Hatrack River Forum: How to deal with spam posts

This is topic How to deal with spam posts in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :

Floods of spam have recently caused the "new member" function to be briefly turned off. This may be happening again.

If you suspect you may be experiencing spam, don't panic. Although spam is contagious, its effects on you are generally cosmetic rather than debilitating -- at least, if the infection is contained quickly.

Steps to take:
1. Don't touch it!
2. Wash your hands well, anyway. Handwashing is good.
3. But don't click on the link.
4. Use the "report post" function (the whistle icon at the bottom of the post) to alert your local sanitation professional.
5. Let your friends know you are unclean and have sought professional advice. You can do this by ringing a bell or by posting that you have contacted PapaJanitor. Otherwise, your friendly sanitation engineer may be overloaded with reams of paperwork from all your friends scrambling to distance themselves from you and your filthy, perverted ways.
6. Wash your hands again. It's good for you.

[Smile]

Posted by brojack17 (Member # 9189) on :

I'M STILL DIRTY! [Angst]

Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :

Do I have to sleep in my own tent for 7 days?

Posted by docmagik (Member # 1131) on :

I whistled this thread.

Oh, wait. You didn't mean posts about spam?

Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :

Yes, you are.

Yes.

Yes, that too. But now you touched it! *points
"Unclean, unclean!"

Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :

Burn 'em!

Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :

<bathes soaks soaps scrubs>

Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :

If you bathe your soaks and soap your scrubs won't you be kind of soggy?

Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :

I'm not a witch, I'm NOT a witch! And this isn't my nose, it's a false one.

Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :

*Points at Goody Scrivener*

She turned me into a newt!

Posted by JumboWumbo (Member # 10047) on :

A newt?

Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :

(He got better.)

Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :

I got better.

(Gah! She beat me to it!)

Posted by rollainm (Member # 8318) on :

[ROFL]

Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :

Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!

Posted by rollainm (Member # 8318) on :

Spam Man!

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

I <3 CT. [Big Grin]

I only have one addition.

7. When relevant, write negative review at Amazon.

Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :

Oooh didja? {resists urge to search for threads to get book names}

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Yep. [Big Grin]

I don't think it's up yet, though.

I take that back. It is. [Evil]

Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :

*marks rivka's review "helpful"*

Well, it is.

*marks all the spam reviews "unhelpful"*

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Yeah, I already marked the single negative review (well, the only one before mine) "helpful."

I just noticed how long the book has been out. Wow, talk about beating a dead horse!

Posted by theCrowsWife (Member # 8302) on :

quote:
Originally posted by rivka:
I just noticed how long the book has been out. Wow, talk about beating a dead horse!

The book is self-published, so he probably has a huge stack of them in his garage to get rid of. Clearly the poor guy is desperate, but any sympathy I have is buried under annoyance with the spamming.

Today's take-home lesson: If you can't get your fiction published by someone else, it probably won't sell if you publish it yourself.

--Mel

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Oh, I realize it's self-published. But it's one of those print-on-demand outfits. There is no stack of books in his garage.

Just a stack of ego desperately trying not to deflate. [Razz]

Posted by theCrowsWife (Member # 8302) on :

Although, looking at their prices, he might almost be better off with the stack in his garage.

--Mel

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Heh. Probably so. But it's clear his hope is to get enough buzz that the book gets picked up by a real publisher . . . [Roll Eyes]

Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :

Well done, JT.

Posted by anti_maven (Member # 9789) on :

All this talk of hand washing...

It smacks of obsessive compulsion if you ask me.

[Wink]

Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :

But it goes so well with eggs and hashbrowns!

You can even add it to a fried rice recipe for added deliciousness!

Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :

quote:
Originally posted by theCrowsWife:
Today's take-home lesson: If you can't get your fiction published by someone else, it probably won't sell if you publish it yourself.

Conspiracy theorists have an easy time self-publishing their fiction.

Posted by theCrowsWife (Member # 8302) on :

But do they have an easy time selling it?

Well, one of the exceptions to the "no self-publishing rule" is if you have a ready audience that is not served by an existing publisher (such as a motivational speaker). This is usually not the case with fiction, but in very specific sub-genres (such as conspiracy theories, I suppose) it might be true.

Plus, note that I said "it probably won't sell."

--Mel

Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :

Well done, pH.

Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :

When it comes to spam-fighting, we're all winners.

Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :

I admit I posted before whistling 'cause I thought my post would be funny and wanted to be sure I got it in first. [Smile]

Posted by Flaming Toad on a Stick (Member # 9302) on :

[Smile]