New members - gratuitous bumping

[grantw]

Originally Posted by Skinner

People wouldn't realise and spammers would still hit it.

I set one of my busy wordpress sites to nofollow and it still gets 50+ spam comments a day.

Maybe, but I think not appearing on lists like this would be a big plus for starters:

http://www. reviewerofsites.com/dofollow-non-nofollow-forums-list

Grant

[admin]

Originally Posted by grantw

Totally agree with this and don't think it would make much difference to the forum at all, maybe just a few less replies that are only posted for a cheap backlink anyway!

Grant

Won't regulars complain if their signatures become nofollow?

[grantw]

Originally Posted by admin

Won't regulars complain if their signatures become nofollow?

I certainly wouldn't. Personally I'm here for the excellent posts and to be part of it rather than a link building exercise

Grant

[admin]

Originally Posted by Systreg

A couple of examples are these spamming or dragging up old posts for post count:

http://www.acorndomains.co.uk/members/jessygirl88.html
http://www.acorndomains.co.uk/members/hostmajors.html

User hostmajors has been flushed from AD, IP banned, account deleted.

I have set the forum to close all threads with no replies after 30 days.

Admin

[newguy]

Originally Posted by Skinner

People wouldn't realise and spammers would still hit it.

I set one of my busy wordpress sites to nofollow and it still gets 50+ spam comments a day.

Same here. I had to shut off comments on a relatively new blog which was nofollow. It received so much spam, it was impossible to find the legit comments amongst the crap.

Originally Posted by admin

Won't regulars complain if their signatures become nofollow?

Why not just set the number of posts needed to post a sig to a really high amount. As in a couple of hundred. Nobody is going to post that long to get a sig link, and if they try, it will be very easy to spot their nonsense one line comments, amongst the genuine contributions and they can be banned.

[aZooZa]

Originally Posted by grantw

I certainly wouldn't. Personally I'm here for the excellent posts and to be part of it rather than a link building exercise

Grant

I agree. If anyone's that interested they'll copy and paste signature URLs.

[Skinner]

Can signatures be made, to be the only links that are NOT nofollow ?

Maybe Have to be a member for 8 Weeks + and have 100+ Posts, before you get a signature, then only signatures are followable, all other links are no follow ?

I'll admit, I have used my signature to help get a site indexed quickly, just means I'd have to hit gumtree instead.

Anyone got a hazmat suit I can borrow :P

[alex]

I like the idea of only allowing a signature once a larger number of posts have been submitted and time passed. However, it may reduce spammers linking to sites etc, it won’t stop people actually posting general crap. Although my main reason for using AD is for the community and information, it is useful having signatures with links for indexing purposes. It wouldn’t stop me using the forum by any means if I didn’t have them, but it is a nice bonus.

A page naming and shaming companies is a good idea, but I guess you have to be careful about defamation.

Maybe the best way to deal with crap comments is for us to make admin/moderators aware and for them to send a warning with a guide to appropriate and inappropriate posting. If they contnue they’re banned!

[monaghan]

Originally Posted by alex

A page naming and shaming companies is a good idea, but I guess you have to be careful about defamation.

I guess a carefully crafted page with companies that have advertised in a way considered to be spam could be produced. (on a page SEO'd to the max of course )

[newguy]

Originally Posted by alex

Maybe the best way to deal with crap comments is for us to make admin/moderators aware and for them to send a warning with a guide to appropriate and inappropriate posting. If they contnue they’re banned!

Maybe we can have a section only accessible to members with a set number of posts or certain reputation (or the exisiting paid members area), where offenders are pointed out or. Some people are probably hesitant about pointing out issues they see in an area viewable by all people. Either that or they simply don't know how best to inform others.