Site issues
We are very sorry for the current issues that are cropping up each night. The issue is we are getting overwhelmed with spam posts and don't have the funds to add the hardware needed to deal with it. We are doing what we can but it is a very difficult situation.
Please bear with us.
Please bear with us.
I second the few bucks for a code idea.
There needs to be an obvious disclaimer that payment for a code would get you a free level for an account, so it would be a one-time thing, but it would also be non-refundable for any reason. Maybe $5-$10 per code?
Re: I second the few bucks for a code idea.
Re: I second the few bucks for a code idea.
I wouldn't charge any more than $5. However, it needs to be an amount that Squeaky isn't losing money.
Theresa
Re: I second the few bucks for a code idea.
Because as I'm understanding it....
I have a couple of free accounts, and for various reasons haven't gone with a paid one(s) yet. Personally I'd want a free account at first to feel my way around, and then go from there. If I want to stay, fine, I've spent $5 to get acquainted. I spend around that getting my weekly latte. If I don't want to stay, then IJ still has my $5 for equipment and upgrades, and maybe a box of aspirin for Squeaky, who has to deal with all the craziness :).
For me, I would rather start at the bottom (free account) and go up, than on the second rung (paid account) and go down (to free account). But that's just me.
Theresa
Compromise - could it work where the $5 for the code could be applied to a month's paid account?
I know Dreamwidth has a points system where this can happen. Have heard about it, but not explored.
Maybe put a time limit on it, for 2 months you can choose to upgrade to a paid account for one month for free, if you've paid for a code to get in. Doesn't mean you have to upgrade to stay, you can downsize and/or keep a free account, but this way Squeaky only has to keep track for 2 months, if he doesn't want to set up a points system.
Theresa
Re: I second the few bucks for a code idea.
i just would love to see account creation controlled for even a few days or weeks so the spam stops, maybe they'll give up and leave the site alone
Active accounts are ?
Insane Journal needs a street team :).
I am also experimenting/dabbling with Plurk, and I have found some of those accounts are linking with Dreamwidth for their rpgs, etc. I'm not clear on several things about Plurk or rpging, but I would like to try. I need to finish a nice background on my Control (control_eq) and start attempting to play.
Theresa
Re: Active accounts are ?
http://www.insanejournal.com/stats.bml
When I loaded it a few minutes ago, 8/10 of the recently updated journals were SEO spam journals. 9/10 of the recently created journals are SEO spam journals. Load it again. 6/10 of the recently updated journals are SEO spam journals, 8/10 of the recently created journals are SEO spam journals. Load it again--new journals are the same list, but 10/10 of the recently posted are spam journals.
This level of spam is a choking level of spam. It sucks up money for resources like a sponge. Buying more hardware doesn't even fix the problem, just delays it from becoming fatal.
Looking at IJ's FB page, they're about to implement invite codes, which will go most of the way towards the problem. The other half is clearing out the spam accounts that already exist, and that will be a huge job.
Disclosure: I'm a DW person that just likes to keep tabs on sister codebase sites, like LJ and IJ and whatnot. IJ is a site with a longer history than DW, and it has a bunch of people! It's very popular with RPers because you can have so many icons for free.
Re: Active accounts are ?
What can I do to help, then? Right now I am only working part time, so I have more free time that I can schedule better.
I bookmarked the stat page into my morning checklist, so I can look at the journals in the updated journals lists. I know many of them will be spam.
I must definitely be using the wrong searches now, because I don't come across many active journals or asylums. Maybe I shouldn't go just by how long it's been since a user posted? Because, for example, your last post in your journal shows to me as in March 18, 2008. You're obviously still here :).
Theresa
Re: Active accounts are ?
The stats page is the easiest way I know, but if he could get this page to work again that would help too:
http://www.insanejournal.com/stats/late
Once you have a good grasp on the topics getting spammed, you can also google "insanejournal TOPIC". Example: "insanejournal cheap". It will bring up a bunch of links to spam blogs on IJ.
You're going to either need the ability to suspend accounts, or the ability to give somebody a list for the accounts to be suspended.
(I have the announcements journal of IJ in my RSS reader, so I know when a new post happens! But I don't really make posts here or anything--it's good for me to have an account around to test things and whatnot. Maybe I should make it a perm, help squeaky out a bit.)