Dormant / Inactive members

[Forbidden Paradise]

I was just browsing through the "Members" section of the forums and I couldn't help to notice that a large majority of the members have registration dates that are more than a year old, with "0 posts" following closely. Why do we keep these profiles in the member section, making it look like the forum is much larger than it actually is?

Is it possible that the forum could have a number of "inactive days" affecting the status of your account? Like if the member is not logged in/contributing to the posts/present in the forum the profile would be set to inactive, (after 1 or 2 months), and then permanently deleted from the forum (another month preceding the above). I doubt there are still 1,950 members (at current time of post) active in the forums.

I know that this issue may not affect the rest of you but maybe some of you can improve or add to the ideas which I have brought forth.

Forbidden Paradise

[Mac the Janitor]

Well, maybe not a month, 'cause I remember I didn't come here for a month or so and then I came back again 'cause I got bored again...

I dunno, a year would probably be better. There's no way they would leave for a year...and then come back.

[Alcar]

Please take the time to read this thread: http://www.oddworldforums.net/forums...&threadid=8678

It outlines our feelings on the matter.

Alcar...

[oddguy]

Hmmmm. Good idea. Maybe if an account was going to be deleted, the non-active member would get an e-mail from a super mod telling them that their account was in danger of being deleted. Or, when someone signs up, you could put a disclaimer saying that inactive accounts would be deleted in a certain time period of inactivity. *goes to read the other thread Alcar linked*

-oddguy

[Joshy]

I think we seriously need a thread and sticky it, the thread should have all the information about signature, inactive members etc... we could add more info later. By doing that, we dont need people posting all these questions, we could just refer them to the link.

[Alcar]

Max the Mug has kindly put together one such website. It is possibly already in his signature, but I can't remember.

Alcar...

[Wil]

Yeah, I did create a thing like that to be added to the FAQ, time constraints and lack of being bothered led to it never being finished.

[Forbidden Paradise]

So has anything officially been done about it, like an e-mail instructing the member to log on or get removed after say, 3 months? Or are we still filling the forums with Inactive Members?

[Alcar]

Originally posted by Forbidden Paradise
So has anything officially been done about it, like an e-mail instructing the member to log on or get removed after say, 3 months? Or are we still filling the forums with Inactive Members?

We are still filling the forums with inactive members. Honestly, I don't know why so many people care about such a tiny issue. They don't clog up the forums at all, and the space they take up on the database is minuscule.

I know some forums prune members, but that is because space is an issue. Here, space is not an issue. Even on a server with very little space compared to even my hard drive, we don't have any problems to worry about. This is because the forums take up such a small amount of space, and they will take up even less space (eventually) when vBulletin 3 is introduced

Which I may add, is currently running on the server, hidden away

Alcar...

[Majic]

Thats TFOU, right? Anyways, any idea when the official release is going to be released? I want the forums to look fancier...

[Alcar]

Originally posted by Majic
Thats TFOU, right? Anyways, any idea when the official release is going to be released? I want the forums to look fancier...

Nope. It's a secret testing facility for the Oddworld Forums. Only two people in existance know about it! *giggles*

The official release is any time in the future. The vBulletin team are hard at work, though!

Alcar...

[Joshy]

Originally posted by Alcar
Nope. It's a secret testing facility for the Oddworld Forums. Only two people in existance know about it! *giggles*

The official release is any time in the future. The vBulletin team are hard at work, though!

Alcar...

Well if anyone wants to see, Alcar actually posted an image of deleting Abes Son, thats VB3 control panel looks like.

[Facsimile]

Alcar I know it's not clogging up the forums, but it is annoying when looking through the names list, either to find someone, or for someother pointless reason, and seeing all these no-shows with no posts.

[Forbidden Paradise]

That's my point exactly. I actually want to see our member count and the right amount of loyal members we currently have. Not some four figured number and an enormous amount of "no shows."

Im sure someone out there (preferably moderator) will be willing to take charge of deleting members.

[Alcar]

We will not an will probably never delete members. However, vBulletin allows us to place members in usergroups where they cannot be seen on the member list.

It would only involve shifting inactive members to a usergroup with exactly the same permissions as the normal members of present, except they wouldn't show up on the member list.

However, honestly, I don't see the point. It would create more hassle for anyone placed in charge of that, and it would be either Abe Babe or I that would be put in charge of it. Anyone else wouldn't be allowed, as you could very easily promote anyone (including self) to an Administrator.

EDIT: Found an easier way. I could actually modify the member list so that people with zero posts don't show up. Would be very simple.

Alcar...

[oddguy]

Originally posted by Alcar


EDIT: Found an easier way. I could actually modify the member list so that people with zero posts don't show up. Would be very simple.

Alcar...

That's a great idea! Are you going to implement it?

-oddguy

[Forbidden Paradise]

It's an improvement on the matter, however small it may be

[Alcar]

As with everything, both Abe Babe and I have to go for it. Until Abe Babe replies nothing will be modified

Alcar...

[Forbidden Paradise]

Thanks for your support Alcar, I know you have a load on your shoulders with managing everything else in this forum

[oddguy]

We appreciate you Alcar! Keep up zee good work!
*cough*Vote for oddguy*cough*

-oddguy

[Abeguy]

why don't you ban them? serves them right for dising the forums

[Joshy]

Originally posted by Abeguy
why don't you ban them? serves them right for dising the forums

Umm.. their not breaking any rules... Anyways it would put people off if we have 1000 banned members

[Forbidden Paradise]

Is there a way to find out how many members have been banned in the past?

[Joshy]

Originally posted by Forbidden Paradise
Is there a way to find out how many members have been banned in the past?

Yes, look through the member list and find the people with a custom title called detained my slig secuirty.

[Cloverfield]

Originally posted by Alcar
As with everything, both Abe Babe and I have to go for it. Until Abe Babe replies nothing will be modified

Alcar...

*gives Alcar the go-ahead*

I think that is a wonderful idea. I kind of don't like deleting members, as then it will look like we don't have many. LOL But to have only active members (or at least ones who have posted) in the members list is a very good idea.

Abe Babe...

[Alcar]

The neccessary changes have been made. Very simple modification, I don't know why it didn't hit me earlier.

Alcar...

[oddguy]

Cool! I'm gonna go look at it right now!

-oddguy

[Alcar]

I do hope everyone understands however, that this limits the Member List searching to people with one post or above. As they are both intertwined.

As for having a load on my shoulders with managing the forums, it's not that hard. When people PM me, they often mention that they don't mean to nag, and I don't take it like that at all. I'm constantly saying that Abe Babe and I are here to be nagged

Alcar...

[Forbidden Paradise]

Originally posted by Alcar
...I'm constantly saying that Abe Babe and I are here to be nagged...

Watch out. Someone may actually hold you to that statement...