Members help me decide!

[JohnMichael]

As some of you know I delete spam. I just read a thread started by a respected member who was amazed by the amount of spam. This caused me to wonder what members might like me to do when I delete spam. The choices are to delete but leave it visible or to remove the post entirely. In the past I have left the deletion visible so members know we are deleting spam and hopefully sending a message to spammers that your post will not last.

Now I am asking this just for myself, and your opinions may not effect how the other mods work, would you like me to delete and physically remove the post or delete and leave it visible? Let me know. Thanks.

[GMichael]

As some of you know I delete spam. I just read a thread started by a respected member who was amazed by the amount of spam. This caused me to wonder what members might like me to do when I delete spam. The choices are to delete but leave it visible or to remove the post entirely. In the past I have left the deletion visible so members know we are deleting spam and hopefully sending a message to spammers that your post will not last.

Now I am asking this just for myself, and your opinions may not effect how the other mods work, would you like me to delete and physically remove the post or delete and leave it visible? Let me know. Thanks.

Hi John,

Good question. I'm very sorry that I can't give you a good answer. It doesn't matter to me either way.
But, you've been doing a great job and I thank you for your efforts.

[basite]

I don't really care about it, but I think it might look like "bad news" to new members...

I'd fully delete them, or do something about spamming in general, so you don't have to delete anything at all...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[bobsticks]

I like the fact that you have thus far elected to leave the thread visible. At least prospective spammers know what awaits them. What they choose to do with it from there is their porch to sweep.

Sherrif John we appreciate what you do.

[Mr Peabody]

I think your reasons for leaving them makes sense but I'd just asoon not see them after deletion. They just take up space and no one knows why they were deleted, unless I missed the clue. Either way isn't a deal breaker for me though.

[Rich-n-Texas]

As some of you know I delete spam. I just read a thread started by a respected member who was amazed by the amount of spam...

Now I am asking this just for myself, and your opinions may not effect how the other mods work, would you like me to delete and physically remove the post or delete and leave it visible? Let me know. Thanks.
I find arrogance in that remark JohnMichael. Especially when, back in May, I said this:

There shouldn't be this much spam coming across here to begin with. For one thing, other discussion forums I've been sub'ed to require making your e-mail address visible to the mods, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. Just about everytime I see spam, it's posted across multiple categories, and I'm sure there's some kind of option or filter that can be involked to keep that from occuring.

I'm not going to profess that I know eveything about how this vBulletin s/w works. I can only share what I've encountered at other forums.

Is ericl still this site's admin? What was RL talking about when he mentioned that "this place was taken over and is owned and operated by a marketing group that was called E-centives, now Invenda..."

I wonder what the sponsors of this site think when they see less traffic from the potential customers and more traffic from the non-paying spammers?
JMO
So JohnMichael, should I consider myself not "well respected" here? If I was a... gay member would it have gotten any attention from you?

I'd fully delete them, or do something about spamming in general, so you don't have to delete anything at all...
Yeah, no kidding Bert. See my post above.

I still think being able to find this site, register and post in one swell foop is wrong. It invites that sort of abuse.

There should be some sort of confirmation step whereby the newbie must at least respond to an email sent to them by this site before posting. At least that would make ;em work for a living.

Others sites that do that seem to have less of a spam problem.

Oh yeah, that might affect the hit count.
Already been down that road Mark.<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Are you now the admin here JohnMichael?
<!-- / message -->

[JohnMichael]

I find arrogance in that remark JohnMichael. Especially when, back in May, I said this:

So JohnMichael, should I consider myself not "well respected" here? If I was a... gay member would it have gotten any attention from you?

Yeah, no kidding Bert. See my post above.

Already been down that road Mark.<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Are you now the admin here JohnMichael?
<!-- / message -->



Rich I am sorry about your issues.

[Rich-n-Texas]

John,

I apologize for my outburst. I'll take my issues offline going forward.

[PeruvianSkies]

I think that you should just delete it and not show that it was deleted. The reality is that showing that it was deleted is not going to deter spammers as we can all see right now that we still get loads of spam even if we show that it's deleted usually within a day or two. By not showing that it was deleted enables us to have a much less cluttered site.

[topspeed]

First, you're doing a fantastic job, John! :thumbsup: With Sir T back in the fold, we now have two mods back in action. Whatever happened to Geoff?

Anywho, I like that you leave the deleted post up. In particular, I find your "reasons for deletion" good for a chuckle now and again. That said, I understand the philosophy behind just deleting it alltogether as well. Perhaps go for 30-60 days where you remove them comletely and then see if the spamming rate changes? After two months, you should have an idea which way deters more spammers.