The Fora: A Higher Education Community

General Category => Suggestions, Comments, Questions => Topic started by: aside on May 28, 2019, 07:36:56 PM

Title: Probationary Members
Post by: aside on May 28, 2019, 07:36:56 PM
So now we're on probation?  Best mind our Ps and Qs.
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: aside on May 28, 2019, 07:38:34 PM
Once I posted the above, I went back to New Member status.  Interesting.

Post here and remove yourself from probation?!
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: Parasaurolophus on May 28, 2019, 07:42:58 PM
It's a measure we're testing to impede spam.

The idea is that members have the 'probationary' status until they post for the first time, at which point they get 'new member' status. Probationary members will need mod/admin approval for their first post (once we implement the restriction). So the idea is just that a spammer will be caught before they have a chance to flood the board, and mods will only have to deal with a single post. For the time being, however, everyone needs to get sorted into the right membership categories. The system will update everyone once you've posted. So if you're currently looking probationary, but have posted, you'll get updated once you've posted again. Does that make sense?

It's not firm or anything yet, it's just a tactic to be tested.
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: aside on May 28, 2019, 07:49:39 PM
Thanks for the explanation.  Anything that reduces spam while not requiring all of us to jump through hoops each time we post should be appreciated!
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: eigen on May 28, 2019, 10:09:50 PM
Yeah, the software is funny in that you can't add a new "lowest" post count category. Also, post count based memberships only update when a user posts something.

So right now, probationary is set to anyone with no posts, and the first post moves you to new member. Right now there's no difference in permissions between those, but once most of our current member population has posted at least once, we had the idea of moving from giving permission at registration to admin approval of the first post.

Approval of new members has been easy with mostly recognizable names so far, but once we get through the move it's hard to tell new members from spam- but the first post is usually a dead giveaway.
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: hungry_ghost on May 29, 2019, 06:59:37 AM
So can I get off probation now?
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: Thursday's_Child on May 29, 2019, 08:03:22 AM
Yay - I'm not on probation any more!  If only I could think of some havoc to wreak...
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: RatGuy on May 29, 2019, 11:39:18 AM
I wonder if singing Monty Python's "Spam" will be enough to reinstate posting privileges.
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: Cheerful on May 29, 2019, 04:17:22 PM
Fourth post.  Posted three times prior to this and am listed as probationary.

Does my probation officer now agree to let me be free, please?

ETA:  New Member!  Thank you!  "Yeah, I'm Free!  Free Fallin'..."
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: science.expat on May 31, 2019, 01:48:17 AM
Not sure if I need to post to become a non probationary member
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: rabrick on June 02, 2019, 10:13:16 AM
Let's see if this drops my probationary status
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: zyzzx on June 02, 2019, 02:32:20 PM
Quote from: rabrick on June 02, 2019, 10:13:16 AM
Let's see if this drops my probationary status

I will also give it a try. Not sure I like the feeling of being on probation!
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: Parasaurolophus on June 02, 2019, 03:35:34 PM
Quote from: zyzzx on June 02, 2019, 02:32:20 PM
Quote from: rabrick on June 02, 2019, 10:13:16 AM
Let's see if this drops my probationary status

I will also give it a try. Not sure I like the feeling of being on probation!

It's only the most fleeting of feelings!
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: mamselle on June 03, 2019, 10:19:46 AM
If it screens out spam and keeps me from peering at grainy pictures of bicycles, it's worth it....a limnal moment can be an interesting experience...

M.
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: Hibush on June 03, 2019, 12:28:30 PM
According to a forum post (https://www.chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,264325.msg3646322.html#msg3646322), CHE will start sending people and bots here by the end of the month. We'll see how this system holds up.
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: aside on June 03, 2019, 04:18:44 PM
Let's hope the bots can't read.  Perhaps a disguised URL rather than a simple link could be requested, something an actual human could read.
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: Hibush on June 06, 2019, 03:44:56 AM
Checking how the probationary protocol is working to date.

There are currently about 135 Probationary Members (of 235). Most are recent additions who have not posted, which is as intended.

