New Admins Poll

Mrs John Murphy · New Admins Poll

Vote now.

I've listed people in alphabetical order. I am also assuming based on comments in the other threads am assuming that everyone who is willing to stand is standing.

Please vote for the two people you would prefer to see as new admins.

Thanks.

Apologies if I have left anyone out. If you wish to stand then say and people will have to say 'yay' in the thread to count as once a poll has started you can't edit it.

My Blurb

I view the role of any admin to be limited to: clearing up spammed threads (ie spam removal) and the banning of spammers accounts and IPs. And if there are any board features that need to be updated, implemented then doing that.

I don't think anyone wants to see interference in issues of 'taste' - so the fanboys are all quite safe. Unless of course you start hawking shoes or porn...

The whole point of this forum was to avoid the plague of random moderation and the best way to avoid that is to continue to have no moderation but to have admins to ban spammers.

If I were to leave for any period of time I would let people know so the board is not left in the lurch.

Slapshot 3

Want some Blurb??

Okay, although i work for the UK's nation's state Met Office, my work is mostly IT these days, we build and manage customer websites, manage, repair(too regularly) and maintain the systems our forecasters and consultants use to create the forecast services we provide. I work shifts so can play seek and destroy with these spamming sods as often as they appear. Basically my time is very flexible.

What Berg built was perfect for our needs, an unmoderated board that anyone could debate any relevant issue. That has to stay exactly as was intended however we need to get into the back end of the board to stop the clowns who only seek to interrupt the debate, spammers, wummers, sockpuppets you name it.

It was Berg's vision that I wanted to preserve when these problems started by building an alternative and another and finally the one that's been built and tested over the last two or three weeks, however this method gives us the scope to preserve everything.

I don't believe in revenge, I believe that there is a space here for any cycling fan to air their views, if I don't agree with them well thats fine but I wouldn't ban them for it (Fanboys are welcome, honest)

Additionally the board has to develop, there are other mods that can upgrade the experience of the JC debate. Admins are there to manage the site, not the content, that's a moderators job, we don't have any!!

If you want to trust me with it then thanks for the vote of confidence, I will do my best to ensure that the site stays the way we want it. ......... (now where do I attach the rosette)

Fontfroide

Just out of curiosity, as I have never known what powers owners of forums have, even though I am on several ... Do the owners or managers of forums find out the true email address or the identity of the posters? In other words, do they have access to more information about people than we do?

I am just wondering, as I don't really care who knows who I am or where I live. Once you have the real name of someone a good detective can find out anything else.

Mrs John Murphy

Fontfroide

Thanks, always wondered about that.

berck

Mrs John Murphy

berck

Here is my blurb:

I like the openess of this board, and do not think that the admin should be a person who imposes his/her own will on everybody. Lets keep the board open, but remove offending accounts that are spaming information and not contributing to our propose. Discussing cycling.

Its fine to get off track. I'm specifically talking about people who are spamming information to our board.

Anyway, I've been a moderator on a tech board for about a year and have some experience keeping things going on that board. I do not have any experience with this particular board (MFF.org).

I'm happy to do it if you want me. I highly suggest we get Slapshot as one of the admins. If he makes it, anybody else can be properly trained.

Slapshot 3

Administrators can see everything you add to your profile page, they have to otherwise they can't change permissions, board properties that sort of thing.

*** From MJM's post above*** from memory of the MFF board I set up this also has an automatic registration process using the emails however the alternative options are there. Depends what Berg put up.

Point is in appointing an admin, as is happening here, means that you trust them with certain bits of information about you. In the ideal world you don't realise this when you sign up. I've worked on other websitesand forums now for three or four year and we've had ZERO instances of missing data or email leaks.

That would obviously continue here.

SlowRower

I voted for Slapshot and MJM.

The former for his undoubted technical knowhow.

The latter in the hope that Spammers will be hunted down and dealt with with the same energy and brutality employed on responses to the Fanboys' posts. Smile

maffy

i work/ed (not that much work around here these days, and i like where i live and don't really want to move) in IT support, specialize in education networks, mostly with a well known brand of fruity flavour computers. also do a lot of graphics and video stuff that's associated with that particular brand. i potter about on bikes again these days, mostly with shopping bags attached to them. watch a lot of cycling on foreign telly channels. there was a thread about me here.

we all seem to want pretty much the same thing in an admin. get rid of the spammers and the disruption they cause. unmoderated is good, a bit of wumming is fine, everybody's entitled to their opinions on cycling. debate is healthy. the only other tasks an admin should do would be the very occasional pinning and unpinning of topics, and to thoroughly test and evaluate the occasional software update. which sounds like work. mostly, what we've got here works.

don't particularly like sockpuppets myself, but as bio said in the other thread, a quiet PM in the ear should ideally suffice. maybe ban the ones that just want to attack other posters. that was a tiresome episode.

anyway, i'm happy to sling up the odd race thread and try to keep things vaguely tidy, admin or not.

