Author Topic: Super-sized Newsletter for Oct 25, 2014 - Codename: NANY 2015 Preppers (Read 83570 times)

mouser · « **on:** October 25, 2014, 07:53 AM »

Super-sized Newsletter for Oct 25, 2014

"Codename: NANY 2015 Preppers"

1. Newsletter Editorial

Greetings. It's been a whopping 156 days since the last newsletter, and in that time..
New threads started: 1,300.
New posts: 12,000 (number of those deleted as spam: 468).
New members who joined: 13,600 (number of those banned for spamming: 700).
New donors: 714.

The important news to tell you about is that our big "New Apps for the New Year (NANY) 2015" event is fast approaching. You can read all about it below, in the first section of the newsletter. We'd love to have your participation in it.

See you on the forum!
-jesse (mouser)

2. NANY 2015 Event (New Apps for the New Year)

Since 2007 we have held an annual event that we call NANY (New Apps for the New Year), where we ask the coders who hang out on DonationCoder to create some new piece of free software and share it with the world on January 1st of the new year (browse previous year entries here).

There are no winners or losers, it's simply a celebration of programming and creating new software and sharing it with the world. Everyone who participates gets a commemorative mug. You can target any operating system (desktop or mobile) or even make a web-based tool. It can be a game, utility, large application, whatever.

3. User-to-User: Your Input Requested

We love nothing more than having interesting discussions on our forum -- and we love when new people participate in the discussions. In each newsletter we try to highlight a few topics that we think might interest casual readers and that are good candidates for making your first post.

4. Mouser's Software Updates

I've uploaded some updates to many of my large applications since the last newsletter. As always, you can find the list of what's new both in the online help pages (linked from each program homepage) or in the forum thread about the application (also linked from each program homepage).

5. Skwire Empire Software Updates and New Releases

DC member skwire is one of the more prolific coders of utilities on our site -- he roams the coding snack request section and pounces like a jaguar when he finds something that catches his eye. He's released a ton of updates to his software since the last newsletter, including some updates and a few brand new releases:

6. Coding Snacks, Mini-reviews, and other Member Projects

We love to keep up with projects that our members are working on, and hearing what our forum members think of software they use. If you're working on something interesting -- let us know!

7. Website Discoveries, Debates, Essays, Discussions

What's new in cyberspace? What exciting new sites have been discovered by forum members? What's the current hot topic and debate? Read on to find out..

8. Specific Software Discussions

Some noteworthy discussions about specific software applications on the forum since the last newsletter.

9. General Software Discussions

Some noteworthy general software discussions on the forum since the last newsletter.

10. Entertainment, Games, and Humour

Here's a collection of some diversionary web browsing links posted on the forum recently.

11. Developer's Corner

This section highlights some discussions that might be relevant for not just coders and developers, but also people interested in entrepreneurial issues.

12. Security News

There were so many security-related posts on the forum in the last month that we have a section of the newsletter devoted to the issue.

13. Linux and Hardware Hangout

While the lion's share of technical discussions on our forum involve Microsoft Windows software, hardware and linux threads are becoming increasingly common.

KynloStephen66515 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 25, 2014, 01:33 PM »

That moment when you realize you browse DC way to much, because every link on here is that lighter shade of blue, which points out you have already visited them at least once!

Awesome newsletter though!

Ath · « **Reply #2 on:** October 25, 2014, 01:50 PM »

^ That

(browse previous year entries here)
-mouser (October 25, 2014, 07:53 AM)

I think a link is missing 'here'?

KynloStephen66515 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 25, 2014, 07:07 PM »

New members who joined: 13,600 (number of those banned for spamming: 700).
New donors: 714.

Fun to work out figures!

If 13,600 new members joined and 700 of those got Spam-Banned - That means 94.85% of those registrations are legitimate (At least...have not spammed or got banned)...For you pessimists, that means a figure of 5.15% of new members at DC where horrible spammers!

If those 714 New Donors are also New Members, then that works out to be 5.25% of the people who signed up in the last 156 Days actually donated! - And again...for the pessimists out there...94.75 of those people DIDN'T donate!

Just another pointless semi-factual post from your friendly forum nutcase!

bernie · « **Reply #4 on:** October 26, 2014, 04:43 PM »

I don't get it. 468 messages deleted as spam by 700 spammers banned.
Does this mean that each spammer only created, on average, 0.668 of a spam?
How do you create a partial spam?

