Silly silly me. I really did think when OS was down for maintenance a week ago on Friday afternoon, that they were preparing to turn the big hoses on and wash out the weekend spammers. I don’t know why I thought that. What week is this assault in now? I’ve forgotten. It’s the new normal. We’ve given up. Every Friday afternoon this place empties out. Some poor soul comes in on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and mops up a bit, but it's like trying to empty the ocean with a teaspoon.
Last weekend I thought about going on strike. Who would care, you might ask? Or you might not, because you don’t care! I rarely post, and my comments are few. Ah, but I contribute page views! I keep coming back, ever hopeful, like a hungry dog to an empty bowl. Maybe Scoubidou will have returned. Or Bellwether may have posted something fabulous. Or a nice hot flame war has broken out.
But it’s all streaming sportscasts. And Monday morning brings this:
mary lin joined Open Salon. Welcome! 6:36AM
I do think we have an editor (finally!) in Emily, but Emily is powerless here, and she’s telling us things will get better because – who wants to tell us things are going to get worse??? We’re not a fun crowd when we’re in a good mood.
It’s funny – Cindy Ross predicted ruination over a year ago, only it turned out to be much much worse than she ever guessed, because she thought we would be invaded by spam posts masquerading as real posts. Ha. That would almost be preferable. At least there’d be something to read. And faux-writers are too busy faux-writing to be hawking their wares in comments.
Myriad has suggested a strike in a comment on Catherine Forsythe’s post, and Cindy Ross has pointed out that a strike is probably useless. But I don’t care. I’m giving it one more week. I’m going to post for Halloween, in spite of the spam. Then I’m going on strike. No more page views or posts from me until something changes. After all, there’s plenty to read on the rest of the internets. Even flame wars.
UNION
Yeah, that will work.
Pft.
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:D
I do love the ad that has come up with this post --- I MAKE 437 POUNDS EVERY DAY, THE INTERNET HAS BLESSED ME WITH A 13,547 POUNDS A MONTH AT HOME JOB >> SEE HOW!!!
:D Gosh, that's a lot of dough, and the peeps in the pic are holding a big check to prove it!! Oh yea!! Thank you Open!!!
I wouldn't mind the god damn spam if the deletion process was as easy as it is to spam in the first place.
I couldn't even get my scroller to scroll down on the side, it would just lock up for five minutes. And then finally scroll, all the way down to like the beginning of October, so I had to try to scroll back up, another five minutes and by the time I got to where I needed to be, it was the usual, CLICK, WAIT FIVE MINUTES, YES I REALLY WANT TO DELETE MARY LIN, THANKS, WAIT 2 MINUTES, COMMENT DELETED!!
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!
Like you know, the flame wars, those were pretty funny!! :D
And yeah, flag the posts!! Flag the posts!!
I mean, Emily and her crew already know the spam is there, but make some funny comments like, THIS SPAM SUCKS, NOT ENOUGH PICS OF GUYS IN TIGHT JEANS!! :D
Think I'll go do that now!!!
NO MORE SPAM! NO MORE SPAM!! UNLESS IT HAS PINEAPPLE ON IT, AND EVEN THEN, NO MORE PINEAPPLE!! NO MORE PINEAPPLE!! :D
I think many people might be interested if they heard about this 'strike'. The problem is that it would be a massive effort in co-ordination and letting people know. Some people openly have stated [I believe Cranky was one - forgive me, Cranky, if I am mistaken] and some have expressed in private messages that they intentionally post articles on Fridays that Emily will not pick. The reason for this is that any article on the front cover is a prime target for spam. An Editor's Pick on Friday would mean a weekend of deleting spam from the comment section.
It's daunting when the intent is to lower the quality of work. However, I understand completely. Further, closing the comments section, if selected to be on the cover, just defeats the whole aspect of interaction on this site.
Good luck with your efforts. I will participate if there is such a 'strike' effort. As I mentioned in that my post that you linked, I will not be posting any further articles with focus on the spam problem. I simply find it too disheartening and, frankly, I feel it is a waste of my time.
See you on Monday.~r
Union. We need ugg boots and lawn chairs.
I miss the lawn chair dude. He was cool as could be.
Spam sucks. Looks like someone could make the flood stop.
Yes, one blue cat for a spamless OS.
Thanks for speaking out.
OSers join power rings and unite!
Best Wishes,
Blittie
I'm really stunned that people are not posting on Fridays because of a fear of getting an EP and then combating spam! Are EP's so assured these days that people fret about which day they'll get one?
Surazeus - um, but that would eliminate flame wars, too! And it doesn't get rid of the streaming sportscasts.
JoeBono - that's my problem, too, but you know they want our page views. If it weren't for all the page views, there'd be reason for spam.
Joan H. - I'm going to break my habit of paging through this place hopelessly no matter what. I may have to watch all of Hulu to do it, but it will be done.
that we strike on Halloween weekend. A mid=week strike might be more effective (and noticeable)...
poorsinner 101 - it's got to be dire if it's making you lose your will to fight.
Remember, you read it here first.
I looked at the load block and stuff is loading as I wait and wait for the spam to delete.
It took 3 minutes, the last time.
Why the delays and difficulties with getting rid of the spam comments?
As for the strike, I've been on strike for months. I used to work hard, posting daily and bringing in 200 ad views a day.
Nutz to that.
I miss me friends who are gone from here. When the rest go, I'm gone because you all, and writing as I please without writing nazis is the only motivation to put up with the handicaps.
But OS has been a great place. I'm wondering if they are deliberately trying to get rid of us and to shut the place down by letting it become more and more of a drain on our patience.
Myriad - that's not karma. That's the gods being willful.
It's hard to imagine that this place will still be around a year from now.
mishima666 - it's a puzzle. I usually like puzzles. This one is tedious.
I'm still trying to figure out if the Chinese men are hot and sweaty or if the room is hot and sweaty. Hmmmmm.....
"How many spammers did you get this weekend?"
"23!"
"Why you no good son of a bitch!! I only got 22!! :("
Sheesh.