Spammers, Hackers and Our Forum

[theropod2]

First off, I know this site is completely that of our gracious host to do with as he will.

I'm suggesting that it is time we have a couple moderators, which must be even tempered regulars here, to keep a watch on the pub while Boyd is busy. To spammers it might look like they are posting their wares on the open forum, but until a noob passes a couple tests do any of their posts actually see the open forum. One such test is to see if the topic has any bearing on Stirling engines, or if we are to consider a particular brand of hot tub. Another such test might be if the noob will respond to an email. After those tests are passed the noob's posts could be approved without such close scrutiny.

All of us need to take a proactive role and leave spam threads alone, and report the crap we do read. Make spam posts die from the withering of inattention they so rightfully deserve. We need not bait these scam artists or give them the dignity of response.

I know this would be a lot of work (moderation), and that Boyd has the final say, but this first line of defense would really up the quality of the reader experience. Knowledgeable moderators might also be helpful in protecting and restoring the forum should we ever be attacked again. I know the forum software can tell a select few some very revealing data concerning ISP's and such. Maybe a senior mod could also perform database backups, and other server administration duties, in the event Boyd is engaged elsewhere (having a life).

Am I off base here? I don't mean to be, and I only post because I enjoy this forum a great deal. I try to check in every day.

R

[Chriske]

theropod2,

100% correct, this forum needs a moderator(s)..!...
If Darryl wants me in his 'team' I'll help him out here, (I have two smaller forums of my own)
Whatever he decides the(se) moderator(s) don't need to have full access, (enough to remove all nonsense from this forum).

Chris

[vamoose]

A thought crossed my mind the other day when our much loved forum had its little hiccup.
If for some reason (Einstein forbid) Darryl was suddenly unable to continue hosting this great site that he created, What would become of forum? There is a wealth of knowledge that has been accumulated, and a diverse but also homogeneous community has developed since the sites inception and it would be a tragedy and a huge loss if it were to disappear.
Is the site located on a private computer or on an external server?
Is there anyone else that has the same capacity and access to it as Darryl does?

I realise that giving more people than necessary, total access to the forum creates more potential portholes for hackers to cause site corruption. But it might be worth considering having at least one person (even if they are a sleeper) with total access to the website and have it located on an external server (maybe this is the case already). Also these people should never travel together in the same vehicle (joking) , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Polis ... -154_crash

In the end it is boydhouse's forum and he can do with it what he wishes.. even though its unwritten, as always Darryl, at the end of every post .. 'Thanks!'
vamoose

[Chriske]

Vamoose,

I did a quick search in the members list and found 'Dolk' has the same rights to it as Darryl, so no problem there...
Maybe a moderator or 2 would make their tasks lighter and a quicker response to ads and spam possible.


Chris

[Ian S C]

I will continue my usual practice of reporting the spammers/ advertiserswhat ever one likes to call them. Each time I come on line I check the suspect sites, about all I can do I suppose. Ian S C

[theropod2]

All,

I'd like everyone to be aware from the start that I'm NOT posting about this topic in an attempt to place myself in position to become a potential moderator. If nominated I will not run, and if selected I will not serve. I've done that job, and it's a job (forum moderation), I simply cannot apply myself to the depth of rigor required. Also, again, am aware that until, or if, our host chooses to modify operations here we are all only musing, but doing so out of what I feel are noble motivations.

I agree in totality that this forum is a resource far too valuable to lose for what ever reason. I would, therefore, have no problems donating money to the continued operation and archival of this forum. I'm willing to help in any way I can aside from serving as the crossing guard.

I'd love to see our efforts attract the attention of a great many more educators and students. I'd like to see hundreds of kids invade us and spark the imagination of untold numbers of young minds. I participate in discussions on several other forums, and I am amending my signature thereon to link to this site. I am gonna make my FakeBook page point to here. I think the little scare woke me up to just how much I depend on this forum for thought provoking discussion. I need to step up my game!

I earnestly feel that Stirling engines have a place in our global energy demands, and future applications of which we mere mortals can't imagine. What little I can contribute is of little importance, aside for my support of our rediscovery of this engine and its simplicity. This forum is by far the largest collection of knowledge on the net, and I would, personally, love to see it as busy as a bee hive. The more the better.

Before we can expand in this way, however, we would really need a global (in the physical sense) set of moderators. These mods would be able to deal with trash from within their time zone, and many of us could log on and never see the fruits of their labors. Kids don't need to see links to Nike shoes, they get that enough already. I therefore, again, would have no problem contributing monetarily to the continued operations of this forum.

Could we make little kits and sell them, or a set of down-loadable plans to print out/cut out/glue and run for a donation? A Pay Pal "contribute" button? All this could/should be a non-profit op.

Have I gone far too far out in left field?

R

[Chriske]

Theropod2,

Have you gone far too far out in left field..?

I don't think so, in many ways I do think the same.

- If money is an issue to keep this forum alive I'll be very glad to contribute myself.

- This forum should not disappear. I'm sure Darryl will not let that happen. Like you said before, because of it's value it should not disappear.

