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Messages - sysadmin

#21
One of the problems with a forum of this size is that it is a target for spammers.

While the total at the bottom of the main page says we have nearly 13000 accounts, I reckon over 11000 are spam accounts.
Some of them actively spam the boards, and are caught and disabled and/or banned.
Others simply leave links in their profile and signature, and try to use that for search engine ranking.

To that end, there have been some changes with the new software:

  • We now use reCAPTCHA as the captcha for registering.
  • If you have fewer than 5 posts to your credit, you must also use reCAPTCHA to verify that you aren't a bot.
  • All links to websites have been disabled in all profiles.  Sorry.
  • You may not have links or images in your signature, unless you reach 5 posts
  • Posts in "Forum Games" do not count for this.

We also use Bad Behavior, Project Honey Pot, and Stop Forum Spam.  There are three sets of mods that seem to help things.

Hopefully, I will not have to spend more time chasing spammers.
#22
I've updated the forum code base to SMF 2.0.3.
I've restored most of the old functionality, so things should be the same as before.

New things:

  • You may now change your "Display Name" to be separate from your login username.
    You no longer need to send in a postcard to update your Display Name.
  • Various anti-spam features, to be discussed in a different post.
  • You have "Buddy List" in your profile, and can follow your forum friends.
Changed things:

  • The "Ignore User" feature is now part of the Buddy List.  It will still block PMs/Posts from people you ignore.
  • Quoting a post with an image has a different button.
  • Various moderator features.

If you feel there is a feature that you want to add, please visit http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/
If there is a mod that you like, and that will work on this codebase, let me know, and I'll see what happens.



#23
I have banned him from the forums.
This is the maximum that I can do within my remit.

I have updated his profile to refer to this thread.


I reserve the right to remove the ban if things are resolved to my satisfaction.  However, I do not find this likely.
#24
Hello,

I am giving him a right of reply for 48 hours.

If this is not resolved to my satisfaction, I will do what I can within my remit.
#25
Hello,

Some statistics on the Artist Alley signups today:

1st submitted account:   1/28/2012  12:03:01 PM
100th submitted account: 1/28/2012  12:06:26 PM
200th submitted account: 1/28/2012  12:10:09 PM
300th submitted account: 1/28/2012  12:22:53 PM

1st created account: 1/28/2012  12:01:36 PM
100th created account: 1/28/2012  12:03:09 PM
200th created account: 1/28/2012  12:04:40 PM
300th created account: 1/28/2012  12:10:01 PM

Congratulations to those who have been marked as preliminarily approved, and best of luck to those on the waitlist.
#26
If anyone has lost anything at Fanime, please email [email protected].

Make sure to include as much information as possible, including a description of the item,
and where/when you might have lost it.  We'll check it with our inventory.

If we have a match, we'll get the item to you.
#27
Feedback of all types are welcome and necessary.

However, there are a lot of things that can't be changed.  Period.  Don't ask.
* Union rules, pricing of certain elements
* Whether certain prohibited items will suddenly become allowed.

There are also a lot of things that might change, but it will take a complete miracle:
* People get stressed; Stressful people get curt.
* There will be idiots who pull fire alarms/have elevator parties/carry open alcohol containers/steal stuff.
This is not the ideal state of affairs, but there's no way to solve this with a few forum threads.

In any event, if you feel that it would be cathartic to mention anything in these four bullet points, go ahead I suppose.
But don't be pissed if you feel that it will fall on deaf ears.


There are plenty of things that -CAN- be changed and improved.
Feedback of those things will probably go a lot further, just so you know.



Quote
If the food is that crappy, point the finger at the ConCenter, not the Con
Actually, the food is not from the Convention Center either.  Things get complicated.

#28
General Convention Discussion / Re: Yoshiki
May 22, 2011, 06:30:00 PM
This just came into the Video Schedule:

Yoshiki Q&A and Autograph Session
Saturday 4:00PM to 7:00PM
Video Main track
SJCC Room B

#29
It is absolutely 18+
#30
It's coming, for sure.

I'm trying to work with the right departments to finalize their schedule, but both events are happening.
#31
There is an official (interim) schedule:
http://www.fanime.com/2011/05/22/schedule-up/

A few departments (including autographs) have not yet finalized their schedule.  As soon as I get that information, the site gets updated.

Until this, 80% of the schedule is posted, so please check it out.  Thanks!
#32
Hi all,

This is for programmers.

Are you a fancy application developer for either the iPhone or Android or something else?

FanimeCon will be releasing its schedule data in XML form, suitable for parsing in your favorite convention application.
If you're interested in getting access to this, please email me at [email protected] with the subject line I would like XML data, please

This data will be available when the official FanimeCon schedule goes to print.

Please note that Fanime will have its official Web schedule, official Print schedule, and official mobile site.
All other convention applications are considered "unofficial".
(Sorry, we ran out of time to create our own apps this season)

We will also maintain an XML feed of at-con schedule changes, available in happy RSS form.


Anyway, for quick coders, have at it.   Maybe create a thread for your own unofficial convention schedule applications.

