Should we allow FREE e-mail accounts?

[JediTricks]

Originally posted by Nexu
I was pointing out that something you posted was wrong. I said nothing about PM's.

I wasn't wrong, perhaps you misunderstood me. I was saying that if you allow the system to let you get mail, you're still not displaying your address. I said nothing about sending email, you brought that up. Perhaps I didn't communicate my earlier point clear enough, so I'll make it again to be sure:

If you allow the system to let you receive email through these forums, your address will not be shown to the sender.

That has nothing to do with the sending aspect, I am not talking about the sending aspect. If you send email through the system, you will of course be allowing the recipient to see your email address, how else could they respond to your email? That's why I suggested PM if you want to send a message without your email address attached.

[Jedi Master Silas]

Well like I said..what about the folks who only have a free account?? I see what your saying about changing your options to not expose your addy or not receiving email and just using PM but if someone only hasONLY a free email account they : A- Will be booted out of the forums if this goes into effect? B- Will not be able to join at all with a free account after this goes into effect?

[Nexu]

OK, I misread. I'm sorry, it's getting late.

[JediTricks]

Silas, I don't have an answer which will satisfy that point, because it's either all or nothing and since the freemail signup situation has been badly abused over the past 2 weeks, I can see why Steve might not want to allow freemail accounts to sign up here. Either we allow freemail accounts and people continue to abuse the forums through them, or we don't allow them and cut off genuine freemail users. I don't see a middle ground, though if any of you have one, I'm sure we'll all be glad to listen.

Current freemail users will not be booted, but newbies will not be allowed to sign up with freemail accounts.


Nexu, no big deal, everybody makes mistakes from time to time.

[Nexu]

Yeah, but I have to stop jumping to conclusions so fast, and so harsh.

[Jedi Master Silas]

I see your point Tricks. It's just a darn shame that people dont know how to act anymore. I quess you have to do what you have to do. Good luck

[2-1B]

Originally posted by JediTricks
since the freemail signup situation has been badly abused over the past 2 weeks

JT, are you talking about spam or multiple accounts? Because multiple accounts have been documented going back several months, if not longer . . .

[JediTricks]

Multiple accounts really, and I mention the past 2 weeks because that's when alternate accountholders were really acting out. Before August, it really wasn't much of a problem, these alternate characters didn't say much and it never really caught the staff's notice so not much administration was needed in that department.


Silas, I wasn't kidding before, if you (or anybody) has any ideas on a solution for this, speak up on the issue, it'll be greatly appreciated. We definitely want a better solution on this than our current options.

[Jedi Master Silas]

I'm no great computer wiz by any means but can you keep track of everyones ISP #? If so can you just allow one user per ISP # and just block it if they violate the forum rules???? Like I said I'm not pc intelligent but would this work??

[Nexu]

If everyone had cable, or DSL.
When you are signed on the internet, you are given an IP address. This is your ID for that session. On dial-up, it generally changes every time you sign on. You end up with the same one every once in a while, but it is a rotating cycle out of a range of IP's. This is called a dynamic IP. Cable and DSL, on the other hand, are different. They have static IP. You use the same one, constantly. To view your IP in Windows 95, 98, ME, type winipcfg in the Start> Run box. Hit enter. Change the dialogue, until it shows IP address. This is your IP for the session. In NT, 2000, XP, go into your network properties. I am not exactly sure where, because I am booted into ME right now. It's either under Modem options, Network options, or Internet settings. The first two are under the Control Panel, and the last is under Tools> Internet Options under IE.

That what you wanted to know?