going through. I think they are doing excellent job on TPU. To be fair though, I kinda resonate with @jboydgolfer . I somewhat feel overwhelmed with new threads, that I have no desire to help to. Whether the person didn't bother to search for previous threads, or doesn't know what he/she wants or doesn't want to listen to the actual advise that has been given in his own thread. It feels tiring. I suppose there's little else, that can be done after what is already been implemented.

 

[hat]

I've never been a mod, and I have no idea what they are going through. I think they are doing excellent job on TPU. To be fair though, I kinda resonate with @jboydgolfer . I somewhat feel overwhelmed with new threads, that I have no desire to help to. Whether the person didn't bother to search for previous threads, or doesn't know what he/she wants or doesn't want to listen to the actual advise that has been given in his own thread. It feels tiring. I suppose there's little else, that can be done after what is already been implemented.

That sort of thing is... open to lots of disagreement. Sure, people ask the same stupid (stupid to us, maybe) question all the time, which could probably be answered with a Google search... but if we become that kind of place, strictly enforcing that kind of thing... is that who we want to be?

 

[Toothless]

That sort of thing is... open to lots of disagreement. Sure, people ask the same stupid (stupid to us, maybe) question all the time, which could probably be answered with a Google search... but if we become that kind of place, strictly enforcing that kind of thing... is that who we want to be?

I've honestly found it to be like "oh, a new thread created two minutes ago and already has 57 different answers with only three of them valid, moving along" because solutions get drowned out so quickly. TPU has become more of a place of debate than actual help. We'll bicker with each other until someone comes in, picks the answer between the 80 posts and case closed.

 

[silentbogo]

@jboydgolfer just wants to replace us mods with robots and paperwork.

 

[i7Baby]

It takes too many rules to completely stop bad practices.

But one or two may cut it back to a 'handleable' amount.

 

[Tatty_Two]

didn't take long at all after I reported it, that's why I made that addition to my last post about the mods doing a good job. And yeah you're right I think there's 20 s wait time between posts for private messaging.

The problem was is that they banned him and he was back in 10 minutes under a new name that's what my point was with the original post somehow creating a probationary period or a limited freedom period To take the strain off of the mods

The funniest thing is is it was totally out of the blue I never communicated with this user to my knowledge he just started p.m. in me and wouldn't stop I actually took a screenshot of the posts and they were seconds between each other so it seemed like he was circumventing the control feature to stop spam private messages
they get more "ill come to Your House'ish" but im not going to include those ones..



That looks like one of the 33 accounts that the mods banned. I'm surprised he went after you and not me. I was calling his accounts out. Strange that he picked you to harass. I think he's gone for good now though.

He is already on 34, he must like it here, he possibly needs help, lots of it.

 

[jboydgolfer]

He is already on 34, he must like it here, he possibly needs help, lots of it.

im Close to 100% he has returned...........

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

I just press report. I think i did it 3 times in the last week or so.

!. someone joined and with their first post advertised a product with the same name as their username, it was blatant advertising.

2. User with an bikini bottomed avatar posted 2 nonsensical, irrevelant posts.

3. same as above but a different bottom and bikini combo.


All 3 were removed within about half an hour.

 

[R-T-B]

I must not be popular.

No one PMs me except to buy my stuff.

 

[jboydgolfer]

I must not be popular.

No one PMs me except to buy my stuff.

your better off without those PM's...some things in life are better off NOT seen

Spoiler: dont click this...

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

I have one pm conversation that is on its 354th page.....8849 messages.

 

[jboydgolfer]

I have one pm conversation that is on its 354th page.....8849 messages.

@Norton and i have a pretty old one....over a year old now. i think its the Obsessive compulsive nature i have , but I always end up deleting PM's

 

[dorsetknob]

I have one pm conversation that is on its 354th page.....8849 messages.

There must be an award for that

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

There must be an award for that

if you knew who the conversation is with, then yes, i deserve an award.

 

[qubit]

I've honestly found it to be like "oh, a new thread created two minutes ago and already has 57 different answers with only three of them valid, moving along" because solutions get drowned out so quickly. TPU has become more of a place of debate than actual help. We'll bicker with each other until someone comes in, picks the answer between the 80 posts and case closed.

Yeah, I've had that too. Most annoying when the OP asks a question about a problem that's vexing them, I give a gold plated answer and they just ignore it and similar answers to mine from others, instead going with all the other dross that's being posted in that thread. Even when I make a reminder post they ignore it. I stop bothering to help out people like that very quickly nowadays. I tend to see this mostly when they are reporting an infected computer or other glitch with it that's gonna take a lot of work to fix.

I have one pm conversation that is on its 354th page.....8849 messages.

if you knew who the conversation is with, then yes, i deserve an award.

Flippin'eck!

 

[jsfitz54]

I stop bothering to help out people like that very quickly nowadays.

If they are not a member with some standing, I find I'm in the same boat. I find myself passing over posts that I would once try and help because it seems simple Google searches are not done first.

 

[dorsetknob]

Yeah, I've had that too. Most annoying when the OP asks a question about a problem that's vexing them, I give a gold plated answer and they just ignore it and similar answers to mine from others,

AH the Regurgitated plagiarized Answer to boost post Count carefully (Sometimes re-arranged ) Repeated by Newer members
There are lots of threads i don't post to because some one has posted probably the Right solution ( one i would have Suggested )
so have no need to add to unless OP is ignoring the GOOD GIVEN ADVICE AND SOLUTION

 

[rtwjunkie]

People asking legitimate questions that maybe they could or couldn't have looked up is not a big problem. In any case, it's that friendly willingness to help that got me to stay after I joined 8 and a half years ago. Do we really want to have our name repeated across the internetz like people talk about Tom's?

I mean, that place is out of control. If someone there posts a question, and doesn't list the 50 or so search engines they tried first, and the answer is located ANYwhere, the OP gets blasted with hatred. Is that how we want to be known? I know I don't. So let' concentrate this thread on the real issues, not the new posters who have legitimate questions that may have been asked before.