=][= FRATER NOVUS - CHAOS ON THE B&C!!! =][=

[Brother Tyler]

If you haven't seen this topic, we are creating a new user group. The reason for this is that we are trying to find a way to reduce the ability for spammers, spambots, and bad actors to create accounts and post inappropriate content here. We have tried other methods in the past, most recently a manual approval process that required newly-registered members to send an email to me so that I could then approve their accounts. While many newly-registered members did that and were approved quite quickly, many did not and I worried that legitimate members were not being supported in a timely manner. So we turned that process off, reverting to our standard process of newly-registered accounts simply having to respond to an email that the system automatically sent. However, we have had some spammers, spambots, and bad actors get through, including one that recently posted adult content (which we quickly deleted, along with the account).

 

So we have decided upon a new method whereby newly-approved accounts will be in a new group, the + FRATER NOVUS + group. While in this group, they will have limited permissions and any content they submit must be reviewed and approved by a member of the staff. Once they have 5 approved content items, they will be automatically moved in the + FRATER DOMUS + group. In this way, we might catch spammers, spambots, and bad actors before they do their thing (though smart ones may game the system). I filter most out before their accounts are even approved, but this will (hopefully) get the majority of the rest before they are able to reach you.

 

There's a snag, though. 

 

The new software doesn't allow me to change the default user group for newly-approved members, changing it from + FRATER DOMUS + to + FRATER NOVUS + in the Admin control panel. There's a way to do it in the code, but I'm a knuckle-dragger and the Sacristans have a lot of other things going on. So I'm going to try a hack. If things go well, you might not even notice. If they don't, things might get a bit wonky before I can fix things (after which I'll submit myself to the pain glove).

 

So here's what is going to happen:

1. I'll create a new user group called + FRATER DOOMUS +. This will duplicate the current + FRATER DOMUS + user group in terms of permissions and settings, the only exception being the (temporary!) difference in group name.
2. I'll create the rule by which members in the [existing] + FRATER DOMUS + group will automatically move ("promote") to the + FRATER DOOMUS + group when they have 5+ approved content items. Any account that has/exceeds that threshold should be automatically promoted, though it may take time for the system to work through the member list. If we're lucky, you won't even notice except by seeing that there is an extra "O" in your user group name. I expect that many existing accounts will remain in the [existing] + FRATER DOMUS + group because they have fewer than 5 approved content items. We had a practice of deleting content after it became obsolete, but we discarded that practice after we realized that it affected achievements under the new software. In addition, the site suffered a major crash about two decades ago and we lost a lot of data, leaving many old accounts with fewer than 5 posts. So I'll have to go through all of the accounts that remain in the [existing] + FRATER DOMUS + group and manually move them to the + FRATER DOOMUS + group. That may take some time, but I expect that most of those will be inactive accounts, so the urgency there is low (though I'll still work as speedily as possible).
3. I'll change the [existing] + FRATER DOMUS + group to the + FRATER NOVUS + group. This will involve both the name change and the adjusting of permissions.
4. I'll rename the + FRATER DOOMUS + group + FRATER DOMUS + and everything will be right with the world.
5. I'll ensure that the promotion rule works (i.e., the group names align with + FRATER NOVUS + promoting to +FRATER DOMUS +).

If everything goes well, you won't notice anything unless you happen to log in mid-process. If things don't go well, I'll have to scramble to fix them. Since both interim groups will have the same permissions, however, your ability to participate in the community shouldn't be affected at all - you'll just have the wrong group name for a while until I fix things.

 

I'll post updates here.

 

Wish me luck.

[grailkeeper]

It's a testament to the admins that I've literally never seen that kind of material here. That's not to say it isn't here, just that you deal with it so efficiently.

 

If Space Marines have to go through trials to become Brothers, then I have no problem with people here having to so the same.

Edited September 25 by grailkeeper

[Brother Tyler]

 

It's a testament to the admins that I've literally never seen that kind of material here. That's not to say it isn't here, just that you deal with it so efficiently.

 

If Space Marines have to go through trials to become Brothers, then I have no problem with people here having to so the same.

 

Don't forget the Moderati. There are more of them and they tend to act swiftly, catching more of the bad stuff that gets posted than I do.

[Kallas]

 

If we're lucky, you won't even notice except by seeing that there is an extra "O" in your user group name.

If possible, could you just have the groups as:

• ++ Frater Domus ++
• + Frater Domus +

That way the difference should be even less noticeable. Unless the "+"s aren't part of the group name or something.

Edited Wednesday at 10:57 PM by Kallas
Missed a letter

[Brother Tyler]

The plus signs are part of our group naming structure, indicating most staff positions.

[Kallas]

Ah ok fair enough.

