Is This Site Faking New Members And Their Posts?

[Dogtrousers]

It's not a big deal really. Someone comes on, posts a question like "Are clipless pedals good?" "Are drop handlebars comfortable?" and disappears. We all pile in and argue about clipless pedals/drop handlebars and repeat discussions we've had a zillion times. If you get bored with the thread you can always hit "ignore thread".

I've not seen anything in the way of serious trolling. A skilled troll would be hitting us with more contentious topics (we all know the kind of thing) that tend to blow up into arguments, while avoiding crossing the line into headgear which would be sent to the dungeon.

 

[swee'pea99]

I've not seen anything in the way of serious trolling.

I think a proper troll would pretty soon realise the yield round here is likely to be disappointing, on account of cyclists being so chilled, dood.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

This is exactly the kind of posters to keep an eye on. So far I have only seen once in a forum that the user community reacted correctly by reporting the guy to the admin immediately. If after several helpful answers and specific counter-questions there is no reaction after 72 hours, the thread should be blocked immediately and the uncooperative participant removed from the forum with a ban-kick. Of course, the IP address is then also blacklisted. Such people abuse the helpfulness of well-meaning members because they think the forum is a kind of black box, where you just drop questions at the top and the answers come out automatically at the bottom. Under these circumstances absolutely nobody benefits from it!

Unfortunately, however, such cases are rather ignored than someone takes the trouble to ensure that the user community is spared from such subjects. By the way, no, I'm not a bot, not a mindless sock puppet with a dozen IP addresses, and not a troll either. I am definitely real!

Shall I drop a nuke in the post while I'm at it?

Seriously though, that sounds a bit harsh. Even if the OP of a thread never comes back, if the question is genuine the answers are likely to be of use to others which is another reason to keep things polite.

IP blacklisting is a more complex issue than it might appear so isn't something we would do without a really good reason.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

And there's times when the person comes on, posts, and then finds out they've posted on a UK forum.

Or they discover that this isn't a motorcycling forum.

 

[raleighnut]

Or they discover that this isn't a motorcycling forum.

Or a dating site for fit young athletes.

 

[mudsticks]

Or a dating site for fit young athletes.

Whaaaaat ????

I can't beleeve I've wasted eighteen months of my life, hanging about here, trying to look cool

 

[swee'pea99]

Shall I drop a nuke in the post while I'm at it?

Seriously though, that sounds a bit harsh. Even if the OP of a thread never comes back, if the question is genuine the answers are likely to be of use to others which is another reason to keep things polite.

IP blacklisting is a more complex issue than it might appear so isn't something we would do without a really good reason.

Harsh? Bonkers I'd say. Why 'immediately' block a thread? It's not doing any harm. And if it's doing no-one any good it'll soon slip off the bottom of its own accord.

People who post seeking help, receive it, and never so much as respond, are graceless ingrates, but they do no real harm and, as others have said, sometimes unwittingly start a discussion which is of interest/use to others.

In any case, the OP wasn't really talking about them. The thread title

Is This Site Faking New Members And Their Posts?

isn't asking about individual visitors; it's raising questions about 'the site'. The implication, clearly,

If you go onto the internet there are many suppliers offering to post on a forum for a fee.

is that 'the site'...

There is nothing wrong with the site owners throwing out one liners....

may be engaged in some kind of dodgy dealing.

As I said upthread, if 'they' were engaged in any such activity, they were keeping it remarkably low key. I don't go to all sub-forums, but I've seen little or no evidence of it, and I spend time here every day. Personally I think I'd want to see more compelling evidence than the occasional onetime post from an obnoxious jerk before I began muttering darkly about how certain 'services' can be bought on that there Internet, but maybe that's just me.

But are members wasting their time responding to questions that the poster doesn't care about?

Maybe, maybe not, I guess they can decide for themselves as they go along. No-one has to post anything. Do, don't, please yourself. CC will amble on regardless.

 

[I like Skol]

Whaaaaat ????

I can't beleeve I've wasted eighteen months of my life, hanging about here, trying to look cool

Try harder

 

[ColinJ]

I can't beleeve I've wasted eighteen months of my life, hanging about here, trying to look cool

It IS working ...!

 

[Drago]

Of course the site is inventing new members.

You didn't think anyone as awesome and modest as me would be real, did you?

 

[mudsticks]

Try harder

I'm running out of ideas...

I thought all the cool kids liked komedy karrots.??

It IS working ...!

Ace - I love people who are easily pleased..

Heres a cucumber for you ..

 

[Dogtrousers]

Given the latest crop of threads, I think if Shaun has engaged a supplier, for a fee, to cunningly fake threads to spice things up and bump up CC traffic then he has been badly ripped off.

 

[mudsticks]

Given the latest crop of threads, I think if Shaun has engaged a supplier, for a fee, to cunningly fake threads to spice things up and bump up CC traffic then he has been badly ripped off.

Have to say, it's been pretty good for veg sales though..

I can't pick beans fast enough

 

[alecstilleyedye]

any posts that are blatant attempts at marketing a product are blocked before they even reach the forum pages.

if people saw how many posts have to be pre-moderated they might see things in a new light...

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I often feel it would be nice for all members to have a recent photo as an avatar. Think it would deter a lot of potential scallywags.

You will never believe how many would be spammers present themselves with a wholesome avatar picture!