A couple of suggestions

[hairpins]

Yo.

Code thing for new members - Remove it!! Seriously it's nothing but detrimental to new member retention. People just can't be arsed with this. Notably the individuals you are trying to appeal to. It's pointless, as long as the moderators are competent (they are) then they can deal with spam bots quickly and effectively.

Correct me if I am wrong, but when you sign up you have to fill out exactly the same code you have to fill out for your first five posts anyway? So surely if a spam bot can get past the thing at registration, they can get past it when they post?

There are better ways, I hardly ever see spam bots at CHF with the image thing we have on registration.

It's seriously off putting and you would do better to do away with it altogether.

yew tell em girlfriend xoxoxox
eye agree with wot nixt sed ere itz bein rasist n disckriminatori 2 mi n its rly annoyin n unfait 2 mi tbh

[Nixt]

retired and still churning out the essays

lolol, I think it would raise public morale to review old ban's and merge harmless ban into their current accounts although I wonder how many 'HOW COME I WASNT UNBANNED' requests we'd see and a set of criteria would then have to determine whether a ban should be removed or not. Perhaps this is something that can be arranged fairly with members and forum management to avoid said problem occuring in the future. And not just take every suggestion but adapt and adjust to ensure a compromise on both sides (those who want to be unpermed will give any criteria they can to get out of their ban!).

As for image capture retention thing, I don't really mind what way. Bottom line is they type in what an image is or what letters are. It's still going to be mundane and a bit of a struggle. I'm not sure if there is or even if it's possible but maybe a better idea is to put a little message underneath it saying 'Don't worry, after 5 posts, you won't have to do this anymore!' which is better motivation than changing it to an image of a butterfly surely.

I'll never give up on the essays.

Point 1 - yeah obviously a clear set of criteria may need to be addressed. But basically management just need to say, we're unbanning the members we think were unfairly or harshly banned. If you weren't unbanned, don't whinge and in future don't break the rules.

Point 2 - it doesn't bother you because it doesn't affect you. There is already a notice but frankly the system doesn't work (spam bots get through regularly) and I do really think people get annoyed with it because it just looks untidy and is annoying. Not saying if you remove that online users are going to jump to 1000 but it sure as hell can't hurt and I'd say it is definitely a positive. It's nothing drastic, just makes things a lot more appealing to new members.

Oh and the butterfly thing I meant only on registration. Spam bots seem to have a lot harder time getting through this and it won't pose an issue for new members who currently have to input a code for their first five posts.

[Inseriousity.]

Oh if there's a technical reason for changing it to an image then sure. I didn't know that spam bots found it harder otherwise it just sounded like the potato, po-ta-to scenario.

[Nixt]

Oh if there's a technical reason for changing it to an image then sure. I didn't know that spam bots found it harder otherwise it just sounded like the potato, po-ta-to scenario.

Nah I'm basically taking it from my experience @ CHF. At the moment Habbox has:

Inputting code on registration. Inputting five codes for the first five posts - yet I still used to see spam bots when I was AGM?!

On CHF on registration all you need to do is see an image and it says "what animal is this" (or similar). Then you can post to your heart's content without any restriction for the first five posts - I haven't seen a spam bot yet.

The image system is a better way at stopping spam bots who, apparently, are able to get past the random numerical string. If you want to stop spam bots, improve the initial registration and remove the obsolete five post system.

Either way, the five post system is detrimental to keeping new members I think. Just do away with it imo.

[rnix]

I got my ban lifted lolz.

Anyway, i like these ideas

[Sarah]

Yo.

Bans - so a lot of bans are completely ridiculous in the context of the rules today. Some of them are downright unfair, as most people who have been in Forum Management will know bans from people such as ---MAD--- were for ridiculous things such as "Constant negativity" just because you told him that he was Hitler.

More often than not, a member would appeal a ban from a while ago and it would be lifted. Why? Because in today's context we would look at it in disbelief and think, what the hell?!

So my suggestion is this, and it will require some work from the administrators, which is in fairness enough to rebuff it. Although if you're willing to put in a bit of work, it could be beneficial. I propose that you spend some time reviewing any bans over say, six months old. Review these bans and evaluate their fairness - this is generally easy to tell (ban by MAD, probably going to be lifted). A kind of amnesty, but not quite the whole "unban everything and everyone" as suggested before. Then if the member has a current account (Dandertaker is a case in point here btw!) then you merge the unbanned account with their current account.

At the same time you could do a big public drive, encouraging members to appeal their ban if it is over x months old because it's likely it will be lifted, offering them also the chance to have their account merged into their current one.

Would need proper planning and execution but that's an outline.

I wasn't around (sadly?) when --MAD-- was here but I've heard lots of stories of his banning etc, and maybe some do need to be reviewed as some of the examples you have given would get a warning/infraction rather than a ban if it happened today - that saying obviously some users can not be banned due to certain circumstances.

The merging idea: Well I know we currently have something planned soon, but its still in the discussion stages and we're just working on the criteria and hopefully it will be some users happy.

Code thing for new members - Remove it!! Seriously it's nothing but detrimental to new member retention. People just can't be arsed with this. Notably the individuals you are trying to appeal to. It's pointless, as long as the moderators are competent (they are) then they can deal with spam bots quickly and effectively.

Correct me if I am wrong, but when you sign up you have to fill out exactly the same code you have to fill out for your first five posts anyway? So surely if a spam bot can get past the thing at registration, they can get past it when they post?

There are better ways, I hardly ever see spam bots at CHF with the image thing we have on registration.

It's seriously off putting and you would do better to do away with it altogether.

I know this is something you suggested and I know that it was discussed (but as always) we as Forum Management don't always get the final say in something (not that General Management don't discuss it heavily with us). I don't know how it works over at ChF but if its successful over there it should maybe something that should be investigated again with Jamesy and I and General Management.

[Jamesy]

I do wish for the captcha to be removed from the posts, however I am unable to assert ultimate authority over this decision and so for now sadly it's remaining. The ban thing is interesting, I don't see entirely beyond the realms of possibility to in some small way tie it into Christmas and the season of forgiving and all that . Although as Sarah has pointed out, this will need to be discussed heavily with General Management.

[AgnesIO]

yew tell em girlfriend xoxoxox
eye agree with wot nixt sed ere itz bein rasist n disckriminatori 2 mi n its rly annoyin n unfait 2 mi tbh

It is not discrimination :\ Nor is it racist.

[Nixt]

I do wish for the captcha to be removed from the posts, however I am unable to assert ultimate authority over this decision and so for now sadly it's remaining.

Fair enough you don't have ultimate authority, but can I ask what the reasoning is of the higher powers for not removing it (hiya General Management / Jin would love a reply!)? Especially if you agree. It's ultimately obsolete and does little to stop spam bots at the moment! Surely it makes more sense to implement a better system and make the forum more inviting for new members

[AgnesIO]

Why the hell does the forum MANAGER not have authority to remove a bloody captcha :S