Why is that when I post the true form of the work petc0ck that this system edit the word, but when spammers want to put the word **** or other vulgar things in their title it lets them through? It's amazing that we have well over 2000 registered members and a small handfull of "guests" posting yet the majority seems to be against mandatory registration for posting. Yes the spammers could register, but their profile could also be deleted just as easily.

Yes I know you can ignore their posts and I usually do, but when you come to the site and find 8 new posts it seems that 3 of them are spam. I mean you no disrespect Byron, but we need to do something. Perhaps we need more moderators in order to delete the spam as soon as it's posted.

Sorry for the rant, it's just agrivating that a member with nothing to hide or gain can't post a simple word, but these jerks can get their vulgarity through just fine.

I agree with 720Deere. If you click on the porno author and on the most recent guest author, neither can be communicated with, unlike a registered user. With all due respect to our guests, the spammers may force us to become more rigorous with registrations, or else we'll be beseiged with ****.

They'll get it deleted. The collective IQ of these bozos is probably less than 100.

This is all done with scripting. Time to force registration...

ok guys, how are you sure registration will end it.

I always go to the allis board after this one and as I recall all have to be registered to post there.

Spammers run wild there.

So please inform all on what the technical things are that will happen to end the spam?

Personaly, However I would be interested in a technical explanation of the solution (kinda like seeing how cold the water is before you jump in)

Usually solutions are not as easy as "well so and so said to do this"

Lets get down to the nitty gritty, I am sure the board managers would be interested also.

Just trying to be practical here

[SIGH] This spam attack is showing no signs of letting up. It's outrageous that those lowlife spammers would do this to people, but it's a fact of life these days. This came about so suddenly that I have to wonder if someone submitted our site's address to some of the spammers as a way of starting trouble. I guess we'll never know.

One suggestion, a good one, is to publish the IP address of each post. However, this software doesn't have that option. Maybe in an upgraded version some day. But that still doesn't address the automated spam attacks, where IP addresses change from one post to the next. Those spammers are a VERY dedicated and determined bunch.

As for registration, it might, might, prevent most of this spam, because it can be set to require each new member to type in a code word, one that cannot be read by machines but only by the human eye. This could stop the automated bots from registering without any human intervention.

If we tried registration as a last ditch cure for this infection, I do feel pretty sure that any technical problems could be overcome. I know some of you have had difficulty staying logged in, or problems being recognized by the board on each visit. These difficulties should be easily fixed with a slight adjustment to the security settings on your computer, stuff that we could assist with.

I'd like to use this thread to continue discussing registration. Please, anybody with an opinion, post it here. But please please please, let's keep it civil, without pointing fingers or reviving any old disagreements between "Guests" and "Registereds."

Byron,

I have no problems with guests, just the unwanted spam. From time to time we do have snipers that hide behind the anonymity of being a "guest". If Henry J can't get his computer to cooperate then I'm glad to have him as a guest, but we all know that's not the problem here. I don't know anything about the software used here, but it sounds like something could be done that would allow guests to view but not post. As I stated before, it usally appears that we have more posting members than guests. At least if you only count the serious and useful posts.

It's a shame that you can't do the IP address thing here because it really helps keep things on a civil level over at Yesterday Tractors. Not that it would work for all the spam idiots, but it does help deter anonymous sniping.

Whatever happens, I will perservere. If funding is necessary to bring about a solution to our problem, let the gas gauge reflect it and I'm sure we will all respond.

Henry J,

My point on requiring registration to post is that I believe we could more easily control who is posting what. As Byron stated it would make it more difficult for the automated spammers to get through, but also could force the member to be linked to something more than being anonymous. You could require a valid email address to be linked to the user name thus allowing the administrators to "track them down" if they step out of line. Any user violating the terms of the site could also be blocked at any time. Right now we just make it too easy for them.

I started this thread because it amazes me that their automated systems can post words that members can't. I have no malice toward our neighborly "guests".

Byron, again, I will offer my services to help moderating. I am retired and log in about 16 hours a day. I am at home and in and out between the house and the shop most days. If you need additional eyes to delete this junk, let me know.

CPeter

720 Deere -- I wholeheartedly agree that this site needs some serious management applied. You addressed spammers. The administration of this site can't even deal with ordinary meanness and off-topic personals. How on earth do you expect them to deal with spam?

I wrote either Bryon of Brandon (Bryon I think) to ask that a thread I started be pulled because of non-civil follow-on Guest remarks (several postings that may all have come from the same guest). The postings went way off topic and the thread lost all of its meaning except as a vent for Mr. Guest. I felt like a dead carcas left to lay in the street. But there was no action & no reply.

