I seem to spend time ever day now deleting SPAM messages from the Parker 31 Forum. There have been others on the 22 Forum but not yet that regular. A few days ago there were a whole page of SPAM messages to delete.

One way of stopping this is for me to password protect the whole set of Forums to SSA members only. This is the case on some other sites.

I realise non-members would not then have access (but this may encourgage them to join), but I am concerned that the SPAMMers may spoil the system for members.

Anyway - could I have your views on whether you agree with the idea of me password protecting the Forums?

Thanks

Don Harvey
Web Master
Don Harvey

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Since the forum is essentially for members, passwording might be a good idea. A pity though.
Chris.
Chris Turner

I agree with Chris - it would be a pity but possibly unavoidable - is there any way of spam trapping automatically? Cheers

Tim
Tim Reeder

Hi Tim - back in the UK?

Re SPAM, no there is no way of trapping it on the server where the Forum is located. I have spoken to the server manager about the problem and all he can sugggest is a password.

What I cannot understand is why they always appear on the Parker 31 Forum (except for one that appeared on the Seal 22 one).

I assume the process will be for users to register and for me to approve and provide the password. If I ask the right questions perhaps I'll stop a non Seal/Parker owner from joining - assuming of course that it isn't an owner causing the problem. The manager is on holiday at present but I'll ask if there is some way I can see who is posting messages and bar them from joining.

Actually, I visited another (non-sailing) forum yesterday and found the same problem there (actually recognised some of the spam messages).

More later.

Don


Don Harvey

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i think it is the worst thing you could do (although i do understand your reasons)
i got interested in the seal / parkers by looking at this site and it is easily the best owners club, i used the hunter owners club before and that was all password protected and i believe that is the reason it is almost unused, if you can stand the hassle keep it open.
p.s. going to look at a parker advertised on here next week with the intention to buy.
sean

Sean

Thanks for your comments. For some reason the problem seems to with the Parker 31 forum (I've just deleted 6 SPAM mesages).

I'll see how bad it gets and if it starts to effect the other forums.

Hope you find the Parker to your satisfaction and that you join the SSA.

Regards

Don
Don Harvey

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I agree that it would be a great pity if the site was passworded - we spent some time looking at boat specifications on the web before buying Miss Fidget (Super Seal no. 69) last year, and reading the articles and discussion made us feel very positively about Seals. Is there any way a few of us could take turns at purging spam, so it's not all down to you, Don?

Gilliane
Gilliane Sills

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Gilliane

I was not suggesting that I password the SSA web site; only the Forums.

I have this minute just deleted a whole load of SPAM messages from the Parker 31 Forum. I don't know why it is this one that gets targetted but I'm hoping it doesn't spart appearing on other Forums.

I am away sailing for the nest few days so if yoy look at the Parker 31 Forum you will see the SPAM appearing (I'll clear out when I return)

Thanks for offering to help me keep SPAM off the site but I cannot release the passwords for getting direct access to the web server.

Pleased to hear to purchased Miss Fidget - I presume you know its history and that it crossed the Atlantic. There is a good book titled 'Sail and Deliver' by Ronald Preedy that describes the crossing (which is also on the SSA site on the Magazine Page (articles for 2000). If you want to try and get the book it's ISBN number is 1-85225-093-3 Partridge Press.

Regards

Don
Don Harvey

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Sorry - I did realise that you were only talking about the Forums, but I wasn't thinking very precisely when I wrote my message! However, it was the Forum discussions about the Seal 26 that we found interesting, so the point I made still holds. I can understand that you'd rather not disclose the website password, but I'm sorry that leaves you with the all the work of deleting the Parker 31 spam.

We have Ron Preedy's book Sail and Deliver. He was clearly a very impressive sailor - I'm afraid Miss Fidget won't be going so far afield with us!

Best wishes

Gilliane

Gilliane Sills

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Is it possible to password protect the posting of messages only? Then interested non-members could read the forum but spammers couldn't post messages
trevor skippins

Trevor

It could be possible but as you can see this is a fairly crude bulletin board (though I do favour it over many others that are surrounded by so much unwanted 'fluff')

It is the case that many bulletin boards require you to register and this may be a solution as I can then check who is depositing spam and bar them.

Having said that, I am considering changing to something more modern that will give me greater control, but I must ensure that all the current messages are not lost though I suppose I could make this one read only after the update.

I'll let everyone know if/when I decide to change.

Thanks for your input

Don


Don Harvey

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