Database/Inactive User purge coming

Discuss recent changes, make suggestions, etc.
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crfriend
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Database/Inactive User purge coming

Post by crfriend »

It's come to my attention in recent weeks that there is some contention for usernames and some of those have resulted in folks not being able to register the username they want because it's in use. To try and eliminate some of the collisions, next weekend I am going to delete some hundred-odd user accounts that meet the following criteria:
  • have no posts on record AND
  • have not visited in the past year
This will free up usernames, make the count of our registered users a bit more accurate, and just generally clean things up.

For those who "lurk" here and never post anything, I invite you to actively participate; we try to be a decent lot here and would appreciate participation of those who lurk. We won't bite; at least I'd hope not!
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crfriend
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Re: Database/Inactive User purge coming

Post by crfriend »

I was going to try to make this happen late last year, and it never did (I got bogged down in other matters); however, I am bringing it back to the forefront and will execute on this in a fortnight's time. So, on 2011-02-27 one hundred and forty-odd accounts meeting the following criteria:
  • Accounts with no posts on record AND
  • accounts which have not been active in one year
will be expunged from the system. This will not affect accounts that have shown activity in the past year, nor will it affect accounts that have posts associated with them.

As a forum and as a community, SkirtCafe lives or dies by the participation of its members and citizens. This does not mean we do not tolerate the occasional "lurker" (one who simply reads and does not contribute), because we do; we understand that the notion of bucking societal trends when it comes to clothing choices can be difficult, and a core raison d'etre for us is to advocate for that choice. However, that being said, the community would be all the more rich if everybody who had an interest chimed in and participated.
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Jayce
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Re: Database/Inactive User purge coming

Post by Jayce »

crfriend: If people merely read the comments and input of others they miss out on their opinion being heard. Lurkers when they become active contribute to the cause. LURKERS --> Let us know you exist.
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Pythos
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Re: Database/Inactive User purge coming

Post by Pythos »

I am having it known I am a partial lurker :)

I am still here, don't remove my name!!! LOL
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Milfmog
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Re: Database/Inactive User purge coming

Post by Milfmog »

Pythos wrote:I am having it known I am a partial lurker :)

I am still here, don't remove my name!!! LOL
Good to read your thoughts again Pythos. Don't worry about being removed, anyone who has posted is automatically excluded from the purge in order to maintain the integrity of the forum history. (Besides which, we miss you :wink: )

Have fun,


Ian.
Do not argue with idiots; they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
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Cogito cogito ergo cogito sum - Ambrose Bierce
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Dick Ackerman
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Re: Database/Inactive User purge coming

Post by Dick Ackerman »

You must remember there are some of us who see no need in adding me too to every thread that comes along. Our skirt wearing is just part of our daily life.
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crfriend
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Re: Database/Inactive User purge coming

Post by crfriend »

Dick Ackerman wrote:You must remember there are some of us who see no need in adding me too to every thread that comes along. Our skirt wearing is just part of our daily life.
In an ideal world, that'd obviate the need for places like this!

To those who have expressed concerns, or may be harbouring them, check the algorithm I listed above (and, no, Al Gore did not "invent" it): the criteria are no posts -- ever -- and not having visited in the past year. Those are just the programmatic safeguards; the bloke who will be riding herd on the database server also has a pretty good cache of familiar names that'll be excluded from the purge (although there are but two of those).

This is not going to be the admin walking in and lobbing a nuke at the forum's user community! If anything, I have tried very hard to be as conservative as possible in the selection of the criteria for deletion.

In the sense of openness and honesty, if somebody can offer better or more rational criteria -- speak up! I'll be happy to entertain variations on the theme!
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Big and Bashful
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Re: Database/Inactive User purge coming

Post by Big and Bashful »

It sounds reasonable to me, anyone who decided they didn't want to be deleted just needs to reply to this thread saying they don't want to be binned, having posted they would no longer meet the algorithm and would stay. Quite clever really!
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Re: Database/Inactive User purge coming

Post by kidme »

:thewave:
:lol:
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Re: Database/Inactive User purge coming

Post by cafemusique »

Dick Ackerman wrote:You must remember there are some of us who see no need in adding me too to every thread that comes along. Our skirt wearing is just part of our daily life.
And, at the other end of the spectrum, there are those of us who don't wear regularly (yet?)...so I don't have much experience from which to contribute. That said, perhaps an introduction would be appropriate at some point (after I figure out what information I'm comfortable sharing in this context).
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Re: Database/Inactive User purge coming

Post by cafemusique »

Big and Bashful wrote:It sounds reasonable to me, anyone who decided they didn't want to be deleted just needs to reply to this thread saying they don't want to be binned, having posted they would no longer meet the algorithm and would stay. Quite clever really!
Actually, if I understand the definition of "activity" being used, I think that if you've read this thread (or any other thread in the last year), you're considered active, whether or not you've ever posted to the site. (As long as you were logged in while reading.)
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Re: Database/Inactive User purge coming

Post by Since1982 »

MEMBERS, you don't have any idea how bad the problem Carl is going to fix is. There are members in the lists that joined in 2003 and haven't posted in at least 6 years. It's a pretty good bet they aren't even lurkers much less members. Skirt Cafe's lists go back to 2003, show over 800 members and actually have about 200 or many less active members OR lurkers. I delete from 6 to 20 or more "members" every week at Skirts4Men that are NEVER going to post anything other than ads for scams or babies/women/men for sale ads. Yes, babies for sale...I deleted one last week from Russia wanting to sell russian babies to Americans or anyone else that wants to buy or sell baby or other human slaves on the internet. They have NO interest in "men and skirts" whatsoever. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. I bet Carl spends at least 100 hours to get it clean. Kudos to Carl for putting out all that effort. :thewave:
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Milfmog
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Re: Database/Inactive User purge coming

Post by Milfmog »

cafemusique wrote:Actually, if I understand the definition of "activity" being used, I think that if you've read this thread (or any other thread in the last year), you're considered active, whether or not you've ever posted to the site. (As long as you were logged in while reading.)
Spot on. Just logging in to the forum once in the past year is sufficient to qualify as an active user and avoid being deleted. The mods spent a significant amount of time discussing this and decided that as the forum exists to support men who wish to wear skirts and kilts we should not discourage folks who were reading and slowly building up their own confidence before feeling ready to post here or to wear a skirt in the real world.

There are some longterm lurkers here who log in and read occasionally but have never posted; they are welcome, though it would be nice if a few were to break cover and share a few of their experiences or thoughts with us.

Have fun,


Ian.
Do not argue with idiots; they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
Cogito ergo sum - Descartes
Cogito cogito ergo cogito sum - Ambrose Bierce
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JRMILLER
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Re: Database/Inactive User purge coming

Post by JRMILLER »

For sale, one man, perhaps born in Russia, perhaps not, likes to wear skirts and kilts. Still cheap at $.25 ;)
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crfriend
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Re: Database/Inactive User purge coming

Post by crfriend »

JRMILLER wrote:For sale, one man, perhaps born in Russia, perhaps not, likes to wear skirts and kilts. Still cheap at $.25 ;)
SOLD! To the Nigerian in the far corner! :P

OK, yes, that was off-topic somewhat.

The "problem" is not as bad as Since1982 surmises; I have yet to see any baby-sellers successfully register, nevermind actually get anything onto the forum. The same thing goes for brides for sale, cheap booze, phony watches, unbeatable business ventures, lawyers, guns, and money. The entire thrust is to retire usernames that are clearly inactive and long-since forgotten so others might be able to use them; it is also to get the visible number of members a bit more in line with who is actually active.
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