# Welcome to our newest member **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 11, 2017, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272 "2017-11-11T01:19:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/42 "2017-11-13T17:32:17Z")
I would guess most spammers register and then soon after post their spam. With DB access it would be interesting to query a list of users and the time to their first post, sorted decreasingly by time and returning the top 200 entries. Put another way, who are the users who waited the longest to make their first post, and how long was that? That query would also answer **Czarcasm** ’s question, at the end of the long list ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/43 "2017-11-13T17:35:20Z")
:smack: Good question. I’d totally slid over the distinction between “registered user” like my guy, versus “guest”. For that matter, what \*is \*the distinction nowadays? If “registered user” means paid the annual subscription fee I’d expect somebody like that to be real unlikely to not post. OTOH, if paying buys freedom from the Board’s \*mighty fine \*advertising, that might be motivation enough. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/44 "2017-11-13T17:48:41Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > With that intro my question is how often you see users created and just sitting there with zero posts to their name for hours, days, or months? And of these registered non-posters, when they finally do break the seal and make their first post, are they usually real or usually socks / spammers / other insta-ban candidates? The majority even of “real” posters who register never make any posts at all. I’ve never done an analysis, but I think that if a poster is ever going to post they do it fairly soon after registering. (Spammers always post immediately after registering.) Many are one-and-done. Rarely someone will register and not make their first post for some time. We do get sleeper socks, where someone has registered one or more additional names and doesn’t use them for years, but those are rare. > [@](#): > > Said another way, given the facts of this guy: real-ish name, recently registered, no posts yet, which way should I bet on his future? Probably around a 70% chance that they will never post. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/45 "2017-11-13T17:51:23Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > I would guess most spammers register and then soon after post their spam. With DB access it would be interesting to query a list of users and the time to their first post, sorted decreasingly by time and returning the top 200 entries. Put another way, who are the users who waited the longest to make their first post, and how long was that? > > That query would also answer **Czarcasm** ’s question, at the end of the long list There was one poster, registered in 2002(?), made his first post in 2016.(might have been 2017, wasn’t taking notes) Perfectly legit question. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/46 "2017-11-13T17:58:35Z")
You must be logged in to query user information. That may account for many or most of the “registered without posts” users. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/47 "2017-11-13T18:27:46Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > And if the mods can trick him into saying his name backwards, he’s banished to the 5th dimension, where the rest of the banned live. Kebert Xela. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/48 "2017-11-13T18:50:37Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > IIRC there’s no need to register to read. So the only reason to bother registering is because you intend specifically to post. If someone is a frequent lurker, there are advantages to registering even if they never post. A registered user can use the menu links like New Posts, Search, and some others. They can subscribe to threads they find interesting. There are probably other benefits to registering as well even if they never post. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/49 "2017-11-13T22:07:21Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Actually, they’re sent to the Cornfield. I thought the 5th dimension was a soy bean field. > [@Colibri](#): > > Unfortunately he did get one post off. I really enjoy it when I can get them when they’re still in the process of registering. A rare, [action](http://fmobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/WAKAMOLEpm1.jpg) shot of our Mods at work. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/50 "2017-11-14T01:09:55Z")
LSL, and sometimes they are folks like me. I joined in February 2004, made 4-5 rather mundane posts, and wandered off to other places, eventually forgetting I was registered here. About 2015(?) I stopped by, found it interesting, and went to register and was surprised to see I had done so 11-12 years before. But from other Boards I have been part of, it is not unusual for a significant number to have 0 or 1 post to their record. Don’t know why, but it does happen that way. Press on. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/51 "2017-11-14T01:16:38Z")
And we’re back to the drug names. zbgsdfhdht I’m always surprised when someone registers but doesn’t post. I lurked for years and never considered registering until I felt like posting. The spammers are of course a different story. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/52 "2017-11-14T06:05:10Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > There was one poster, registered in 2002(?), made his first post in 2016.(might have been 2017, wasn’t taking notes) Perfectly legit question. Such a long time. That’s pretty wild. But as **filmore** said, there are some advantages. Also, count me among the surprised as to how much work our mods do. On top of filtering out the spammers, they follow certain threads to see if rules are broken. So if I were to say that, e.g., **running coach** is a big dork, they might warn me from doing that. They might tell me to take it to The Pit. So I won’t say it. 😃 Thank you, moderators! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/53 "2017-11-14T16:24:45Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > So if I were to say that, e.g., **running coach** is a big dork, they might warn me from doing that. Whatever you do, don’t piss off **running coach**. One “reported” from him and you’ll be with **zdgshfdtjh** , **xfhhjtrfxjtr** , **zdgshfdh** , **zederaa** and all the other generic drugs. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/54 "2017-11-14T16:33:18Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Whatever you do, don’t piss off **running coach**. One “reported” from him and you’ll be with **zdgshfdtjh** , **xfhhjtrfxjtr** , **zdgshfdh** , **zederaa** and all the other generic drugs. I wouldn’t do that to a regular member. I’d make him run laps. Without telling him _how._ ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/55 "2017-11-14T17:46:10Z")
Heh, hehe, y’all said “member”. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/56 "2017-11-14T21:38:15Z")
[World Cup qualifying live streaming](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLd2uAam0hI) [NHL hockey live streaming](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLd2uAam0hI) [NBA live streaming](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLd2uAam0hI) [NFL live streaming](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLd2uAam0hI) [Mongolian yak tossing live streaming](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLd2uAam0hI) What do I win? ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/57 "2017-11-14T21:54:08Z")
You know that several of us will be tempted to click on the yak tossing live stream… :mad: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/58 "2017-11-15T02:01:54Z")
I clicked on them _all_, so you don’t have to. Those spammers are so uncreative. I couldn’t even tell those spams apart, one from another. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/59 "2017-11-15T02:05:49Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > **relinelufo** was the 30th spammer name banned today (since midnight), of which **samclem** got 19. That’s a little more than most days (which run 20-25) but not by much. There’s usually an uptick in sports streaming on the weekends. That’s a hella lotta spammers you Bannon there! Do you guys work in shifts? How much work is it to ban someone? Is it just one mouse click? Do you have to open some page that isn’t normally open and navigate your way through various stuff first? With all those druggy-sounding spammers popping up all at once, are they all coming from one IP number or similar numbers? Are we looking at a good candidate for an IP banning here? ETA: Do they drug-test those yaks in the yak-tossing contest? Or the yak-tossers? Some of them sure looked doped-up to me. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/60 "2017-11-15T02:10:01Z")
What we really need is a poster named\*\* Live Streaming\*\*. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2017, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272/61 "2017-11-15T03:10:23Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > That’s a hella lotta spammers you Bannon there! Do you guys work in shifts? Actually **engineer\_comp\_geek** is well in the lead among active mods, followed by **samclem** and then by me. This is partly due to the fact that for some reason the streaming spammers prefer to post in GQ and partly due to the fact that **engineer** is often up at night and gets the ones who post then while **samclem** gets up early and mops up before going to work. Since I work from home during the day I can get a few that post then. I don’t know how the mods in other forums divvy up the time. > [@](#): > > How much work is it to ban someone? Is it just one mouse click? Do you have to open some page that isn’t normally open and navigate your way through various stuff first? It takes over a dozen mouse clicks and opening several pages to ban someone and document the banning. > [@](#): > > With all those druggy-sounding spammers popping up all at once, are they all coming from one IP number or similar numbers? Are we looking at a good candidate for an IP banning here? All those no-vowel ones are from one specific spammer, who started doing that fairly recently. But they use a variety of IPs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-our-newest-member/801272.md?page=4)