I agree totally with the foil of preventing PM use unless a Newbie has posted a minimum number - truely excellent initiative and it should help make our forum too much of a grind for spammers to bother with (and yes I did get the PM in question - poor man, he’s not going to find many places to put that!!).
My post related to the logic behind stopping Newbies using the simple image post facility on grounds of webspace useage. If a spammer posts using this tool I presume that their file would be promptly removed along with their post so webspace will not be at issue.
The only real tool to limit this kind of abuse of the forum, is to move to authorising forum membership before anyone can post. It is a lot more work for the administrators, but there comes a point when it is less than the amount of work involved in removing spam from people abusing the auto membership function by flooding the site with bogus signups. Nothing truely stops these people, but making life hard for them means they are more likely to move their attentions to easier targets.
I agree with both mel and Derek on this one. I know I’m essentially a newbie but I think Mel has a good point. Spammers will just pop onto the boards once and send out PMs like that and then never come again. Perhaps if PMs were restricted until after, say 5 or 10 posts…something minimal but enough to annoy spammers. And then img tags after a similar amount, such as 5 or 10. Spammers are cut down, newbies get a chance to acclamate before they’re attempting to put pics on here, and everybody’s happy
84% of posts on this forum come from just 25 members - those with three and four 'knots'. They are also the most prolific image posters.
Yes. And?
By contrast, the rather derogatorily named 'Newbies' rarely post and are even less likely to post images.
That’s part of the point of limiting it to those who have earned the privilege by contributing to this forum in one way or another.
No one else has complained about the term that the forum uses to identify new members. It’s is an extremely common net-wide piece of terminology that has no other use than to identify people who are ‘new’ to a particular discussion forum and who may, at times, need assistance from other, more experienced members.
So if you want to save on limited web space by blocking certain groups you would be best served by blocking those with rankings of three 'knots' and above who generally are all well able to use the [img] tag method to present images.
I will block certain groups because I have good reason not to allow them access to privileges which could compromise forum security. Those who have demonstrated some measure of responsilbility will eventually gain access to these same privileges. Anyone who then abuses then in any way will find their account has been removed.
[b]Furthermore, it is those who have not posted much that we should most encourage to join in. This is not achieved by banning them from using facilities designed to make forum use all the easier.[/b]
The ability to post attachments is not a significant constraint on discussion. There are thousands of text-only discussion areas that have been used for 20 years or more without any need for attachments.
I disagree with your decision to block this service from 'Newbies'
Your disagreement has been noted but I will await further instructions from the Web Admin or an IGKT official.
and suggest that if saving webspace is that important to you, that you consider preparing a short tutorial on how to best prepare images for posting. Tips like choice of background and use of lossy .gif formats offer big reductions in file size which would not only save on the limited webspace, but would also reduce download time for everyone.
Perhaps you could prepare such an article for your Wiki? I’m sure it would have benefits for many people well beyond this forum.
Mel, try thinking of it this way - Content is what brings people to this forum, not a big chunk of pristine empty webspace.
Thank you for your thoughts but I am very well aware of general surfing behaviours, online community development and SEO optimisation techniques. It’s my job, after all. I am also aware of the potential security implications of allowing anyone to upload binary files of any type to a server without moderation. Again, it is part of my job to do my best to protect this forum, and the associated site, from any undue attack or abuse. I consider that the current settings represent a reasonable and pragmatic compromise. If longer term evidence suggests that the forum is open to any abuse via these means, you can be sure that they will immediately be tightened.
An old dog needs to learn this trick. So now I’m to go to the end of the post and then… ??? So if this works you will all see me (at left) the late Clint Funk and Patrick with the big cross we tied on 911 of 2004? I really wanted to post so many other things from time to time but we are so proud of this version of Patrick Ducey’s knot (go to KHWW for the tutorial).
This has been the greatest thread! I am too dull to figure it out and at long last (when lead to the water) I can add a photo to my post! Can I do that tomorrow? Mostly not. More hand holding and leading may be necessary.
Once again on the recent posting of a jerk… IGKT can’t protect us from “explicitive deleated” censored remarks and censored photos posted or inserted by “jerks”. IGKT and all our fine folks have protected us as best as can be expected. Some months ago I got all upset because I was talking about going over between Glaciers in the Pacific North West and the program edited my choice of words for the saddle between ranges. No more. I did not understand the level of “jerks” that would post. I was also trying to explain the twisting of strands and the line that would result between strands.. I object no more. Some “jerk” tries to destroy my hobby and interfer with my posting to my friends… So now I am here to support IGKT in any level of security that we need to have a good site with less of … what shall we call it… the Harrison Ford File.. HFF… which I think has nothing to do with the actor but much to do with a “bad actor”?
Roy,
If you want to see how a post with a picture is made, go to one and click on quote.
You will see (img]web address here[/img]
To use one like that your picture needs to be on internet and you need to know its address, just that one picture.
