Shopsmith Forums

I'd lay money that 4000 users created in 60 days = spammers have figured out a way to automate creating accounts here.

nil wrote:I'd lay money that 4000 users created in 60 days = spammers have figured out a way to automate creating accounts here.

How much do you have to put down on this?

There may be some spammers in that growth number but I believe the vast majority are valid NEW MEMBERS. A few have actually participated in forum discussions. Spammers do not normally do that.

I do wish that there was a way to encourage new members to post some information in their personal profile. Where they are located, their wood working experience and their wood working objectives are three that I would like to see be "required" at time of registration. Location being no more than state. I do understand the need to maintain some privacy.

BTW: At the time of this post script there are five (5) participating members of the forum whose ID is a 14xxx number.

If a forum's administrator does not have a system to regularily purge the "spamers" from the list the forum will bog down... looks like that might be the case here. Way too many non posters.

Could the Admin post and state if the list is purged regularily?

Billdit wrote:If a forum's administrator does not have a system to regularily purge the "spamers" from the list the forum will bog down... looks like that might be the case here. Way too many non posters.

Could the Admin post and state if the list is purged regularily?

I disagree. There has always been and probably always will be a long list of members who regularly login to read the forum but who never (for their own reasons) post to the forum.

This is disappointing (to me) because I know they all have valuable information and opinions to share but there is nothing wrong with that.

Bill, you have been a member for nearly a year and a half and your post count is 61. That does not make you an avid participant. Come on, share a little. You have a really nice looking machine and you do great photos. How about at least one post every time you login.

BTW, Admin does purge spammers on a very regular basis. He logs in on a very regular schedule. In fact, he was on when I logged on for this post.

I guess I'm going to have to look a little nieve here. So, I think a spammer is a solicitor or perhaps someone looking for personal information to steal. Is this correct? How or why in the world would any spammer some up with "Shopsmith" as forum to persue folks? I don't recall, maybe a time or 2, an odd poster looking to sell or lead into selling something to us. I'm stumped what they could gain here from a bunch of sawdust eating wood lovers?? Let alone several thousand coming up with the same idea. "Lets hit those SS guys", just doesn't make sense.
At any rate, the numbers don't lie. The increase is amazing, I think, and I do see alot more new posters and a year ago. Also more memebers on line at one time, than there used to be.

Ive thought before, there needs to be a new forum memeber introduction thread. Maybe a last step requirement as they register. "Hi I'm from Florida and I just bought a 510".

Most forum spam is automated. Programmers are a funny lot.

It's really not hard to write some code that goes around the internet looking for sign-up pages and signing up. Especially those sites that eliminate the need for human interaction to sign-up. Many forums do not require any form of human authentication/interaction so the bots just go to town.

I would speculate that the reemergence of demos at Lowes and the Shopsmith abrasives also appearing there are both a factor in increased 'interest' in this forum.

The vast majority (90%+) of the sign-ups have successfully used a validation link in the email we send them, to complete their account setup. (no posting allowed until validation is completed). The email accounts used to register look normal, and distribution of registration dates looks normal.

Until we see other evidence (spam or other problems), I'll have to regard the increase as mostly legitimate accounts

Greetings. New to the forum but not to ShopSmith. Started using one in 1957 back on Guam whenever my dad was at work. Got to learn carpentry by watching him and trial and error. I finally inherited his Mark I in 1973. It was in bad shape by then. Missing parts. Oxidation won. Now I just inherited a Mark V. Very excited to get back after more than 57 years not using one. This one needs parts as well. Like a band saw blade. Anyone know where to pick one up in San Diego? This will get me rolling on several projects. Thanks for the welcome. I already feel i belong here. Go play.

Welcome to the forum.

Any 72" band saw blade will fit. I picked some up at a woodcraft in Ventura, CA.