I would totally pay

Christian Graus

Carl Mercier wrote:

Many people only have web mail accounts.

Why ? Truth be told, it's easy to find free ones that don't show up in filters, but why would anyone be online and not have an ISP, or an account through an employer, school, etc ?

Carl Mercier wrote:

Why not block message posting for 24 to 48 hours after signing up?

I guess every step like this makes it hard for people who just want to use the site. Imagine finding CP, having a burning question, and finding you can ask it in two days. Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++

Chris Maunder

Christian Graus wrote:

Why?

Because they don't want work/their spouse/their kids/their parents/their whatever having access to their emails. Pretty much everyone I know has a free email account as well as a real, work email account. cheers, Chris Maunder

CodeProject.com : C++ MVP

TheGreatAndPowerfulOz

I like the idea. However, I'm not sure it would buy you much unless you eliminate ALL free email services from being used to validate a signup. There are many more than hotmail or gmail. There's also yahoo mail and mail.com and others. Here are some other idea: 1. Add an "ignore user" feature. That doesn't solve the problem, but allows one to filter out the noise. 2. Implement a waiting period of 3, 5 or 10 days before allowing posting or voting. 3. Use a nomination or invitation system.

Christian Graus

ahz wrote:

Add an "ignore user" feature.

That would rock

ahz wrote:

Implement a waiting period of 3, 5 or 10 days before allowing posting or voting.

I hate it. Someone who finds CP probably wants to ask a programming question, and sure doesn't want to wait 10 days. How many people would not bother coming back in 10 days ? Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++

krism42

Just wanted to add my voice as saying I'd gladly pay for CP, espescially if it meant I could block posts/etc by certain users. (Even more if it got rid of the ads! :))

TheGreatAndPowerfulOz

The length of time could be shorter, even 1 hour would probably be long enough to deter most annoyers. But maybe it would be enough to deter too many "real" people. On the other hand, maybe if enough people said ignore this user, the account could be temporarily banned. Also, you could put a limit on the number of posts that a new user could post per hour -- maybe a max of 10.

El Corazon

Christian Graus wrote:

I would suggest not allowing hotmail/gmail accounts to register as an additional step

As stated some ISPs do not include email, relying on the availability of web-based email accounts (and even referring you to them). Admittedly, this is back to the "you get what you pay for" issues.... but still, you are pushing even more people off the list. I agree with the email validity step, so it got my vote. My ISP does have a junk mail filter (which catches very little) and even so, I would simply kick off an email asking that code-project be exempted and my reasons why. _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)

El Corazon

ahz wrote:

Also, you could put a limit on the number of posts that a new user could post per hour -- maybe a max of 10.

or one a day until email validation. max of 10 a day if email validation is one of a list of free email ISPs (which may grow as abuse occurs). This allows a new user to ask a question and get responses, but not post a reply until the next day... or validated via email to get a bit more posting authority. Unfortunately, all those exceptions means programming work for the admins and those who assist. _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)

Lost User

Newbie posts could be moderated for a period of 24 or 48 hours, which would solve 2 problems: 1. filter out the crap 2. let the newbie post their burning question Of course, somebody would have to moderate that. I suggest that every regular gets the right to allow or deny a newbie's post. That way, legitimate posts would appear in a matter of minutes and there would be no need for a 24/7 moderator. If a post is junk, it could be denied right away and only 1 regular would see it. Opinions?

Tom Ollar

He-llo. I am Chris-tian Graus. I real-ly hate rent-a-coder. How's that? Sorry, I didn't have time to create a new id or anything...

J Dunlap

Christian Graus wrote:

I would suggest not allowing hotmail/gmail accounts to register as an additional step

IMO that would not be a Good ThingTM. There are several good reasons that someone might have to use a free email account for their CP email address. They may want the ability to access their email from any computer, or they may want to use their ISP-provided email address for a specific purpose only, etc. I think the annoyance for legitimate users makes it not be worth doing for the sake of keeping down the number of troublemakers.

Christian Graus

J. Dunlap wrote:

There are several good reasons that someone might have to use a free email account for their CP email address

I'm using gmail :-) Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++

Joshua Quick

Christian Graus wrote:

I would suggest not allowing hotmail/gmail accounts to register

I can't say that I like that idea. I'd prefer not to publicly distribute my main e-mail account. I use a Yahoo e-mail account here and at other websites in order to reduce the amount of SPAM my business e-mail account gets. And yes, I do have a spam filter, but some spam still leaks through.

rwestgraham

I use a yahoo account for the same reason another poster listed. My business e-mail is for business. I don't want any spam in my business account, and I like to keep it well organized. The thing that chaps my ass are the posters who constantly flood the Soapbox but NEVER contribute anything to the code project. I think you should scan posting distributions and block out the people who do not contribute. After all, when I want to discuss Nasdaq trading, I post to a board with members that share that interest. I have no problem with the Soapbox as a concept, but I don't think it should be an open platform for people who have no interests other than their own agenda. If they never answer questions on the forums, never contribute an article, why should they be allowed to post ad nauseum on their political views? This is: "thecodeproject.com" not: "theinsultanyonewhomightpossiblybesomewhatliberalorsomewhathigherthanmoroniq.com" I'm not suggesting censorship per se, but asking a simple question: Why should people who contribute nothing to the project itself be allowed to use so much of the project's resources?

Lost User

Chris Maunder wrote:

...and everyone else please offer alternate suggestions.

Send me around to visit them. I work for beer and rum and if I have enough of either I'm happy to fly economy. Michael Martin Australia "I controlled my laughter and simple said "No,I am very busy,so I can't write any code for you". The moment they heard this all the smiling face turned into a sad looking face and one of them farted. So i had to leave the place as soon as possible." - Mr.Prakash 24/04/2004

Jeremy Falcon

But, I'm using a Gmail account! What you trying to say? ;P Jeremy Falcon

Vikram A Punathambekar

A moot point, now that Chris M has made all those changes, but anyway...

Christian Graus wrote:

why would anyone be online and not have an ISP, or an account through an employer, school, etc ?

Because a lot of people in third world countries don't have PCs and the only way they can access the Internet is from public browsing centers. Cheers, Vikram.

"When I read in books about a "base class", I figured this was the class that was at the bottom of the inheritence tree. It's the "base", right? Like the base of a pyramid." - Marc Clifton.

Paul Watson

Also because people change their ISP and don't want to have to change their email address. Hotmail et al is available from anywhere too. No clients, no POP settings etc. regards, Paul Watson South Africa Colib and ilikecameras. K(arl) wrote: oh, and BTW, CHRISTIAN ISN'T A PARADOX, HE IS A TASMANIAN!

Marc Clifton

Christian Graus wrote:

I would suggest not allowing hotmail/gmail accounts to register as an additional step

Erm, I use my gmail account exclusively now. Marc My website Traceract Understanding Simple Data Binding Diary Of A CEO - Preface