Manual verification now required

[dave]

Hi guys,

Thanks to all the recent spam-jerks, we've now taken the action of authenicating all new users.

It's something that probably should have happened already, however we wanted to avoid that so that non-net-savvy people who just happened to breeze in could immediately start posting without losing the site or forgetting to come back!

But it was getting beyond a joke, plus as someone pointed out to me, most of the hardcore Bellett owners in Australia (and NZ and Finland and the UK and the USA et al...) have probably already joined! Plus, it probably won't be a problem for most new users; many forums use this kind of account activation convention.

This means that as an existing user, you don't have to do anything.

A new user will be able to sign up, then the webmasters here will get an email advising us that someone is looking to join. We'll check them out and either approve them or not. Most people who are genuine will appear so, so it should not be a problem, however if we let some spammer slip through the net we can always delete them later.

The new user will receive an email advising them they have been approved and a link back to the forum (I tested this; I should have done this ages ago, because it's all automated and will steer the lost and befuddled back to whence they found us).

Also, it means that we HOPEFULLY won't be in danger of getting a face ful of Tia Tequila's ladybits when we least expect it, least of all when the kids are peering over your shoulder.

Finally this will, with any luck, prevent frantic telephone calls flying from one end of the nation to the other suggesting we log on and get rid of some nasties. Believe it or not, I deleted someone from the comfort of my storage shed's driveway the other day... any way we can! Thanks to Bruno for the heads-up on that one.

Anyhoo, hopefully no more heads ups needed. Fingers crossed this works.

...and if it doesn't, may GOD have mercy on us all. Except spammers.

Cheers,


Dave

[2ldohc]

Just to give the Bellett community a general idea, we are deleting about 8 - 10 spammers a day at the moment so it's not a quick fix for the admin's but it will stop the above mentioned NSFW content.

My email today has 4 already.... anyway, please let us know if there are any other concerns with the forum or even imporvements!

Cheers,
R.

[BULLITT]

GREAT JOB GUYS AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL THE HOURS YOU HAVE PUT IN , YOU SHOULD GET THE BELLETT AWARDS IF THERE WAS ONE . RIDDING VERMON AND PESTS AROUND OUR HOME IS HARD ENOUGH , YOU GUYS ARE GETTING RID OF THE UNIVERSES WORST GRUBS ..WELL DONE GUYS ...REGARDS DAVO

[Farmer]

Good work. 8-10 a day IS beyond a joke. Too many people with too much time & a brain deficit.
Feel sad for them, they don't have Belletts! Or sense. Or morals. Or anything useful to say.
Poor buggers.
Celebrate being born you & not one of them!
Cheers, Matt.

[GTtoo]

Bellettnet and the admins continue to work hard at it !!! Thanks to them, and thanks to you Matt for setting us straight on that one.

Beginning to think I wasn't normal.......for owning a Bellett, that is.............

B.

[JT191]

I think my lousy email service and computer have me required for manual verification to sign up for anything because I never get the confirmation emails, so no big deal to add that...

But the website told me I had exceeded my allowable log in attempts (how much have I posted lately?), and wanted me to identify the code from the captcha picture this morning. It's too early and there is no refresh button to bring up another jumble letter picture. They always put the one that is impossible to see first...

Maybe one of those things with a refresh button on the page would be good so I can skip the ones that look like spaghetti and find one I can tell is letters and numbers...

Or that idea of the adrenaline shot every morning...

[dave]

F5 might do it.

[2ldohc]

I like the idea of an adrenaline shot... make mine a double

If it gives you that error JT it's usually because some automated service (read bot) has been trying to use your login so it hits you with the CAPTCHA to make sure you have blood in your veins and not silicon (interestingly there is a website dedicated to them http://www.captcha.net/).

You're a big poster (which is great) but we wouldn't lock your account for that! We're more likely to encourage you to keep coming back

Cheers,
Ross.

[JT191]

It wanted me to fill out the captcha thing again this evening. F5 worked, but brings up an error box for post dated page.

What kind of LSD is the guy who designed those things on?

I'm not color blind or anything, but I never could see the 1980's 3D posters either. Cross your eyes and stare through the poster... Yeah, right.

[Leadfoot_Liz]

I had the same problem today. I have had a problem with my computer that is now resolved and thought it was me.
Even my new reading glasses dont help me figure out those dots, dashes and colours.
But with persistance and sheer stubborness I am back.
I agree we need to keep out the rubbish and keep the 'family' together.
Great job by the cleaners....
Lizzy