Soft-delete equals "remove from public view". Hard-delete equals "scrub from server". The one is a reclassification of the data; the other is its destruction. With the new software, I don't know what you see in subfora you weren't assigned to before, but you know those red titles showing a deleted thread? I have a note somewhere in the memos; I'll link back to it there.
Ah, kk - I was under the impression it changed how regular members saw (or, I guess, didn't see?) the deleted threads Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Just wanted to make sure cause I know when I look at some of the forums after a spam-purge... yikes...
Follow-up Because I said I would, this is an example of what our staff is handling, and I would note that this is hardly the heaviest of messes the spammers can make. Additionally, I should note that there were nine more waiting on page two. (I'm always embarrassed when I forget to check every last subforum and this happens.) Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Sheesh. I don't envy your duties as a moderator. I guess you've already thought about changing how people register, with the different types of captcha or having the registering person typing the answer to a question in a text box like some forums do.
A reasonably effective method is to prohibit the posting of links until a minimum number of posts have been made. Five is a common number.
If memory serves, the reason we no longer do this is because the current software doesn't allow it. Previously, we had a series of 3 questions that had to be answered (simple to find with a google search, but not something word-recognition software could answer) and a 10 post minimum to post links.
The restrictions on posting links seems sensible, whether it be post count or time limit, and more newbie friendly than a sign-up quiz. What happened to the software that made this no longer workable?
The forums had to be relocated to new software - the previous forum software was found to suffer from several severe security flaws that had allowed attacks to be carried out against the forums - unfortunately, the old software was no longer being developed. As a result, the forums were "transplanted" onto this new software which, while far more secure, doesn't have some of the nicer anti-spammer functions Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
