Our user count

Tim Vasquez

Tim Vasquez

EF5
Joined
Dec 4, 2003
Messages
3,411
I just flushed out about 1,000 unactivated user accounts, many of them spammers or spambots (and many of those intent on just being in our memberlist to get indexed by Google and drive up their search rankings). A few others are just people who never sent in the application essay (which is the only way we see a new signup) or used a nickname to sign up (which is strictly barred on all the application forms).

This is just a sampling of what we had to weed out:

Code: 
TWM546 , ulberto555 , ultrabait , ultrixost-n77 , umbrella964 , uoytukhgjk , vadim , valar2006 , Valliant , Vashti , Vazzelinnn , VCBon , VCBondf , VdovinAnt , Ventup , Vernonvin , VFbX74sB4 , viagrrt , videofriends770 , vip , Vireona , Vortex Times , VortexTimes2 , vortextimesks , Vovik , vpn vpn vpn , vsedvd , vudutu , warren , Wayne Adams , WeatherRuler13 , Webcams

Now that all is said and done it appears we have 760 legitimate users on board. Of course only a fraction of those are regular visitors.

Tim
 
That sounds like a good idea, but my only concern with something like that is that people wouldn't be posting quality items and they would only post to keep active.
 
I definitely agree with something like that... In addition, I would also make it mandatory for ALL members to contribute to severe weather discussion, and not join the board for such things as, uhhh... Pullution :wink:
 
I tend to be a seasonal poster myself. I will always be most active from about January through mid June. Once the boring Summer pattern sets in, I usually take a break from weather (as I tend to be pretty burned out at that point in the year) and focus on other interests. So I am not around a great deal for about 4-6 months per year. While I try to make a few posts here and there, I don't really see a need to post just for the sake of posting. What's the point in that?

I notice there's lots of other people who tend to be most active in the Spring as well. Therefore I would be opposed to any minimum posting requirement of once every 6 months. Even if some members aren't posting much or only seasonally, what harm is their lack of participation causing? It isn't like the site is depending on them to be here all the time to function. So I could honestly care less if a person posts 5 time per year or 500 times, so long as they post quality stuff and don't cause trouble.
 
With the last moderator votes the number of members that actually voted was 63 on the first vote and 74 on the second, out of 843 registered members (although all 843 haven't been approved). That is a sad ration.
How hard is it to click on a dot and vote.
I think quite a few are here just so they can say that they are a "member" of a storm chasing site.
 
Getting rid of the non-posters is going to be tricky, but getting rid of those who haven't even logged on for a certain amount of time would be much easier. I'm not sure that hasn't already been done though.
 
With the last moderator votes the number of members that actually voted was 63 on the first vote and 74 on the second, out of 843 registered members (although all 843 haven't been approved). That is a sad ration.
How hard is it to click on a dot and vote.
I think quite a few are here just so they can say that they are a "member" of a storm chasing site.
Click to expand...

As far as voting, I didn't get to vote in the first vote. That thread was open less than 24hrs before a winner was declared (which was who I would've voted for anyway). I barely got to vote in the second one before it closed. It was open about 4 days I think. I usually log in almost everyday, but due to a system crash, house guest, etc., I wasn't able to login in as frequently.

Now, the number of votes might not have gone up much if the polls were open for a week, but just saying this might not be the best reflection of active members.

As far as punting members that don't post, I totally agree with George on this. What problem is it causing any of us if these members don't actively post? Unless their membership is taking up too much space on the server or something, I don't understand the reasoning behind all these "get rid of 'em" comments.
 
Hmmm?? ... I am also a "seasonal" poster.... just because I don't post much, if any, during the off season doesn't mean I'm not an active chaser "member" during the "on" season ...

Maybe now that the "on" season is just around the corner.. YEEHAA!!, we may be getting more "non" posters to be more active?? I know I will be... :)

Dave
 
I lurk more than post, even though I have been signed up pretty much from the begining.

One of the main reasons, is that I am a novice when it comes to forecasting / analysis compared to some around here! However I do post more during the "season" as I am usually chasing during that time.
 
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