And so I reckon this site has become a regular BLOG where near about anything goes. In a way, perhaps this site will save the others. The really mean ones can come on here and shoot their mouths off - then successfully hide behind a tree! Some have volunteered to help -- and I rather imagine their offers will fall on deaf ears as well. Sad day! (PatB)

The internet is a 'future' cyber version of the chaotic, outlaw, wild west of the late 1800's, where nothing matters (nor does anyone care). Children and young adults are subject -with no attention paid to them- to recieve the unholy curses of the cyber world: porn, drugs, gambling, satanic cults, atheistic principles, liberal schemers, etc...

It honestly is about time to control this internet- it's almost like a cyber-sodom/gommorah. Go to your url bar and type "porn". There would be at least a hundred thousand or more results. Rediculous!!

I would like to see registration if it would stop the spammers. Even though i have had some diffrences with unregistered users; i don't want to see anybody not able to get on this site.

P. Browning, I received a letter from you just today, in Monday's mail. My apologies for not dropping everything, closing my office and racing to respond in the manner you think I should have.

In recent days, I locked down several threads that had gone astray, threads in which I felt you were being unfairly attacked. But that, apparently, was not enough to avoid your wrath.

I asked, in my post here in this thread, for sincere and constructive comments aimed at controlling the spam problem, and I asked specifically that old wounds not be reopened between the "Guest" and "Registered" people. Instead, you posted the message above, managing in one post to take shots at not only the spam, but other posters with whom you disagree, plus the management of this site.

Frankly, I'm getting weary of being verbally assaulted by various folks for my shortcomings as a discussion board administrator. This is not a business; it's a hobby. It's a benign, enjoyable hobby, and this board is supposed to be a pleasant meeting place for like-minded people. Why can't it just be so?

I am not trying to hold up the cho cho train

If you think that would make for a better environment Byron, then do it.

Obviously we are dealing with technology here, so I donno.

And it wouldn't bother me a bit if you kicked a little more derriere or however you spell it

Now I am going to ruin everyone's day. I just got done spraying some paint and it happened to be creame.

Don't give up the faith Byron. The vast majority of us appreciate everything that you do for us and the sacrifices that you must make to keep up. As I understand things, Rummy started this wonderful site and passed it on to you after it became too much for him. Correct me if I'm wrong. This forum is a great resource for JD enthusiasts, but must be a terrible mistress for those who attempt to maintain it's integrity.

Advertising of any sort ranks the same in my book rather it is for porn or your own tractor service, etc. Let me clarify what I mean. If you have something new and you make mention of it, that's fine. I don't think that endless self promotion is appropriate here. I as well as quite a few other members make mention of businesses and resources that have served us well. If you do right by the forum users they will promote your product/service for you. Steve Crum and Jim Guarino are good examples of this. Both of these gentlemen shy away from self promotion. They answer questions about their business when such are directed towards them, but you seldom see them suggest the unsolicited use of their services.

Once again going from memory, but don't you have your own business Byron? If that is true, I don't think that I have heard what you do once in the more than 3 years that I've been around here.

One thing that I have learned is that if you don't reply or fuel the fire, the potshots will eventually stop. This is the hardest thing to do, but it is the right thing to do rather than complain about the lack of personal attention that you are receiving from the administrators. Mr. Browning, I have no malice toward you, but if you are so sensitive about the bashings that you have received then why continue with all the self promotion? Even if the subject is about a 30 series tractor, jdhpubs seems to always get referenced in your replies. All I'm saying is if you're getting kicked in the behind quite frequently then maybe you should quit putting the sign on your back.

If Byron just received a letter in the mail today, how was he supposed to reply or respond sooner? If you are viewing this site, you have the capablilty to either email or send a JohnnyPopper message to Byron. The Postal Service is the pony express of the new millenium! They call it snail mail for a reason.

Browning why don't you stop your *****ing. Your were advertising. Be it for yourself or for someone you back you were advertising and your hand was called. You have done nothing but beat up on everyone - Byron and Brandon especially - with your crying. Grow up, whip your tears and stop *****ing.

Notice I used my screen name. I find your blatant advertising as offensive as spamming. So if we stop the spammers how we gonna stop the likes of you.

No matter what the subject you want to *****, *****, ***** because someone objected to y9ur advertising. Grow up!!!!!!

