Challenge to the Austin Improv Community

trabka · Post by **trabka** » July 12th, 2011, 8:43 pm

Stop tricking me into thinking there's new content to being discussed.

Let the spambots be deleted by the judicious moderator staff, don't acknowledge them and make them stronger! Pretend we're that Simpsons episode and Just Don't Look!

Spots · Post by **Spots** » July 12th, 2011, 8:45 pm

trabka · Post by **trabka** » July 12th, 2011, 8:53 pm

Spots wrote:Nah.

Why (not)?

Spots · Post by **Spots** » July 12th, 2011, 9:03 pm

I don't know what this "tricking" business is. I mean... I've heard similar arguments. I've heard folks say "gee, I'm sick of all these new people on the forums... it used to be so easy to keep up. I would just check it twice a week."

The world is out of your control. Accept it.

I didn't necessarily know it was a spam bot when I ventured into the thread. Likewise, it's not guaranteed that your curiosity was tipped by my participation.

Some folks actually enjoy making a game of acknowledging spam. It's a form of conquering the little turds as they invade the forum. Heck, some spam bots have even led to mythologies and ideas for future shows.

Ask Tribe sometime. There are mysteries hidden in the aether.

trabka · Post by **trabka** » July 12th, 2011, 9:13 pm

But the fact is that I'm sure you figured it out when they had a signature directing you to an Austin DWI lawyer underneath a response that may have been vaguely referring to the topic at hand that they weren't on the up and up.

I've been lurking long enough to know who the real people on this forum are, when I see that a forum has been lit up and the last response is from (real member of the community's user name goes here because I'm uninterested in calling anyone out specifically) rather than dave11245561, I go and check it out assuming there's going to be something worthwhile there rather than "lol, spambot is a spambot." I like that assumption and always want it to be true.

You may not have known it was going to be some spam BS when you ventured into the thread, but that doesn't mean you have to acknowledge it, regardless of whether there's some sort of enjoyment to be had out of the knowledge that you got one over on a robot/guy who just wants us to think of him if we get a DWI.

Also, I'm in a troupe with Brett and I feel like I've whined about this (and this is a whine, no question) to him before. At least twice.

Also, there's a big difference between there being new people participating on the forums and someone wanting us to give them our CC numbers for secret Canadian prescriptions.

Spots · Post by **Spots** » July 12th, 2011, 9:21 pm

I absolutely do not have to acknowledge it. You're absolutely right.

And Trabka, I sincerely want you to become more and more involved on these boards. As you say you've been lurking. Feel free to take a risk and get on my nerves every once and a while, and I will do vice versa.

That's--you know... what people do.

trabka · Post by **trabka** » July 12th, 2011, 9:29 pm

Spots wrote:And Trabka, I sincerely want you to become more and more involved on these boards. As you say you've been lurking. Feel free to take a risk and get on my nerves every once and a while, and I will do vice versa.

As long as it's due to some legitimate BS that I believe in my heart, I'm all in.

Spots · Post by **Spots** » July 12th, 2011, 9:52 pm

Sounds like a plan. :)

LuBu McJohnson · Post by **LuBu McJohnson** » July 12th, 2011, 11:38 pm

Hey you guys that conversation really sucked

Spots · Post by **Spots** » July 13th, 2011, 12:23 am

I'm getting to know a new person. So I enjoyed it despite the awkwardness.

Lubu, did you guys ever edit that short film? I want to watch it.

LuBu McJohnson · Post by **LuBu McJohnson** » July 13th, 2011, 1:30 am

We've got a couple of shorts that are shot but not edited, so you'd have to ask Michael about those.

Spots · Post by **Spots** » July 13th, 2011, 1:51 am

York99 · Post by **York99** » July 13th, 2011, 1:52 am

Back to the main topic: As a moderator of the ColdTowne Forum, I agree with Adam. I check several times throughout the day to try to catch the bots, but every time someone comments on them I feel like that person is telling me that I'm not doing a good job in a playful way. Yes, that's my own issue, but that's just the way I feel.

Also, I prefer not to delete real people's comments, so I end up leaving weird responses that probably turn people off even more... though that makes me laugh.

Spots · Post by **Spots** » July 13th, 2011, 1:54 am

Keep the debate going by all means. I've already outlined my position.

mpbrockman · Post by **mpbrockman** » July 13th, 2011, 2:01 am

Spots wrote:Some folks actually enjoy making a game of acknowledging spam. It's a form of conquering the little turds as they invade the forum. Heck, some spam bots have even led to mythologies...

One word. Tengen.

As I recall; you, I, JTM and a few others had a lot of fun with that one.