KynloStephen66515 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 26, 2014, 04:46 PM »

I don't get it. 468 messages deleted as spam by 700 spammers banned.
Does this mean that each spammer only created, on average, 0.668 of a spam?
How do you create a partial spam?
-bernie (October 26, 2014, 04:43 PM)

I think the spammers who didn't post, got caught by other Anti-Spam methods such as IP recognition or using a known spam e-mail address on registration. Those "members" would have been banned BEFORE ever reaching the "New Topic" screen.

mouser · « **Reply #6 on:** October 26, 2014, 08:21 PM »

Excellent question bernie. And good guess stephen -- but not quite correct. Who can guess (moderators not allowed to try), how the spammers were caught who didn't make a post (or even try to make a post)?

wraith808 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 26, 2014, 09:07 PM »

Sometimes spammers register, and don't post immediately so that their accounts get aged. Then when they come back and post, they aren't as likely to set off alarms.

mouser · « **Reply #8 on:** October 26, 2014, 09:45 PM »

Sometimes spammers register, and don't post immediately

Well that's a clue. They don't *post* immediately.. but, these are newly registered people. Something else gives them away..
Another clue is I wrote code to help me detect them..

lanux128 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 26, 2014, 11:54 PM »

Excellent question bernie. And good guess stephen -- but not quite correct. Who can guess (moderators not allowed to try), how the spammers were caught who didn't make a post (or even try to make a post)?
-mouser (October 26, 2014, 08:21 PM)

lol, my lips are sealed..

KynloStephen66515 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 26, 2014, 11:58 PM »

Excellent question bernie. And good guess stephen -- but not quite correct. Who can guess (moderators not allowed to try), how the spammers were caught who didn't make a post (or even try to make a post)?
-mouser (October 26, 2014, 08:21 PM)
lol, my lips are sealed..
-lanux128 (October 26, 2014, 11:54 PM)

Only cause you don't know

KynloStephen66515 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 27, 2014, 12:06 AM »

mwb1100 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 27, 2014, 01:25 AM »

Is it because they leave spam links in their profile/signature?

lanux128 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 27, 2014, 01:34 AM »

Excellent question bernie. And good guess stephen -- but not quite correct. Who can guess (moderators not allowed to try), how the spammers were caught who didn't make a post (or even try to make a post)?
-mouser (October 26, 2014, 08:21 PM)
lol, my lips are sealed..
-lanux128 (October 26, 2014, 11:54 PM)

Only cause you don't know
-Stephen66515 (October 26, 2014, 11:58 PM)

good effort! now try again..

mouser · « **Reply #14 on:** October 27, 2014, 07:34 AM »

Is it because they leave spam links in their profile/signature?

mwb1100 wins the prize.

Half the people we ban are caught because they (or the semi-automated bots that they use), create forum accounts and immediately fill in profile information that has spam text and links. Their intention is that their forum account profile page will be accessible somewhere on the web and they will benefit by having those pages contain the spam links. What they don't realize is that our forum code will specifically not show such spam links for a new user, and the admins get an email alert when a new user tries to do such a thing.

bernie · « **Reply #15 on:** October 27, 2014, 07:45 AM »

Thanks for the info Mouser!

Deozaan · « **Reply #16 on:** October 27, 2014, 12:36 PM »

Thanks for the time and effort of compiling these threads into this latest newsletter. I found a few interesting threads that I had missed. Thanks!

oblivion · « **Reply #17 on:** October 28, 2014, 11:59 AM »

As usual, great newsletter -- and it's been a particularly useful diversion of attention from things that make me go

so many thanks!

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #18 on:** October 30, 2014, 12:02 AM »

Excellent question bernie. And good guess stephen -- but not quite correct. Who can guess (moderators not allowed to try), how the spammers were caught who didn't make a post (or even try to make a post)?
-mouser (October 26, 2014, 08:21 PM)

When they use the Cranch Wire too much and start to lose control of their emotions? Spammers live in vain!
http://en.wikipedia....canners_Live_in_Vain

Oh wait ...

Armando · « **Reply #19 on:** November 05, 2014, 12:22 PM »

thanks mouser !