So your account has been deactivated. Why, and what you can do about it?

[Dennis Olson]

Due to the latest attacks from the haters, it was necessary for me to go into the member records and inactivate people who:

- Haven't visited / logged on to the forum in a long time

- Have been a member for some time but only have a couple posts (if any)

Why was this done?

Well, it was reported back to me that some of the banned haters planned to use "second accounts" that they'd had created for just such a contingency. Considering what a PITA these haters have been, I decided to make the ATTEMPT to disallow them their desired "secret" return. Unfortunately, many legitimate lurkers were caught up in this as well, and for that I apologize. However, there really was no reasonable alternative.

Now many of you have been in contact with myself or other staff members asking to be reinstated. If you want to be reinstated, here's what it will take:

- You will have to be more active on the forum. This is a DISCUSSION BOARD after all. If you never post (at all), how do we know that you're not one of those wanting secret re-entry? We don't.

- Your email addresses MUST be ISP-based, and not anonymous. EVERY EMAIL DOMAIN will be vetted to assure that this is the case prior to reinstatement

If you do NOT want to post, but DO want reinstatement, you will have to provide me (via PM) concrete information as to who you are. This information must include:

- A phone number which has your name on the billing account. That means NO "pay-as-you-go" cell phones

- Your real name, first and last

- The city and state in which you live

Again, you MAY NOT use an anonymous email address.

Members now will be limited to TWO reactivations. After being deactivated for the second time, your account will be permanently disabled. At that point, asking for reinstatement will be futile.

I deeply regret the lengths that I've had to go to because of the haters, but unless-and-until they're shut down for good, this is the way it has to be.

EDIT: Members who've been reinstated will have the validity of their email addresses checked periodically. Those whose email addresses are no longer valid will be inactivated immediately, and perhaps permanently.

[Libbybear]

Dennis, You do whatever you have to do to keep some order.
I dont mind someone disagreeing with me as long as it doesnt get personal and they attack me.
Disagreements are what make stimulating conversations if they are done with respect for each other.
Thanks for your efforts in our behalf.

[Satanta]

Now giving it the ol' 'Tanta Twist...


'Hi! How are ya? If you've been deactivated because you are not posting chances are you either do not come here or are not a true member and wasting the boards money using bandwidth that an active poster who participates, could use or just here to cause headaches therefore it is with great pleasure that I say to you:

Na-na-na-Nah, Na-na-na-Nah, Hey-hey-hey, Goodbyeeeeee!!!!"

But Dennis is more of a politician than I am so I'll let him tell you instead.

[Fleataxi]

Dennis:

Good move, hopefully this will stop 1 avenue of attack from the hater boards.

Too bad lurkers/infrequent posters will bear the brunt of it, but it can't be helped.

Like Dennis said, you want to remain a member, try posting at least once a month, and keep your e-mail address current. We've already had to inactivate accounts due to dead e-mail accounts.

In order to update or check your e-mail address, go to User CP and check your profile info. If you're e-mail isn't current, please update it immediately, the "e-mail sweeper" is an automated process that we have no control over.

Fleataxi

[Midnight_Wolf]

Now giving it the ol' 'Tanta Twist...


'Hi! How are ya? If you've been deactivated because you are not posting chances are you either do not come here or are not a true member and wasting the boards money using bandwidth that an active poster who participates, could use or just here to cause headaches therefore it is with great pleasure that I say to you:

Na-na-na-Nah, Na-na-na-Nah, Hey-hey-hey, Goodbyeeeeee!!!!"

But Dennis is more of a politician than I am so I'll let him tell you instead.

Ah Satanta.

Ever the diplomat. Could we expect any less?

[adgal]

so..my DH...aka plainsman...probably assumes that I do enough posting for "da bod of us."
He's the strong, silent type.
If he's deactivated, I'll have him PM you Dennis.

[Tired Old Man]

I'm posting this mostly to check my post count. I don't comment often...

[Fleataxi]

Summerthyme. Since yop post frequently, the question is moot. This only applies to people who DON'T post at all, and still want to be members. he's not forcing ANYONE to give out personal info. If they choose not to - they can go elsewhere. if they post more than let's say once every couple of months, and have a valid e-mail address, they've got nothing to worry about.