I've been on several sites that have had trouble with certain individual's , who they were able to ban based on their IP #. In some instances they can be locked out of the system. I like to go to a number of forum's on a variety of subject's and have noticed that the only ones getting the spam such as what we have been experiencing here has been on tractor related sites.???

Now for a serious reply to the subject - you not gonna stop spamming. Just ignore it. You can tell from the name and the subject what it is. Any method you dream up to stop them they are gonna find away around it. Ignore them and they will go away. They are here for the attention. Remove the attention and they go elsewhere.

I just had a brilliant idea. Browning you don't like the way this site is run start your own. **** this is America home of the free. Feel free to carry your whining *** to your own site and see who follows.

I?m some what of a computer dummy but input was ask for - so here goes.

Displaying IP addresses might help, but from what I have gathered on other sites, IP addresses can and do change, which could lead to confusion when a conflict is occurring.

Registering could help not only with spammers, but could also put a damper on a member flaming (think I?m using the correct term) another member.

I have no problem registering on this site and do so gladly just because, in doing so, I get the ?View New Post? option. Yes, I clear my cookies from time to time and reregister with no problems, at least not yet (knock on wood). Should the decision be made to require registering before posting, I hope that whatever problem some are having registering due a software problem either with this site?s software or their own computer can be alleviated.

When surfing this site, I?ve learned to look before I click and avoid most of the spam posted here. When I do get sucked in, I just hit the back button and look for a post I want to read. The spam posted on this site, while annoying, hasn?t reach to point of being a problem, at least, not for me.

Spammers and Flamers unfortunately is something we will have to learn to live with if we want to enjoy any of the benefits of the computer age. Maybe, one day a solution will surface something similar the DO NOT CALL LIST we finally got for our telephones. While that hasn?t completely solved the problem, the amount of calls from telemarketers surely has took a nose dive.

This is a great site. I?m sure the changes that will have to be made from time to time will be for the benefit of all the members here. I have no objection to the displaying of my IP address or requiring me to register so my screen name is displayed. I consider the display of the correct screen names a plus.

So, Byron, I can not be any help solving the problem with spammers or flamers but just know I appreciate your efforts to keep this board running smoothly. I know you get a lot of guff from riffraff and, yes, even some members who, when they are not complaining , are respected for their post. Please don?t let then get you down, I expect the ?silent majority? on this site is behind you 100%. I know I am.

Now I?m back to looking for John Deere post - especially those on 51 Bs.

I continue to be amused here. You say Mr. Browning is asking for the shots fired at him for occasionally sticking his website in responses he makes. If you look back, many of the posts he so responds to are repeat questions -- questions for which he has prepared very good responses in advance, and has them posted for all to read, download, print, etc. on his site. This is his way of offering quality assistance.

Frankly, once there, I found answers to many othr issues I needed help on too. His site very well organized and heavily laden with good technical data.

And yes, when you first go there, you will see about one dozen products he has for sale. But he don't hold your browser hostage until you buy! A horse can be lead to water, but getting him to drink is a different matter.

Just a few thoughts!

Byron,
For what it is worth, I just spent a few hours over the last two days going through registered members on my site. I ended up deleting about 60. This is going to registrations from about April of last year. It appears though that I have been hit the hardest in the last few months as that is when the most of them showed up. I am not 100% sure on how my system works, someone else built it, I am not that puter literate. Of the 60 users I deleted, only 2 or 3 were active users, meaing that they can post, and send PM's or e-mail to other registered users, and only one of them posted. I saw the post and deleted it within a few hours.
This leads me to believe that virtually all of them were computer generated, not directly entered by people because they never completed the registrations process to become activated. After they register, they are sent an e-mail to finish the process, and I am guessing that the computers can not figure out how to do that. Another way I have seen on other boards is you have to enter number code that as I understand it only a human can read so it eliminates (alleviates) computer derived spam.
I only have about a fourth of the registered members as here, so don't know if the same percentage would apply or not. You have a greater understanding of the architecture of a message board than I do, I just went by what my web guy suggested. As an aside, one of his recommendations as far as requiring registration was actually aimed more at e-mail harvesters getting in the board and harvesting everyone's e-mail address to spam them directly as opposed to spam posts on the board.
Lavoy

I have been told in the past that threads like this should be moved to another forum.

Bryon I know when you work hard on something it is easy for someone that doesn't do much to complain but I think this is a great site and you do a good job. Thanks

Actually, the "Guest" two posts up is probably right. I'll move this to the administrative section, with a link showing here, and we can continue the spam discussion there.

By the way, just as a point of interest, the other "Guest" poster just a few posts up, in between John-in-Ga and Lavoy, was actually P. Browning pretending to be someone else. As another point of interest, I'm not much in the mood for silly games like that.

