Regarding the recent spam attacks and various responses...

[AmBraCol]

It never fails, the moderators are offline for various reasons and the spammers ht. Funny thing is, once I got up and running again there've been no more spam attacks - go figure. Anyway, it was interesting to see different responses to the spammers. Folks don't stop to think that replying to a spammer just gives the moderators that much more to mop up. Don't track the muck around, just flag it and one of us will be by to toss it out as soon as possible. Here's some things to keep in mind:

1. If you spot a spam post - flag it. That's what that little red exclamation point at the bottom of the post is for.
2. If you spot a spam post - don't reply to it. When the spam account gets tossed out and posts deleted your "clever" little comment will be left hanging in mid forum, and it's not that clever with out the context of the spam post to show who you were supposedly talking to.
3. The accounts spammers use are rarely monitored accounts, so wasting bandwith on replies reaches no one but fellow forum members. Save your creative efforts for more worthwhile projects.
4. A nonsensical post with hyperlinks in it from someone with a low post count and a "handle" that's just random letters and numbers has at least a 98% probability of being spam. Flag it and move right along, someone will be along directly to carry out the trash.

Thanks, guys. Y'all have a great week.

[piller]

Thanks for keeping this place the way it should be.

[Doc Hudson]

Ever stop to think that the spammers might be watching to see if you and Hobier are off-line before they strike?

[awp101]

4. A nonsensical post with hyperlinks in it from someone with a low post count and a "handle" that's just random letters and numbers has at least a 98% probability of being spam. Flag it and move right along, someone will be along directly to carry out the trash.

Or just the usual post from me...

[AmBraCol]

Ever stop to think that the spammers might be watching to see if you and Hobier are off-line before they strike?

Yes and no. I don't keep a forum window open so I only appear online briefly at widely interspersed and differing intervals. It just happened that a spammer got a headstart over the few days it took me to get back into stride again. Usually we get 'em with only a post or two. One of 'em had 10 posts strung all over the place. Last night I was still cleaning up spammer spatter as I found incongruous post topics with someone's "witty" replies to an asinine spammer hanging on to the original spam topic. There might be more, for all I know. If anyone sees any such, please flag it as I don't have time to sift through a weeks worth of posts right now.

[JerryB]

Paul, thank you for cleaning up the mess for us, and I pray God continues to bless your work for Him.

[wecsoger]

Ahhh...just saw this buried down in the back whilst looking for another old post. Should this not be stickied?

[AmBraCol]

Ahhh...just saw this buried down in the back whilst looking for another old post. Should this not be stickied?

Naw, for the most part folks behave very well. We just need an occasional "Hey guys!" reminder and then let it slip off into the back pages. Probably in another six months or so we'll need another. Such is life!

[bdhold]

Ever stop to think that the spammers might be watching to see if you and Hobier are off-line before they strike?

out of the question.
the spam is coming from a computer that automatically invades bulletin boards - the only human interaction was a long time ago in writing the program.
Which is why it is absolutely silly to reply to it.