The address starts habitually with http and ends in .jpg or .gif (or one of many other file formatts.)
If you do not have your own website you can use a webhost, like photobucket, but it is easier to use the ‘add your picture to this post’ option.
The silver ones are now a pair of earrings. My brother suggested “Too Much Tequila” for the title in my next art show, but I decided on “Not Sold In Stores”, instead.
Here’s a page with that picture, and a couple of shots of the silver rendition(s) down below it:
It’ll be a long while before I do those again, unless I can come up with a better way to tie 'em. String is no big deal, but metal presents certain challenges.
Hi KnotHead,
Your offer a challenge that sends me to walk 3/4 mile and jump of the Cascade Bridge. No, I’ll not jump but the knots you offer are so far beyond what I currently do or can imagine doing. Nice challenge. Post a thread on how many get it right! Of course the work is inspiring and lovely. Good on you. But don’t expecet many to meet your challenge. At least without a lot of help.
Hi Brian,
I did not wish to defuse the current challenge… just to express how far beyond me this one is. Others may come to it and match you line by line… just not me! I was playing with some ear-rings made and donated by Dan C. for our sale items at IGKT-PAB. I sent a check to our coffer as I wished to give them to a family member. They are star knots. I also am working with some folks to make the cross with pedestal from Patrick Ducey. Some folks want to do the Wee Lighthouse Pendant.
As you know I’ve tied a knot or two but often what someone else has done is a mystery to me. How about a “challenge” to the gifted and skilled to offer a tutorial on any one of their knots. You know I offered up the Thump Mat as tutorial, Patrick has offered up the grids for his awesome THK’s, as tutorial. I wold not say I am gifted but just as sure as we tie knots then Patrick is both gifted and skilled.
Of course I’d like to see the “basic challenge” just be for intermediate skills and hope that most viewers can work with it and have a fine time. Also it should be presented as a “beginner challenge”.
I think that your work is beyond me. So I understand that some of my work is beyond the intermediate knotter. The “knot challenge” needs to be segmented or layered.. for newbies, folks with some knots who love to be puzzled, some for old timers who want a shot of juice from the defib, some for “extreme know it alls” who need to be knocked down a peg or prove their worth and step up a peg. ;D
The first knot challenge should be the 6 knots. Level above that should include some decorative as well. Just my thoughts. Frankly, if I need to answer to your wonderful leather lace knots in the latest challenge.. I ain’t going there. I’ve been trump carded by experts with a bit of paste board and I don’t need to be high carded by the finest lace worker in PNW. If I tried to trump your knots I just be bringing a knife to a gun fight. Nice knots, best of lace. Hope you are well.
Oh. I thought it was just a challenge to post your pic in the forums. I think I lost it somewhere. LOL… Leave it to my absent mindedness. I am hoping that the job hours will decrease to just 8, or 9 hour days. I will be able to tye some more knots more often, instead of tying them under the mid-nite oils and half asleep. I am looking forward to our next visitation together with Pat. ;D
Brian,
You are right, the challenge was to post your pictures.
Roy,
You may not do as much fancy work as some of us, (but what you do is good and pleasing to look at,) but you do much more in the way of practical knots.
Those photos of Brian and me, posted 22-10 got posted because we were talking about the projects we are working on at that moment. I am making a lanyard as the green - black one in my photo.
We can have a thread in which we challange each other to make some work, but as said, the starting point is different for each of us and we can not expect a practical-knot-tyer to compeet with a fancy-knot-tyer when making the same project.
Wow, I sure misread that one from the first post. Well, I’ve only been up to the challenge one time and can’t remember how I did post a photo. Must have been on of the other forum threads. I think I posted the big cross.. maybe. I sure can tie knots but I sure can’t post them.
Try, try again. I reduced this one to bare bones. Hope it works. Wow, it worked! Now we are all in for it! All this time I thought the challenge was to duplicate what I was seeing, which was fine until I came to Brian’s leather work (no way by me) and some of the other posts had me going for a while… but now that I know it was just to teach me to post… well maybe I’ll still look at the posts and see if I can do the work. When I am stupid I am persistently so! Look forward to me forgetting again in a month or so and going through the whole process again. ???. I went back to page one and reread all the posts and there I was, finally gettin the cross in the post and then here I am again! I guess I only need two books and one movie as I seem unable to remember much for very long. :-\
Hi, the sky is gettin lighter… so must be morning. And for the second time I have not undestood the challenge. But I still think there is a value in making the knots on the challenge. I posted a photo and glad to have learned to do so. Tie every knot on the thread and have some fun! Copy the knots and learn to post your knots. Bless you all.
Look forward to me forgetting again in a month or so and going through the whole process again. ???. I went back to page one and reread all the posts and there I was, finally gettin the cross in the post and then here I am again! I guess I only need two books and one movie as I seem unable to remember much for very long. :-\