Dell complaints

[Rocke_T_Sinetist]

We are considering banning GMAIL as an address from which one can register for posting access to this board, as almost all porn spam originates from GMAIL accounts.

It should not disable existing accounts, but will prevent anyone with a GMAIL address from registering in the future.

How do you feel about this, versus the disgusting spam to which we're exposed almost hourly?
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Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'

[diashto]

several boards that I know of restrict access from "free" email accounts, forcing users to use something from their ISP, work, etc.

If most of our registrations are coming from gmail, then by all means, ban gmail.

[AngelusDaemonicus]

Most forums do indeed ban web-based email accounts for this very reason.
My only reason for using Gmail is that my ISP (Rogers) sucks ass and I'm thinking of switching. So, all my current email comes from Gmail, just so I don't put a soon to be dead email addy on a CV. Otherwise, if banning web-based email helps cut the crap, please do what you must.

If I wanna look at porn, I already know where to go. I certainly don't come here for that.

(EDIT: Turns out I used a Yahoo account. Well, we'll just see what happens next. I reckon it would only effect an existing user if they lost their password and needed it emailed to them. If it were web-based, they'd never get it.)
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"One man's garbage is another man's DELL."

[Apathy]

Sounds good to me, but like diashto said restricting access from all "free" email accounts should also be considered.
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Q: How do you know Dell Management is lying to you?

A: Until proven otherwise, Assume EVERYTHING coming from Dell Management is a lie.

[Rocke_T_Sinetist]

Thanks for your feedback. I have submitted the proposal to the board owner for approval and action.

I do not have authority to invoke broadband bans unilaterally. I also do not know with certainty how this might affect users in good standing who registered through a gmail account.
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Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'

[incident_man]

I realise I'm a bit late, but I use a gmail acct because my provider is Qwest and they insist on using MSN webmail for their email, which only works with Outlook Express, unless you want to pay an added fee to get MSN or Hotmail to work with Outlook. Gmail works just fine with Outlook if you enable POP in it, and since I paid for Outlook, I'm gonna use it.
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Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.

[guest_s]

[diashto]

[Mele20]

I don't like Gmail because Google reads all mail and keeps it forever. So, I don't communicate with anyone with GMail. Thus, I don't mind in the least if you ban GMail users here. BUT GMail is not the only web based mail. For instance, I have an account at dslreports.com which is my "home" site. I hardly think folks with an account there (it is in beta and has been for years and has a VERY limited number of accounts allowed and an a waiting list for dslr members who want an account) would be guilty of spamming this or any board.

So, I don't think the ban on webmail should be on all webmail accounts. I also have an email account at Medscape which I have had since Medscape was Physicians on Line many years ago and I also have one of the original MyRealbox accounts from about eight-nine years ago (MyRealbox has been closed to new accounts for quite awhile now). Both these accounts are really ruthless on spam (although myrealbox was not until recently) and I don't think most physicians and others with a Medscape account would be spamming this board. I seldom use my ISP's email for board registrations. I don't recall what I used here.

[Rocke_T_Sinetist]

Many fixed email services provide for secondary/anonymous accounts, to which spammers would not have access because they don't want to leave a trail.

As an interim patch, we have disabled images. The text and links will still be there, but not the visual content. Unfortunately, that bans images from legitimate users too, and there is no option for "trusted" accounts.

I have also banned IPA ranges from from countries within which known spammers operate, but the resourceful ones use proxies so that's not going to be very effective.
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Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'

[Rocke_T_Sinetist]

Disabling images only disables board image tags, not HTML tags. It had no effect.

TFN, we have banned gmail as a registration address, as it is most often abused by spammers for its anonymity.

Any reader wishing to register will have to supply an email address OTHER THAN gmail. Existing accounts should continue to function.

This site does not propagate email addresses, so there is no risk in providing a fixed email address versus a transient one.
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Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'

[FallenAngel]

[Rocke_T_Sinetist]

At most, it's a temporary deterrent, not a 'fix'. Just that that one persistent spambot glommed onto gmail and this site and dumped a dozen pages of the same gross photos here a day.

Since the ban, we've only had one manual spammer, Tue morning, who hit every forum from an Asian email address, which has been *.banned.

But I already know, you can't get rid of ants or roaches by squishing one at a time.
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Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'

[FreeSpoken]

Made me look! Couldn't remember which email addy was used for registration and find it was the Bigfoot one. I forward email in case of moving so nobody needs to update their address books. Also use Gmail, but only for making purchases and serial chain letter addicts. These accounts also forward to my ISP account, then go through filters.

So, if they decide to ban Gmail I'm okay, but all Internet based email would have an effect on me. Up to you folks, it's your site, but you will probably loose accounts doing so.

[Rocke_T_Sinetist]

The issue with gmail is that one prolific spambot used it exclusively, probably because the bot could crack gmail's authentication process, if any. I also notified gmail that their service was being corrupted this way.

This is posted--rather than doing it in stealth--because anyone can READ the forum without registering, and if they read this, they will know they need to use an account other than gmail to register.

Gmail is not the only free, transient account provider, it's just the one the spambot glommed on to. It has also been necessary to ban a large range of European ISPs, where most of the porn spam originates. The effort has been relatively successful. Porn spam is down from one per hour to one per day on average. Ya gotta whatcha gotta do.
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Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'