Fleataxi

[brandyh29]

I've been here for 2 months & already have a post count over 600. I think its safe to say I post enough.

[nanna]

I would like to see older members get some sort of props in the way of being "grandfathered" into a permanent membership base. Mushroom Clouds, for example, is one who posts infrequently, but I'd hate to think that she couldn't post when she was so inclined!

Perhaps those who joined prior to, say 2003?


Just my 2 cents ...


nanna

[Unique]

Please don't kick Phoenician off, I can vouch for her.

She has been my best friend since grade school. (about 26 years)

Phoenician almost never posts anything, but keeps up with stuff. Don't kick her off!


Don't get rid of people just for a few rotten eggs. We all know that anything put on the net is at risk for abuse and use. Why fight it. You will probably get rid of great members only to have the rotten ones find some other way to get back on. IMO its just not worth it. You have tons of lurkers on tb2k, thats not a bad thing.

[Unique]

How many times has someone we never hear from come forward to report a local incident ?

Why would we want to get rid of these people?

Just Nuts.

[fruit loop]

The haters brag openly about doing this on other boards. They even advise others to create "backup" accounts.

This is a good response, Dennis. I still wish you would sue.

[Satanta]

Unique- in the case of spouse, good freind or relative that can have a current member vouch it should be fine.

As far as someone posting a local event that joined two or three years ago and never posts? None I'm aware of.

[Zorba]

I'm one of those folks who do not post very often. But I do log in almost every day and have offered and provided support wherever I thought it was appropriate.
Dennis, I understand and support your decision even though my number of posts places me within the bad jo jo parameters. You have a fairly complete profile of my personal particulars and I am ok with that. In fact, if someone didn't want to provide reasonable, basic, personal info I would view that as a red flag.
Anyway, you have my support. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do and I'm ok with it.

[Pinecone]

I am wondering about those of us who quietly read the boards, only occasionally post, but have been good over the years about donating funds for the board's survival? Are we going to be deactiviated or do you have enough info on those of us who use snail mail and checks? I will make an effort to participate more, but I would be a bit upset if after quietly supporting the board all these years I got kicked off! I do appreciate the informative, thought provoking and sometimes hilarious topics that come up here and I NEED my TB2K fix daily!

[Satanta]

I'm one of those folks who do not post very often. But I do log in almost every day and have offered and provided support wherever I thought it was appropriate.
Dennis, I understand and support your decision even though my number of posts places me within the bad jo jo parameters. You have a fairly complete profile of my personal particulars and I am ok with that. In fact, if someone didn't want to provide reasonable, basic, personal info I would view that as a red flag.
Anyway, you have my support. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do and I'm ok with it.

zorba-not really, your post count avarages out to one a week.

It's *members* that signed up two years ago [give/take], post a mandatory "Hi" then never post again.

Doesn't take much stretch of the imagination to figure they aren't really "members' and as with some club you join and go in every day or two for free beer and hotdogs but never talk or meet people. How long would one be welcome?

And yes-we certainly *can* rxpect some participation from people as this *is* a discussion board. Don't wanna participate then leave.

[Harvey101]

me too but I read a lot. will try to do better.

[night driver]

FT,

I DO trust Dennis.

And you are correct, having the Corp Legal Beagle generate a boilerplate privacy policy whould cost something.

An ALTERNATIVE would be to copy any of the other incorporated sites around and publish it at a link at the bottom of the page.....

Which would cost any of the MOD staff about a half hour.

[Zinnia]

For those too shy to post,I believe you could go to the New Members' check in thread on the main page and say something like,"Just checking in."

Something I thought of-am I wrong,Dennis?

[Midnight_Wolf]

zorba-not really, your post count avarages out to one a week.

It's *members* that signed up two years ago [give/take], post a mandatory "Hi" then never post again.

Doesn't take much stretch of the imagination to figure they aren't really "members' and as with some club you join and go in every day or two for free beer and hotdogs but never talk or meet people. How long would one be welcome?

And yes-we certainly *can* rxpect some participation from people as this *is* a discussion board. Don't wanna participate then leave.

I don't know Satanta. The post above yours re 24 seems like a pretty sincere person. Hi Pinecone.