[Brother Tyler]

I've made the initial changes:

• The group that will eventually be called the + FRATER DOMUS + group is currently called the + FRATER DOOMUS + group.
• The group that will eventually be called the + FRATER NOVUS + group is currently called the  + FRATER DOMUS+ group.
• The automatic promotion rule is in effect.

However, it appears that the system doesn't automatically promote members until they submit some content. As I compose this, there are 5 members of the + FRATER DOOMUS + group. There are almost 52,000 members still in the + FRATER DOMUS + group and there's no way to mass-promote everyone, so it will take far too long for me to do that tonight (I'm old and it's almost bedtime - Matlock is on). I expect that we'll see a lot more members promoted into the new group overnight and tomorrow. After that, I'll start the manual promotion process.

 

So if you're reading this and your user group is + FRATER DOMUS +, post something. And if your user group is + FRATER DOOMUS +, everything is working correctly (don't panic).

 

+ UPDATE +

 

Actually, it appears that a member just needs to log in for the system to promote them [if they already have 5+ approved contents].

Edited Thursday at 03:09 AM by Brother Tyler

[LittlePlasticHomies]

Good on you all - I spend more time on this site than I should and haven’t seen any griefing

[Captain Coolpants]

By posting something, would that include a comment such as this? Or a new topic? 

[Grotsmasha]

 

By posting something, would that include a comment such as this? Or a new topic? 

Yep, a comment just like this, or a topic too, such as an Introduction in the Community Forum.

[Mendi Warrior]

 

I'll create a new user group called + FRATER DOOMUS +.

 

Brother Tyler, I hope you are not superstitious ... "DOOM US" ?

;-)

[Rusted Boltgun]

 

Best read in a Scottish accent*

 

Thank you for all the hard work in the background. As said above, no idea of some of the stuff going on thanks to you all.

 

*For those not reaching a year off 50 today like me or had access to old BBC comedies, this was from Dad's Army,

[Lord_Ikka]

Usually it seems that spambots tend to try to do their thing late at night for the USA - around midnight Eastern time or later, from what I've seen.

[Gaz Taylor]

Doing stuff on other forums I know this is a thankless task but you have my thanks

[Ace Debonair]

So... does that mean we can call today "Frater Doomsday"? 

 

EDIT: OK, the formatting bar seems to have gone walkabouts, no little smiley face at the end of the sentence for me.

 

EDIT EDIT: THE TIME OF THE SMILEY FACE IS UPON US

 

Edited Friday at 11:16 AM by Ace Debonair

[Brother Tyler]

There were 273 members in the + FRATER DOOMUS + group when I just checked. I did a mass-move of everyone with 5+ approved contents in the + FRATER DOMUS + group to the + FRATER DOOMUS + group, but it will take time for the software to catch up. I'll check the system's progress later. This might slow things down for a bit while the software moves almost 52K members (minus those that have fewer than 5 approved contents) into the + FRATER DOOMUS + group.

 

Yes, the DOOMUS name was intentional - a small joke. This is the member mass move of doooooooooom! (and hopefully it goes well).

 

Ooh! I just checked and we now have 3,500+ members in the + FRATER DOOMUS + group. This might not take too long. Fingers crossed.

[Brother Tyler]

We're now at 8,580 members in the + FRATER DOOMUS + group!

 

I'll check again later this morning (time to walk the dog and take care of my other morning chores, including getting child #2 to high school).

[Trokair]

 

Yes, the DOOMUS name was intentional - a small joke. This is the member mass move of doooooooooom! (and hopefully it goes well).

 

Ooh! I just checked and we now have 3,500+ members in the + FRATER DOOMUS + group. This might not take too long. Fingers crossed.

 

 

 

Despite the doom a kudos to the Staff for all the hard work.

[Mazer Rackham]

I would like to personally thank the Admin staff for their hard work.

 

This has coincided with a particularly deadly scene in the Black Crusade game I'm running, and the use of +FRATER DOOMUS+ has added dramatic value.

 

Just As Planned.

[Progenitor]

Damn spammers ruining everything! 

[Brother Tyler]

For those that haven't noticed yet, members of the FRATER DOOMUS group can't see the formatting toolbar when composing content. I'm working on it.

[Cenobite Terminator]

This is interesting!

[Brother Tyler]

I haven't figured out how to get the formatting toolbar back. We think it may be related to the other UI problems since the last update. In the meantime, however, I have created an Emoji Cheat Sheet in the B&C 101 for those that want to use emojis until I fix the toolbar problem.

 

You can click on the image a few times to see a larger version that is (hopefully) legible/usable. I'll work on a more user-friendly version.

[Indy Techwisp]

Is it possible to manually do Italics, Underlines, Bold or Strikethroughs in the same way you can manually add a spoiler box

like this?

[phandaal]

I keep reading my new title as "Frater Doofus," and honestly, that's fair.

 

Thank you for the chuckles today! (Imagine your choice of laughing emoji here.)