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Old 09-23-2009, 12:00 AM   #16
jmwking
Talking BlackBerry Encyclopedia
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DC
Model: 9550
Carrier: Verizon
Posts: 338
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Quote:
Originally Posted by daphne View Post
I don't think there is any way in the forum software to make a requirement like that.
There're all sorts of ways to stop spammers, or at least slow them in vBul. The first, of course, is to use the latest version of the board software; it's gotten better.

Bots can read most of the capcha stuff these days, so we don't even bother with it on DBR. We have a set of validation questions, asked in vaguely obscure ways.

The system asks a question at random on registration. They have to type in the answer (no multiple choice), and it's compared to a list of valid answers we've given. Anyone really interested in our topic - we're a sports board - has very little trouble answering it, but bots get stymied.

There are also some add-ons for spam prevention, but we haven't needed to go there. The questions work well enough, but we have only a fraction of BBF's membership.


Fun comparative metrics (as far as I can tell from a quick glance at the front pages):

BBF: 5 years, 193,000 threads, 1,450,000 posts, 380,000 members
DBR: 2.5 years, 13,000 threads, 300,000 posts, 4,600 members

I have absolutely no comprehension of how you manage your membership!

-jk
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