[Kellie aka Ms. B]

There are certain features of the board which can not be utilized (private messages, sigs, and viewing profiles are a few) until a certain post level is reached. Haiko has enabled this feature on the new boards as a board abuse protection measure. This gives new members the opportunity to learn how our community operates and what is allowed here at ABW.

Please DO NOT post what you think is the specific number of posts required to gain access to certain board features. All this accomplishes is a potential rash of meaningless posts to gain access to the features and negates the intent of the restriction. Please feel free to inform new members that they will gain access when a certain post level is reached, just not the actual number. That number is being changed periodically by Haiko anyway.

Please help Haiko and Mods to keep the abuse off the boards by not posting such information.

[Kellie aka Ms. B]

This really shouldn't be so hard folks. I'll try to spell it out though so there's no confusion.

*There are certain features of this board that you will not be able to use until you have reached an undisclosed post rank.

*These features include private messages (sending and receiving), adding signitures to your postings and viewing profiles. Again, you will not be able to use these until you have reached an undisclosed post rank.

*The number of posts required to gain access is NOT to be discussed publicly! This includes speculating as to the number requirement. Any such postings will result in the post being edited or deleted as warranted. Repeated postings of such by the same member may result in ban warnings or ban. Don't do it!

* Do not attempt to circumvent board priveleges if you have not gained access. This includes manually adding sigs. See Haiko's post regarding this here http://forum.abestweb.com/showthread.php?t=54415 (I've re-stickied the thread).

*If you are sending a pm to someone, keep in mind that not all members may have access to this area of the boards. If the person you are wanting to PM has a relatively low post count, you may want to consider an alternative means of contact to ensure they are able to obtain your message.

*These board policies will be enforced.

*If you have questions or problems regarding access to board features, then please do email Haiko at haiko [@] abestweb.com.

[lstolze]

Thank you Kellie! I was actually wondering about this, but then came across some info explaining this. You don't mention polls though - **looks again to make sure she's not ditzing out** - is this also the case for participating in a poll? I noticed that when I take a look at the polls it says I can not participate. Thanks for your help!

~Lisa~

[Kellie aka Ms. B]

Lisa,

I believe so on the polls. I think Haiko did that when the voting for the ABW Best of 2004 voting was happening.

[Verbalkent]

Ive seen posts that are posted just to gain the minimum amount. even in topics haiko visited. If the rules arent enforced, then its not really a good rule. In fact, Ive had a newbie step into one of my posts, drop some foul language about something they knew nothing about, and those posts passed through the rules gate. Ha, Ive even seen haiko engage in minor chit chat with the person, funny thing is, the person actually posted a thread stating there just making posts so that they could reach the xxposts mark.. i dont get it

[Kellie aka Ms. B]

Verbalkent,

If you ever see a post that you feel violates the boards rules, please report it by using the "Report Bad Post" button in the top right hand corner of the post. It's the red triangle icon with the exclamation point. The board gets literally thousands of posts a month. While Haiko and the Mods try to monitor posts as best we can, some can slip by us.

Also I'm not sure why you would post a number of posts required to gain access to board features when the thread is about asking board members not to do so since doing so is making the attempts at maintaining the board more difficult and just adding to the very problem you are bringing up here. :: Off to do an edit yet again.

[Verbalkent]

k,

[nish]

Does this restriction also apply to: edit email & password, edit profile, edit options, edit profile picture? Asking coz these seem inaccessible to me.

Thanks!
-nish

[C.Whyte]

Originally Posted by nish

Does this restriction also apply to: edit email & password, edit profile, edit options, edit profile picture? Asking coz these seem inaccessible to me.

Thanks!
-nish

I don't think so Nish. I'm a n00b and I'm pretty sure I can edit my profile.

cw

[Haiko de Poel, Jr.]

nish,

Go to http://forum.abestweb.com/usercp.php and/or email me with specific Qs

[SonjaHelga]

Please help Haiko and Mods to keep the abuse off the boards by not posting such information.

Will we be notified when we have reached these # of required posts?

Ruth

[Haiko de Poel, Jr.]

No, but you should see a change - ask Disraeli

[Spider Ninja]

100 or 1000? Oh well...I will keep posting and see what happens ;-)

[Herb ԿԬ]

Originally Posted by Spider Ninja

100 or 1000? Oh well...I will keep posting and see what happens ;-)

I am not a Mod; I have absolutely NO authority in this. But posts made just to get the count up have been known to backfire.

[Haiko de Poel, Jr.]

Sage advice

[Spider Ninja]

Originally Posted by Haiko de Poel, Jr.

Sage advice

hmmm...IMHO I think it is a bit rude that I've already posted 32 times and can't access other people's profiles or post IM's.

There are a lot more boards out there don't you know...especially seeing as your board is a creation of your users who create content for you.

Just my 2 cents...

[MichaelColey]

The restrictions aren't intended to be rude. They're intended to help prevent abuse. As the original post says:

"Haiko has enabled this feature on the new boards as a board abuse protection measure. This gives new members the opportunity to learn how our community operates and what is allowed here at ABW."

[Spider Ninja]

Originally Posted by MichaelColey

The restrictions aren't intended to be rude. They're intended to help prevent abuse. As the original post says:

"Haiko has enabled this feature on the new boards as a board abuse protection measure. This gives new members the opportunity to learn how our community operates and what is allowed here at ABW."

OK...I thought about this and maybe I was a bit rash in saying this board is rude. It depends on which side of the fence you are on I guess. If I had 1,000 posts I wouldn't care and would not want to get spammed by newcomers.

Let me rephrase it and say "this board is frustrating when you first start out" or something like that

[Herb ԿԬ]

Originally Posted by Spider Ninja

Let me rephrase it and say "this board is frustrating when you first start out" or something like that

it might be frustrating if your agenda is different than that of the board as a whole. I hope you use your posting privilege wisely so we all can learn something.

[John Powell]

I wonder if the extra privileges kick in automatic or are subject to human approval.

[MichaelColey]

It's automatic.

[Kellie aka Ms. B]

ABW policy is the following:

You will not be able to have access to the PM or signiture features of the forums until you have reached an unspecified number of posts. This is to protect the integrity of this forum. Participate constructively in the forums and you'll gain access to those privileges before you know it.

If you demostrate a pattern of irrelevant posts in order to gain access to PMs and sigs, then you will most likely wind up in a special user group who will never be able to access those features.

Add a sig manually to your posts when you have not yet gained access to that feature will result in it being edited by a Moderator and possibly a ban for the forums. If you really want to participate in this community, then be patient and all else will follow.

Posting the number of posts you think is required to gain access to board features is a violation of ABW policy. Any such postings will be edited by Moderators. Repeated offenses can result in a ban. Don't do it.

This is ABW policy and it has been in place for almost a year with the desired results. As such, the policy isn't likely to change. Some may disagree with the policy, but again it is extremely doubtful it will change. Especially when the majority of the folks who moan about the policy are the very folks who are wanting to abuse the system.

Since folks have expressed their disagreement in this thread about the policy and there are other threads on the forums along the same lines, this thread will be locked. It was intended only as a resource for new members to know the policy to begin with.

This is the policy of ABW with regards to accessing certain board features. Period.

[Kellie aka Ms. B]

Thread cleaned.