However there are a fair number who have posted, and are thus outside the intended plan.
The posts seem to be on or before May 23. Are those posts all before the date that the current protocol was implemented? Will these Probationary Members turn into New Members simply by posting again?
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: whiteknight on June 06, 2019, 04:41:42 AM
Hoping to get off probation. Here, not in real life. Honest.
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: polly_mer on June 06, 2019, 04:53:20 AM
Quote from: Hibush on June 06, 2019, 03:44:56 AM
Checking how the probationary protocol is working to date.

There are currently about 135 Probationary Members (of 235). Most are recent additions who have not posted, which is as intended.

However there are a fair number who have posted, and are thus outside the intended plan.
The posts seem to be on or before May 23. Are those posts all before the date that the current protocol was implemented? Will these Probationary Members turn into New Members simply by posting again?

Yes, posting again will clear the probationary status.
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: Pendragon on June 06, 2019, 07:35:27 AM
Posting just to be posting -- although being a "probationer" has quite nice conotations!
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: malcha on June 06, 2019, 07:55:32 AM
Post or perish!

Have I escaped the probationary holding area?
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: mamselle on June 06, 2019, 12:37:11 PM
Yes!!!

Welcome!

M.

(who deliberately uses a cap-M so as not to confuse people with your lc 'm' as a sign-off)...

Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: BlueberryBagel on June 07, 2019, 08:26:00 AM
Hello, everyone. First post. Thank you for undertaking the construction of a new gathering place.
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: Cheerful on June 07, 2019, 10:12:31 AM
BlueberryBagel, what a great user name!
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: poiuy on June 08, 2019, 05:04:07 PM
I successfully posted earlier, but seem to have gone back to probationary status, as my post (on the 'animals that begin with P thread) is awaiting moderation before posting ....
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: polly_mer on June 08, 2019, 05:05:19 PM
Quote from: poiuy on June 08, 2019, 05:04:07 PM
I successfully posted earlier, but seem to have gone back to probationary status, as my post (on the 'animals that begin with P thread) is awaiting moderation before posting ....

I thought that post seemed familiar.  I've approved the new version; let us know if something else disappears.

Also interesting is this post did not require me to approve it; it was waiting here when I clicked "show unread posts" seconds after approving the other post (i.e., far too little time to write and post this post if waiting until the other post was approved to start this one).  Did this post mention requiring moderation?
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: Skelpie on June 09, 2019, 06:40:42 AM
Hi there *waves*

Just posting to get past the probationary period. I'm a reader more than a poster and had only a couple of posts on the CHE forum.
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: polly_mer on June 09, 2019, 06:48:26 AM
Quote from: Skelpie on June 09, 2019, 06:40:42 AM
Hi there *waves*

Just posting to get past the probationary period. I'm a reader more than a poster and had only a couple of posts on the CHE forum.

*waves back*

Welcome!
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: poiuy on June 09, 2019, 05:17:13 PM
Quote from: polly_mer on June 08, 2019, 05:05:19 PM
Quote from: poiuy on June 08, 2019, 05:04:07 PM
I successfully posted earlier, but seem to have gone back to probationary status, as my post (on the 'animals that begin with P thread) is awaiting moderation before posting ....

I thought that post seemed familiar.  I've approved the new version; let us know if something else disappears.

Also interesting is this post did not require me to approve it; it was waiting here when I clicked "show unread posts" seconds after approving the other post (i.e., far too little time to write and post this post if waiting until the other post was approved to start this one).  Did this post mention requiring moderation?

Thank you Polly.
Yes, that "p" post, and the one on this thread, both gave me a 'post will appear after moderation' type of message.
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: Hibush on July 16, 2019, 03:17:56 PM
We passed a milestone today: 500 members.

250 members remain probationary.
Title: Re: Probationary Members
Post by: eigen on July 16, 2019, 03:23:28 PM
Quote from: Hibush on July 16, 2019, 03:17:56 PM
We passed a milestone today: 500 members.

250 members remain probationary.

We're actually higher than that: we just passed 600!

269 probationary members- I estimate a hefty fraction of these are lurkers, and another hefty fraction are spammers.
230 New Members (active, fewer than 50 posts)
25 Members (50-250 posts)
2 Senior members (250-1000 posts)

Quite a nice set of activity for the new fora.