Bartali

Thanks guys - I'm very grateful to all of you and equally happy with any of you. Much appreciated.

HuwB

Biosphere

bbnaz

voted.

Thankless job except for the thanks here expressed.

Me, a fan?

Kathy would be a good choice as she seems to be on here the most frequently, I could be wrong though (about being most frequent! Very Happy

). As it stands I would say that everyone one the list visits the site often enough to keep the relatively mild amount of spam cleaned up. Thanks, people, for puting in the effort to keep this thing rolling.

Fontfroide

I voted, but anyone will do, all of you seem to be here often enough. The key thing is to have a backup person. And for someone to know how to fix things that don't work.

Truth of the matter is that I don't mind the spam. The topic is clear enough, I just don't go there. Although it would be good not to have it. What is more bothering to me over the past few weeks is clicking on a link and finding all those damn "bumps", apparently designed to make the spam drop down the list of topics. No idea what people think they are doing. At least with the spam you know there is nothing of interest. clicking on a topic and finding it merely a bump is a drag.

Anyway you can never stop spam. I run a small list for my cycling club on Google and there has begun to be spam there. The spammers are not people who target us, they are just automatic bots that do their assigned task.

I remember in the early days, really early days, of email, there was no spam. I remember hearing it was two lawyers in Arizona who were the first to send unwanted advertising on the net. Oh for the good ole days.

Mrs John Murphy

Who knew we had such community spirit Smile

The poll is open until Sunday and I will then send all the links to the MFF guys and hopefully they will take action.

kathy

Fontfroide

I did see it. But I didn't click on any topic that had to do with non-cycling shoes or clothing. But I DO click each time on "real topics", and quite often lately find a "bump". So, in fact, the bumps are a tiny drag, and the spam is no problem at all. Everyone deals with spam in their own way, and I am quite happy if there is someone who takes care of it and deletes all the spammers. But I gotta say, you can never beat them, they have tireless robots working at all hours. I do agree that spam is annoying, but bumps are nearly the same.

Biosphere

last km

they have tireless robots working at all hours.

The best robots ever http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SAbJjktk7E

bianchigirl

duly voted - and would like to thank Slappy again for all his sterling work i nvestigating alternatives and MJM for finding (hopefully) a way for us to take control of dear old JC

MAILLOT JAUNE

Slapshot 3

MAILLOT JAUNE

Sorry SS, I just haven't or not noticed you being called that before on the forum. "Girly" comes up with some crackers sometimes.

Slapshot 3

mr shifter

I have voted but realise I have no credentials to pontificate as I can only use this place on my Learning Curve.

I like this board with all it's tools and gizmo's and the relaxed way it has trundled along without a captain.
I don't think (but what do I know) that we have got to any stage for Corporal Jones of Dad's Army Fame to tell us what to do.
The thing that has got you worked up seems to be the Shoe Shit Salesman and I once clicked to have a look and with almost a Double click I was out again.

This board has been Invaded by many people who have then gone on their way when they lost interest as nobody here cares for their point of view.

I've said it before that if no one clicks on the spam, then they will also loose interest and go.

Be Lucky.......Just too many "I's".....never make a salesman....."what can I help you with now Sir" ????.....yes of course we can do that for you. ! !

HuwB

Mr S: You obviously haven't seen the half page spams that have appeared in the middle of most of the GT threads.
Unlike the shoe spammer, they are no joke.

Talking of jokes and having worse.

A stereotypical one, from one ethnic minority to another.
I'm surprised no one has come up with Jock Slap. Razz

bianchigirl

Let me get this straight - we're looking for people to get rid of spam and crap adverts i.e. admin tasks but we're not looking for moderators, right?

I'm cool with that.

Slapshot 3

maffy

yep. that's my reading bg.

it could be that the software forces some nominate to be labeled as moderator, but we should read that as spambuster according to the manifestos.

mr s, the porn spammer in the garage was the turning point for me.

ff, bumps and shoe threads are annoying, but sometimes we get the ones that post the random linky story onto proper threads.

MAILLOT JAUNE

Yeah, totally agree. The way this forum started - refugees from the BBC - there, as far as I'm aware no moderation, and, surprisingly, apart from a few disagreements./strong language/persoanl attacks we've managed. For want of a better word we're a '"family", who look after each other in times of need, despite our disagreements and we still welcome like-minded (in the sense of the spirit of the forum, not in the sense that we all agree with each other - that'd be boring) new members to the family. We only need some dedicated (and much appreciated) folk to delete spammers not anyone else who decides to join and end up upsetting folk with their point of view. We (i feel) respect other peoples points of view, whether we agree or not. It's up to these new "family" members to decide whether they stay or not.
There have been several instances where I've be thoroughly appalled by either responses to my posts or just reading others, but I've been able to put them aside as they die down and enjoy my membership of this forum family!
Phew! Glad I got that all off my chest!