Byron-
First let me say I think you're doing a great job with this board in spite of it being a thankless task. As with so many thankless jobs like this, you never get the praise you deserve, only the complaints that you don't deserve. Even IF this was a full time job for you, there's no reason for the criticism and jabs you recieve.

As far as mandatory registration goes, if you think it will help with some of the problems we're having, I'm all for it. Notice I said help. The anonymous nature of the internet makes some of these problems inherent. You're never going to completely end the spamming and flaming that goes on, but any help will be appreciated. But, we as individuals, need to show more self discipline in our actions here on the board. Take this thread for example. You explicitly asked for a civil discussion of the matter and some posters just refuse to go along. And because you can't always immediately lock out or delete a post, the rest of us shouldn't use that as an opportunity to jump into the slop when one poster flames another (didn't these people's mommas teach them not to say anything if they don't have something good to say?). Again, I think the anonymity has much to do with this.

You'll still have people who will be unhappy with registration but be that as it may, what's best for the site has to take precedence over the individual few who oppose it. You've offered (very generously in my opinion) to help those with the technical problems of registration. That should help, or they should seek help on their own. For those who are against registration for personal reasons, well I guess they'll just have to work them out on their own. I'm active (or at least a lurker) on several boards on a variety of topics and I'm registered on all of them. Personal choice I know, but I just don't have a problem with it.

All that having been said, the bottom line is--Your board, Your decision. I'm 100% behind you what ever you decide. If it becomes mandatory, those that can't do it will have to get help and those that don't want to do it will have to make a decision. You asked for opinions, there's mine. Keep up the good work!

I like this site and think Byron is doing a good job. It doesn't make any difference where you go in this world there will always be a P Browning. You think they would figure it out and hang with there own type. It never happens, probably because they couldn't get along.
I hope you will do what ever it takes to help control the spammers and the P. Browning's and thanks for the good site. Byron

Byron's explication of the games being played by P. Browning is the kind of thing I'm concerned about. Porn is one thing - it's clear and can be avoided, usually, by its title. It's certainly irritating, and if registration may reduce or eliminate it, then that's probably a good enough reason for registration, although I don't pretend to opine on computer-literate topics. The best "fix" is probably not technical - just ignore the stuff. By ignore, I include not responding to anonymous posters as well as, not opening the topics that they start.

Not identifying yourself in order to take pot-shots, for self interest or otherwise, is also a kind of porn in my view. It's essentially dishonest, and I think if registration eliminated that problem, then we'd also be ahead of the game. All we have in this world is time, and if that time is being wasted by others who choose to send us on wild goose chases, or who attempt to have us think about things that are essentially irrelevant (and I include dishonest pot-shots and misleading marketing in this category), are stealing from us our most valuable possession. If it were done with guns, anonymous pot-shots from hidden places would be called terrorism. Doing with words, what others do with guns, is part of the subtle destruction of our lifestyle and its ethical framework which terrorists are achieving. But I digress. Life is too short, even with the many benefits offered by this board, to have it wasted by those who sit around dreaming up ways to mislead or aggravate others.

Finally, I too would like to thank Byron for his perservering through all this.

Byron;
I'm too old & too dumb about computers to offer any advice on this one. What i would like to do is thank you and Brandon for all your hard work. The rest of us get to enjoy this board because of your tireless and thankless work. THANK YOU!
M-MAN

Course if registration is required i'm gonna miss ole Guest HenryJ.!

Byron,

All i want to know is where did the dog [blk lab i think] picture go that was next to your name?

Brief response. Crime exists where ever there is more than one person...a netwrok exists where ever there are two or more interacting parties. No matter what precautions you take [and time, lots of it, money, energy, resources, etc], you will still get BS !

I suggest implementing anything that is low cost and low maintenance that could/would give a good ROI for the time/energy...after that, it is up to us to view, then click on the "back" icon and not respond...let's try this for awhile and see what happens...

tstex [on my wife's computer]

We had to put old Beau down a few months ago. He was my best buddy for 14 years, and the best dog I've ever known.

If we can identify the computer that all this is coming from , then why can't

we block it.


Oh sorry about tou dog.

The spammers are too smart and have too much technology to be caught that way. They spoof different IP addresses, steal IDs, whatever they can to avoid being caught. If I could catch one in person, I'd probably be arrested for what I'd do to him.

Things are already looking much better with the addition of CPeter and Rummy to reinforce Byron and Brandon. Thanks guys.