[Fleataxi]

ND: Why bother, it's only a piece of paper, or electrons on a screen.

Pinecone: Dennis is trying to weed out UB stealth trolls that signed up years ago, and then opened several bogus accounts in case they got banned.

The simple solution is like what Zinnia said, go to "new Members Check-in" and post "hi, still here and kicking" and your screen name. Total elapsed time less than 1 minute. that counts as a post. Every now and then, comment on a thread where you have something to contribute, or post your viewpoint on a disccusion thread. It's not that hard.

Fleataxi

[LeeM]

I am one of those who rarely posts, but I am here almost daily. I enjoy it very much, and get a lot of information here. You would think at my age I would not be shy, but I am. I will have to try harder to think of something to post. Dennis has my email, home address, and if he wants my phone number, I will happily give that to him, too.

[Dennis Olson]

This policy is not up for debate. MW and ST, you are free to disassociate yourselves from this community if you feel it's gotten to be more than you can bear. However, sh*t-stirring WILL NOT be tolerated.

I WILL NOT discuss the death threat any longer, nor will I allow it to be discussed on this thread. I will state that the member and staffer reporting the threats to me are both people I trust implicitly. And no, under NO CIRCUMSTANCES will I divulge who they are, so don't ask, and don't bother bitching about it.

The two people for whom I'd posted detailed information were Aleph Null and Uncle Bob, both of whom were not members of TB, and were attacking this forum. The detailed information posted is readily available, now really read this people:

from the domain name registrar, as PUBLIC INFORMATION.

There was no private investigation, etc, to produce the supposedly SECRET info. PUBLIC RECORD, GET IT??

As for PoJ, all I posted about him was his city. And I have his exact address, and where his SO works (name of company and address), as well as their phone number. WAS ANY OF THAT THAT POSTED??

Privacy policy is simple:

I will not post publicly any private information about any MEMBER. I will not sell or provide the information to any third party EXCEPT for law enforcement in the event that valid, verified threats are made by the member. In that event, a CRIME has been committed, and the member's expectation of privacy is void.

Clear enough?

[Satanta]

Lone_Wolf, true amd they aren't deactivated. I'm kind of lost as to how someone with a low post count missunderstands when Dennis stated it was a NO podt count that got names removed. Why keep them if they are ever going to post?

If it's someone that never posted but actually contributes finanacially then they need to let Dennis know. However I'm guessing a "I contribute funds annonymously but never post," will get them no where.

It's not rocket science to figure it out. *I* did and I can't fly a kite.

[Cardinal]

I can't fly a kite.

So....telling you to "go fly a kite" won't get anyone anywhere? (Cardinal ducks the inevitable she so richly deserves)

[jejemi35]

Just checking to see if I am still active.

[Midnight_Wolf]

Just checking to see if I am still active.

Care to share some of that popcorn?

[Dennis Olson]

All off-topic posts have been removed.

[AngryBeaver]

Nevermind.

[CheriG22]

Good for you, Dennis, you put up with more carp than you deserve....

Cheri

[srmchow]

I also do not post often. The people on this board are truly amazing with there wisdom and logic. I feel i would be wasting band width to repeat something that has already been said. I log in here every day and enjoy hearing from all of you. God Bless

[Dennis Olson]

MW, the entire issue has been discussed to death WEEKS ago. The fact that you are evidently unable to let it go speaks volumes as to YOUR emotional/mental stability.

JMHO

And I SAID I wouldn't discuss it on this thread. You CAN read and comprehend English, right?

[workerbee]

deleted, cause I'm slow tonight.

[Dennis Olson]

More off-topic posts removed.

[KateCanada]

OMG..........not again!

[Infoscout]

Thanks for keeping me on, I am tb2000vet who does not post much!!!! Thanks for keeping me on!

[Dennis Olson]

The people who are in the most danger are those that joined up 2-3 years ago, but only have ONE OR TWO posts.

[DaveT]

I also do not post often. The people on this board are truly amazing with there wisdom and logic. I feel i would be wasting band width to repeat something that has already been said. I log in here every day and enjoy hearing from all of you. God Bless

And here is the answer to all the questions..... Nice to meet you srmchow

[phoenician]

Hey Unique, no worries I am still here!