Slapshot 3

Mrs John Murphy

I think that this is an accepted principle of these forums. No moderation.

The only role for Admins is the banning of spammers and the deleting of spam.

It is one of these things - the more people vote, the more people post - the strong our case is with MFF to get them to help set up some admins.

cardinal guzman

If this happens, I'd rather see two admins than one.

Wish Berg would say Hi really.

Me, a fan?

Me, a fan?

HuwB

Oh and don't forget the stickies. I'll make a tidy new library links, then.
Yes, definitely 2 or 3 administrators. Makes life easier alround.

God, I hate this non season, non news time.....

Ralphnorman

Slapshot 3

Slapshot 3

kathy

Are you confusing the avatars, Slapshot? It was Huw who came up with the funny name Wink

Slapshot 3

grrr

kathy

Ralphnorman

Biosphere

Biosphere

grrr

Mrs John Murphy

To remind people the polls are open until tomorrow. Vote now or forever hold your peace

kathy

Slapshot 3

Try this one Ralph, brilliant for doing bulk batches, I use it regularly

http://bluefive.pair.com/pixresizer.htm

Jackov

I exercised my franchise

cardinal guzman

Ralph, if you point me in the direction of the photo you want, I'll sort it if you like Smile

A reduced colour Gif is best way of optimising the image within the constraints of the Avatar file size.

Ralphnorman

Cheers cg

cardinal guzman

Howzat? I went with showing all of you and the bike with a big space at the back to emphasise velocity, but can redo it however you like - it only takes a few seconds - be as picky and artistic-director-y as you like. Cool

Ralphnorman

Cheers cg

cardinal guzman

It's a pleasure! Smile

berck

Well, according to MJM, the poll is closed. Looks like Slapshot and I gathered the most votes. I found out that MFF wants one of us to be declared the new forum owner. I propose that to be Slapshot. He is very familiar with how MFF works. I'm happy to help him administer the site

Thanks to everyone for participating.

Slapshot 3

cardinal guzman

Mrs John Murphy

MFF say they have PM'd the necessary information to Berck and Slapshot so fingers crossed...

Slapshot 3

They have!!, I'll get onto it later, just about to finish work and head home.

TNG

More than happy with the proposal......

Thanks to all the volunteers.

kathy

Yes, I'm happy - and I'll always help if needed.

Slapshot, on the list of members there is one called Kathy1. I opened that when I couldn't access the site, it wouldn't recognise the password, and Berg wasn't around. The account can never be used because I discovered that the email address I tried to use was defunct. You can cancel that membership Very Happy

Mrs John Murphy

Biosphere

cardinal guzman

Yes - thanks and congratulations on your new foster forum!

Will you be able to let it go if Berg comes back? Shocked

Hope you're hale and hearty Berg mi amigo - you're well missed, and I'm not referring to this issue when I say that.

Fontfroide

I am glad this forum is on a firmer footing and I won't have to delete the spams.

Thanks to those who are going to do the work.

Slapshot

Right that's ownership transferred and until such times as I figure out how to swap out my ID for Berg's as admin there will be two Slapshots, Slapshot (admin) and Slapshot 3, the old me.....

From what I've seen this won't affect Berck only his permissions have changed however to take ownership I've had to take Berg's ID, That I didn't know!! What I need to do is sort out what I can to make sure Berg's profile exists but make sure I have the admin right's for now, just take a bit of Juggling in the admin panel.......

OKAY EDIT..

Okay, I've disabled the old admin account and reset this one as admin so my id doesn't to disappear. His board stats etc are retained but taking ownership cleared his emails etc. Shame we didn't realise that before hand but not a lot we can do now.

MAILLOT JAUNE

There's obviously still a loy of work to be done etc, but thanks to all for taking such a proactive role.
I love being part of this family!

HuwB

Slappers has turned orange!
Does this mean he is now the Alan Sugar of JustCycling? Razz

Slapshot 3

If nothing else tonight folks.....the porn is gone!! user and IP banned

maffy

all good news, even slappers and berck getting tango'd. Wink

as cg said regarding berg, hope you're well, and thanks for justcycling. Very Happy

berck

Yep, I've seen that I'm updated. I'll work with Slappy to get things cleared up.

Mrs John Murphy

A suggestion for clearing up the spam and as a lot of us have offered help - would it be an idea to make some people temporary moderators (ie with the power to delete threads/posts) to go through specific forums ie one person does old BBC threads, a couple go through here etc, and then to pm the admins with the usernames of the spammers so that they can be banned?