User Name Squating: Plantsides Policy Regarding

Started by Cyber-Angel, July 28, 2009, 09:03:07 AM

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Cyber-Angel

Sirs,

I have noticed the good while, that this personage has been frequenting this site that there seems too be a large number of squatters here and would like clarification of your policy regarding this matter.

First a little clarification, by squatting I mean persons that sign-up for accounts and then never use them they sign up and are never seen again.

1. These accounts (User Names) block legitimate users whom wish to be active and fully participating members of this community from using the squatted user name that they would have liked as their own in the first instance.

2. These "Ghost" users take up bandwidth of your (Planetside) servers increasing hosting service costs by whatever nominal amount, per-quarter basic economics as well as basic business sense that these overheads are areas of negative growth over time, a cost benefit vs growth analysis will show this to be true.

Other Factors

Other sites such as YouTube have a policy where squatted user names are returned to active use and the inactive account removed if it has been inactive for longer then a specified time frame: I see no reason why you should take the time to sign up and activate an account and then leave it active with a zero post count, what is the policy about such matters and if non exists, may I urge you good selves too come up with such a policy.


Regards to you.

Cyber-Angel ;D                           

RArcher

um... maybe they just want to look at the pretty pictures in the image sharing thread?  There is no reason why someone should have to post on an internet forum if they do not want to.  Perhaps I am not seeing the "big picture" but are you honestly suggesting that this is ever going to be a problem or concern for Planetside?   :o

Tangled-Universe

Quote from: RArcher on July 28, 2009, 10:09:37 AM
um... maybe they just want to look at the pretty pictures in the image sharing thread?  There is no reason why someone should have to post on an internet forum if they do not want to.  Perhaps I am not seeing the "big picture" but are you honestly suggesting that this is ever going to be a problem or concern for Planetside?   :o

Agree, however if a user doesn't login to / surf the forums at all then I see no problem in de-activating the account after half a year or so.

Cyber-Angel

#3
Well to be honest I cannot understand why you'd sit on an account and not use it; further more it goes against the community nature of a place weather real or virtual (Anthropologically Speaking) if all citizenry do not participate in discourse of some type, with every one else. Call me old fashioned but its like your parents took time and trouble to get you into a decent school and then not bothering too turn up for registration, its just rude and uncivilized.

I've been around long enough too know about "Use it, or lose it" and that different sites have different rules about account squatting I was asking what if any thing was the policy here: in the old days of BBS boards there where strict rules about inactive users maybe it doesn't matter today with more bandwidth and larger servers.

I am vary strict about adherence too rules and procedures and believe in "By the book" and "To the Letter" and where I cannot find such I ask if such things exist and if not why! In offline life it takes time for me to warm to people and I know within seconds of meeting some one weather I'd need bother in the first place, I have little patience for most things people, mistakes etc. In addition I have a low tolerance level and am not adverse to telling people what I think weather its their chose of words, the way they act and so on weather they like it or no and will reduce some one to tears if that's what it takes.

I take no prisoners, don't like my time wasted and don't suffer fools gladly, I can tell if some is lying and last but not least I can spot a fake ID if we get on then that person has a great alley if not "See ya, don't want to be ya".

Weather this going to be a problem or concern for Planetside only future events that have not yet transpired will determine weather this is or is not the case, heading off a problem before it becomes one is some thing I specialize in.  ;D

If any of the above sounds negative, its not intended too be I cannot help how I feel.   

Regards to you.

Cyber-Angel                              

rcallicotte

#4
I'd bet most people who come to these forums don't discuss much.  Most just watch, read, gloat and learn.  That shouldn't be penalized.  
So this is Disney World.  Can we live here?

FrankB

Quote from: calico on July 28, 2009, 12:41:20 PM
I'd bet most people who come to these forums don't discuss much.  Most just watch, read, gloat and learn.  That shouldn't be penalized.  

Agree.

From my point of view, it's ok though to deactivate accounts from users who haven't logged in since a loooong time. Not posting is not a problem, but it seems ok to me to deactivate accounts if people never even visit. In this case no harm is done.
But I'd say let that become a problem first. I'd rather see Matt spend his time on improving TG2, and Oshyan spending time on supporting the community and promoting the application than chasing ghosts.

Frank

rcallicotte

Bravo.    ;D

Quote from: FrankB on July 28, 2009, 02:08:27 PM

But I'd say let that become a problem first. I'd rather see Matt spend his time on improving TG2, and Oshyan spending time on supporting the community and promoting the application than chasing ghosts.

Frank
So this is Disney World.  Can we live here?

Henry Blewer

I made an account here some time ago. There was not much activity then (spring, 2007). I would pop in once in a while to see what was up, mostly for the image sharing. Now I can seem to stop typing on this forum. I think I might need to go to the Planetside Rehabilitation Retreat. ;D

What got me going hard here was I had a question about the 'exploding' fake stones. I found a bunch of people here with the same question. Many are near my skill level, ask the right questions, and now I am a forum addict.

The squatter question can be dealt with when Planetside gets a chance to have someone monitor and maintain the forum. They are doing a great job; sometime soon they'll be in a position when they can afford and need more help.
http://flickr.com/photos/njeneb/
Forget Tuesday; It's just Monday spelled with a T

Tangled-Universe

Quote from: njeneb on July 28, 2009, 03:02:48 PM

...

The squatter question can be dealt with when Planetside gets a chance to have someone monitor and maintain the forum. They are doing a great job; sometime soon they'll be in a position when they can afford and need more help.

Ghehe :) welllll....if I was allowed to choose between one extra member in the development team or one member to keep the forums clean...I'd say...well it speaks for itself ;D

neuspadrin

I squatted my beginnings.

First I just kinda looked through the forums very rarely when bored.  Then I created an account but rarely logged on... then started logging on and reading more (and had it set to just auto remember).  Then became more active ;).

Though I admit I've been busy this summer, and I havn't had the time I really wanted to play with Terragen all too much.  I still try to at least read the forums a few times over the course of the day, but I generally don't say much.

Matt

Quote from: Cyber-Angel on July 28, 2009, 11:20:20 AM
Weather this going to be a problem or concern for Planetside only future events that have not yet transpired will determine weather this is or is not the case, heading off a problem before it becomes one is some thing I specialize in.  ;D

I don't see it as a problem.

Matt
Just because milk is white doesn't mean that clouds are made of milk.

Matt

Quote from: Cyber-Angel on July 28, 2009, 11:20:20 AM
I have little patience for most things people, mistakes etc.

That must be tough.

Quote
In addition I have a low tolerance level and am not adverse to telling people what I think weather its their chose of words, the way they act and so on weather they like it or no and will reduce some one to tears if that's what it takes.

Nice. Guess it depends whether you can abstract the concept of "someone else" and "self" to be two side of the same equation.

Matt
Just because milk is white doesn't mean that clouds are made of milk.

FrankB

Quote from: Cyber-Angel on July 28, 2009, 11:20:20 AM
If any of the above sounds negative, its not intended too be I cannot help how I feel.   

frankly it does sound very negative, and you seem to have realized it yourself. Also, I can't quite imagine you being the tough guy bullying others around. I do buy the "by the letter" part, though. :-)
But if that's really you, try to relax more, and your world will become brighter - that much I daresay.

Frank

Henry Blewer

As people become more interested in what this program can do, they will become more active. neuspaudrin and I are good examples of this.
http://flickr.com/photos/njeneb/
Forget Tuesday; It's just Monday spelled with a T

buzzzzz1

Just do what I do!  A few "Anger Management Classes" and a "Bran Muffin" usually works Great!   ;D
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