Forum hit by Spammers. Temporary Modifications

[El Presidente]

Spammers from Russia have availed themselves to the internal messaging system on the forum. We have temporailly disengaged the system which allows members to e-mail each other through the forum. Everything else remains the same. This will stop the problem.

We have put into place a complete Forum re-design for the first quarter of 2008 which will address the mounting security issues which the gutter parasites of the spamming world take advantage of.

In many ways it is part and parcel of life on the web but we will do everything possible to take away the harrassment that these spammers inflict.

[smokum]

So many useless shitballs in this world.

[Jimmy2]

Those up to no good Russians.

[Cam]

lol is alexander on this forum??

[anacostiakat]

» Spammers from Russia have availed themselves to the internal messaging

» system on the forum. We have temporailly disengaged the system which

» allows members to e-mail each other through the forum. Everything else

» remains the same. This will stop the problem.

»

» We have put into place a complete Forum re-design for the first quarter of

» 2008 which will address the mounting security issues which the gutter

» parasites of the spamming world take advantage of.

»

» In many ways it is part and parcel of life on the web but we will do

» everything possible to take away the harrassment that these spammers

» inflict.

Nogoodniks. . .

[Guest Warren]

» lol is alexander on this forum??

Just to let you know, Alexander has been reading this forum and he is too nicer guy to cause trouble for his friends.

[Guest Warren]

» » lol is alexander on this forum??

»

» Just to let you know, Alexander has been reading this forum and he is too

» nicer guy to cause trouble for his friends and he is upset that this has been coming from his country.

Classic mistake I hit reply when I meant to hit edit. Forgot I wasn't a moderator here and now I can't delete it.

[Claudius]

» Spammers from Russia have availed themselves to the internal messaging

» system on the forum. We have temporailly disengaged the system which

» allows members to e-mail each other through the forum. Everything else

» remains the same. This will stop the problem.

Good quick move! No spam from Russia or anybody else here, so it has probably been done early enough

» We have put into place a complete Forum re-design for the first quarter of 2008

YEAH! Please tell me you're switching to vbulletin!

[aavkk]

» Those up to no good Russians.

Hey Jimmy I tried emailing you a few days ago. Anyway, if you live in NYC we should grab a smoke from time to time.

Alan

[El Presidente]

»

» YEAH! Please tell me you're switching to vbulletin!

Better :cool:

[El Presidente]

» » lol is alexander on this forum??

»

» Just to let you know, Alexander has been reading this forum and he is too

» nicer guy to cause trouble for his friends.

Alexander is a Prince of a person.

It is an orchestrated attack from .ru domains. They have tagetted not only ourselves but many Bulletin Boards.

[Claudius]

» »

» » YEAH! Please tell me you're switching to vbulletin!

»

» Better :cool:

Better than vb? Wow... like what?

[El Presidente]

» Better than vb? Wow... like what?

Same essential functionality as vb. Better security and personalisation of graphics + better performance under load. We wanted a system that can handle growth in a robust manner over the next 10 years.

Will reveal more when my IT guru Jason Chipperfield permits. I don't wan't to steal his thunder :cool:

[Colt45]

I'll throw in my two bits where they weren't asked for - I'm not a big fan of the vb forums I've seen.

Rather ugly interfaces.

[Claudius]

» » Better than vb? Wow... like what?

»

» Same essential functionality as vb. Better security and personalisation of

» graphics + better performance under load. We wanted a system that can

» handle growth in a robust manner over the next 10 years.

»

» Will reveal more when my IT guru Jason Chipperfield permits. I don't wan't

» to steal his thunder :cool:

Like a modded vb? - Oh, you cant say, sorry :-P Not IPB?

Anyway, looking forward to it!

[Claudius]

» I'll throw in my two bits where they weren't asked for - I'm not a big fan

» of the vb forums I've seen.

» Rather ugly interfaces.

vb is very flexible and powerful, and quite customisable. The admin panel is very intuitive, as are the user panels. Not sure what you dont like about it (are you sure you dont mean the ugly and easy to hack phpBB?), but the good thing about vb is that they add everything their customers ask for, so you basically end up with forum software that has everything you could dream of, and then some. :cool:

[Cam]

don't take offence I was only joking Warren.

[Claudius]

» We have put into place a complete Forum re-design for the first quarter of 2008

Any update on this?

[El Presidente]

» » We have put into place a complete Forum re-design for the first quarter

» of 2008

»

» Any update on this?

We are well advanced. Having a final meeting with our IT guys 1:30 today for an update. Will pass on the details shortly.

[El Presidente]

» » » We have put into place a complete Forum re-design for the first

» quarter

» » of 2008

» »

» » Any update on this?

»

» We are well advanced. Having a final meeting with our IT guys 1:30 today

» for an update. Will pass on the details shortly.

Final testing scheduled for the three weeks I am away (14th Feb-5th March)

Launch upon my return.

Effectively:

Commercial Board Software (IP Board).

Same features as VBulletin but with increased securtiy in that Chat and member blog are internal and not 3rd party attachments.

There is also better web support and upgrade options down the track.

Image uploads also easier with more image capability.

We are able to customise a little more. Our IT guys have tested both.

[Claudius]

:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

[CIGARHead]

Sounds good Rob....I'll miss the good old school Foh though. I'll take a screen capture of the ol girl and frame it...oh the memories.

[Colt45]

» ....I'll miss the good old school Foh though.

As will I.

[El Presidente]

» Sounds good Rob....I'll miss the good old school Foh though. I'll take a

» screen capture of the ol girl and frame it...oh the memories.

I will miss it too. Yet all posts will be transferred accross and our team is doing everything possible to capture the mood and feel. Unfortunately this all in one format (all on one page) is destined to be broken up into various categories. I hate the thought but the change has been forced upon us due to the need for better member security.

[CIGARHead]

» » Sounds good Rob....I'll miss the good old school Foh though. I'll take a

» » screen capture of the ol girl and frame it...oh the memories.

»

» I will miss it too. Yet all posts will be transferred accross and our team

» is doing everything possible to capture the mood and feel. Unfortunately

» this all in one format (all on one page) is destined to be broken up into

» various categories. I hate the thought but the change has been forced upon

» us due to the need for better member security.

Oh, I completely understand Rob...I hope we can make the new board "unique"..(other than our "unique" members) I have never seen a forum set up like this, which makes it the rogue cigar forum, the outcast. I like that.

But, it's the members here that make Foh, not the message board layout.

And hopefully the security will be better. I have found late night, when I have had one too many rum drinks, that the scam emails from Mr. Yoruba in Nigeria are a bit tempting.;-)