Best,
sysadmin
#33
Okay, TC_X0_Lt_0X and JTchinoy

Please enjoy your 3 day bans from the forums, and a 2 week ban from Serious Business.

Thanks,
sysadmin
#34
Quote from: Topagae on April 23, 2011, 12:02:37 AM
Bah, it matters not. I'm getting my table but I had to play the system to get it.

I suppose my sense of justice compelled me to post this, it irks me greatly I have to basically not follow the rules to get what I want.

Life Lesson: This with influence and power get what they want. Pity.

It is exactly this kind of post that causes skilled staffers to quit.

#35
Here's how the deal works.

It's algebra, so get ready for variables:

* AA signups continues to run until the stated closing time.  After that, no new accounts will be allowed to be created or submitted.
* The total demand for tables far exceeds the existing supply.  This is, unfortunately, a reality.
\_ Cons have handled this differently; currently Fanime is using a combination of FCFS and lottery draw.
\_ We can debate different ways of handling this: however, no matter what, you will always have more demand than supply (which means sad artists)

* A certain number of tables (X) were available in the initial layout.
* It was essentially first-come/first-serve until those X tables were used up.
\_ There were some special cases; some of them involved that "add second artist" bug; some of them involved other issues.
\_ You can imagine how many people applied in the first two hours.

* Everyone else who registered before the close of signups, but did not get one of the first X tables is part of the lottery.
* Let's say there are Z entries.
* The Artist Alley team has to negotiate with other Fanime groups about various things (lots of horrible details about a complicated process).
* The goal is to procure some extra tables.  With luck, Y tables will be newly created and available.

* The number of tables of the Z entries will, of course, far exceed the supply of Y tables.
* The AA team will randomly choose entries from Z, until the final supply of Y tables have been used up. 
* This lottery draw probably won't happen until after all those negotiations are complete, so you'll have to be patient.

* The intent is that everyone who registered through AA will receive a final email; either AA approval, AA rejection, AA Lottery Win, or AA Lottery Loss.
* If you log in and find your account is already in Step 4, you've been approved / won the AA lottery. 
\_ If you lost your approval email, this is another way to check your status.
* I know that people who are in this "awaiting approval" state have to wait this out, unfortunately.

* Yes, the way the URL was given out should've been handled better.
\_ I apologize to the artists that were inconvenienced by this; part of that responsibility does fall on me.
\_ To be fair, if everyone had the URL ahead of time, it probably means that the initial batch of X tables would've sold out even faster than it did. :/

I think that's everything that I can see for now.
#36
I'll speak for the game shows I run, and the other events I've managed:

It's extremely rare that you can 'apply' to be a host.  I suppose it's how someone can apply to be the president.
In other words, it's possible, but no one really goes through this route.

At the level of conventions, generally hosts are selected from the people who directly produce the events, or one of their close associates.
So, that's not really a viable way.


If you want to help, but don't want the responsibility of being a staffer, then probably volunteering is the best place.
#37
This is a good point.

The text of the agreement is available from before Step 1.

I believe there is a link to the Table Agreement on each page.

It's just that you can't check off "I agree to the Artist Alley Table Agreement" until 5A.
#38
Here's the basic breakdown:

Step 1: Create New Account, etc.
Step 2: Select Number of Tables, Add other artists (if you're a group, etc.)
Step 3: Submit, then Wait for Approval.
(after approval)

Step 4A: Pay for your Table.
Step 4B: Verify your Attendee Registration
(if you haven't paid for your attendee registration, you'll need to do that in the regular reg system, before the system lets you go to step 5)
(if you have paid for your attendee registration, the system will try to find it in the regular reg system, then go on to step 5)
Step 5A: Paperwork! (AA Table Agreement)
Step 5B: More Paperwork! (Seller's Permit)
(if you don't have a seller's permit, you'll need to take care of that before the system lets you go to step 6)
(if you have a seller's permit, you'll type it in)
Step 6: Done.

Essentially, there are two halves: getting yourself in the system, then taking care of the side stuff afterwards.

If you've already pre-registered an attendee membership, then 4B will be very fast.
Otherwise, it'll take a little longer.   That's all.

If you wish, you do not have to worry about pre-reg or seller's permit until after you're officially approved.  That's perfectly okay.
#39
Yes, indeed.

It was about 400 posts all told, in an actual conversation.

So either spambots have passed the Turing Test and gained sentience, or someone was just interested in talking on a forum (then turned their signature into a link for discount furniture)
#40
I appreciate the sentiment.

The current sets of filter (4 levels now) seem to help, but a few break through.

Right now, we're being assaulted by spammers whose primary role is to register accounts, then put links in their sig.
This is so that google will find the link, and add it to its search engine.  This is bad.
They don't tend to post(*), but I still find that a bannable offense.
I've deleted about 5000 accounts so far.

Hopefully, the actual comment spam will dry up to less than one-per-week, which will make me happy.

(*) The one exception was an account that was indeed a spammer, but actually seemed to like talking about Japanese animation, and had several conversations in the threads.