- Students should invade us indeed, but due to modern and financial difficult times lots of people/youngsters can not afford buying all these machines, lathes, milling.....
I know many of you will disagree on this one, but be honest : how many youngsters do you see on this forum..? I registered also to a French, German, Dutch and another English Stirling engine forum. 99,..% of all members are old(er) people like ourselves. Lest hope this will never happen (!!) but I think in the far future this hobby will vanish very slowly form this world. There are not enough youngster standing up to take over...!!!
Do not misunderstand me, I will do everything in my power to bring this hobby to the attention of my pupils here in my school. (Why oh why didn't I discover this beautiful hobby years ago...!!)
Some of our own students are very interested to buy a Stirling engine during their school-time. A few of them(18 years old) make an engine for their last exam, some of them really love that engine they're working on, lots of them make an engine only because they had to choose a project. But at the end, in a few years from now, all these students will have forgotten about school. And let's hope someday, when they build a house, they will build a workshop to go with it. And be honest guys : how many will invest in all these machines and tools we have in our own shops. For most of us it has taken us years to buy these machines, let alone master the skills to make these beautiful engines.
Yet again, I will do everything in my power to stimulate my own pupils (professional education) and to bring this engine to their attention. And guess what, they really like this engine and all that goes with it. I always try to drive something with these engines. A few years ago when I started 'Project train' in our school, a few colleagues joined me in 'the ride'. Back then all was electronics. Two years ago I changed all that and started using all Stirling engines we ever built in our projects. Result : everybody happy and interested, pupils, school-head, visitors during open day and last but not least, myself. You can't even start to imagine how much fun I have drawing and building this all together with my pupils.
Point is, let's hope when 'my guys' leave school, hopefully some of them will remember and have the time and the money to spend to start building these Stirling engines. But I'm afraid 'King IC engine' will rule the world for the next decades to come...

- There's a ray of hope imo, because lots of schools here in Belgium started building these Strirling engines. This has for a great deal to do because of a person in the Netherlands offering all his plans on the Internet. That person is Jan Ridders. Very often I have contact with Jan and wishes to thank him once more via this forum.
And last but not least I'd like to thank lost of you guys here on this forum for all I've learned the last few years.

About down-loadable plans, I think there are already lots to be found on the net, or did you have something special in mind...?

Chris

[Administrator]

I'm not ignoring your posts here. I am listening to the requests and will try to decide what the best coarse is.

I have a couple Boards going and they are "very" active Boards. But this last year I see it picking up quite a bit here. I check this forum for SPAM about twice a day when I check all my forums. Although this last few weeks have been quite a hand full with the Hacker problem. I've slacked off a bit.

It is very helpful when you "report" a SPAMMER and do not respond to them. This makes it much easier for me to eliminate them. So if you would report them, but don't respond, that would be great.

This forum was on a hosting plan that included two other Boards (forums). The other Boards have "advertisers" on them and paid for the hosting. This forum has never had advertisers on it. As the other two forums became larger and the hosting plan I had here became too slow for them to run, I moved them to their own hosts. One has it's own dedicated server and I have 6 "Administrators" (not Mods) helping to run that forum. It has about 80 to 150 people on it 24 hours a day. I gave half of it to one of the Administrators (my very close friend, so he is now a co-owner) so it takes less of my time now. Now this forum is on it's own hosting by it's self. But I still use the advertising money from the other large forum to pay for the costs of this forum. That cost is not that great. Maybe around $125 a year is all.

I don't do this to make money. In fact, I usually break even at the end of the year and I am OK with that. On the larger forum we have contest and give prizes, and a lot of the Advertisers give products to give out as prizes also. You need a lot of activity to do that type of thing. So we try to take all the profits and funnel them back into that Board. This Board is funded by the excess of the other Board, that is how this forum is funded at present.

Dolk is really me. I have two logins on all my forums in case something goes wrong with my login. This is so I am not "locked out". I rarely use it, but yes it is there. I have no Moderators or Administrators here and have let this Board run un-moderated. Would I allow a Moderator? Yes, depending on who it was. I have to feel very comfortable with that person before doing so. The wrong person can destroy a Board.

We don't need an Administrator here. It is too much of a security risk (for me) and there is not that much activity here. But a Moderator would be OK. I would consider that.

This is my first Board back when I was really into Stirling and hit and miss engines. It is sentimental to me more than anything, but I wish I had more time to promote it, and try to get more people in. It is a hard subject to promote as there is not a "huge" number of people out there into Stirling Engines. Not like some subjects. But I am very much interested in hearing suggestions for this Board.

Darryl Boyd
boydhouse



PS: I do have a Stirling engine website where I promote a "build your own" set of plans that I do not charge for. I do that to help start new builders. And to help them understand the "basics" of the Stirling engine. No money is made there either!

One more thing, My 32 year old son and my wife are both aware of all my Boards and have all the passwords and such. If something happened to me, they would be on here to see what the members wanted to do with the Boards. On the other Boards, they have names to contact directly, but on here they do not. They would probably post here. But I'm only 59 and still in good health,....but you never know!

They would let the Boards run and not do anything in a rush. There will be plenty of time to decide what to do with the Boards.

[vamoose]

Not putting my hand up for mod,
but am warming my finger up for a donate button..

Every little bit helps said the monkey..
vamoose

[Chriske]

am warming my finger up for a donate button..

Every little bit helps said the monkey..
vamoose

I'll join you vamoose....

About feeling comfortable allowing a total stranger moderating your forum, I understand..!
I would think twice also...

Chris