The Tri-monthly Pruning Of Inactive Members Thread!

[triverse]

So, how many more were banned?

Do you have any way to keep a list of IP's or something to compare possible leechers that are getting dropped due to inactivity but then realising it has been awhile nad come back and just download as much as possible and repeat it?

[Phillyman]

[Phillyman]

509 Members Pruned from the Forums!

Next Pruning will take place on July 10th 2008!!!!

I also deleted any Private Messages that were over 365 days old.

The oldest message before the delete was 10/10/2007......now the oldest message is 04/10/2008

[Hidinger]

509 Members Pruned from the Forums!

Next Pruning will take place on July 10th 2008!!!!

I also deleted any Private Messages that were over 365 days old.

The oldest message before the delete was 10/10/2007......now the oldest message is 04/10/2008

LOL..From now on, whenever you prune the database you just need to put up that picture and everyone will figure out what is going on. That was perfect.

[DPsx7]

Do I need to post or just log in to remain safe from the shark? I ask because I visit often to defend my arcade scores but the active topics aren't always interesting to me so I don't post too much.

[triverse]

Whoops I am 5 days late on this.......Time for some deletions! You know the drill.....if you have ZERO posts AND have not signed into Retromags within the past YEAR........Adios!

500 Members Deleted!

Next Pruning takes place April 10th 2009!

DPsx, I think you are safe as long as you log in. According to Phillyman's post there, it is a combination of zero posts and have not signed in within the last year. You are fulfilling one of the requirements by logging in and you have posts so you should be safe. Besides, you are in charge of the games in the arcade right? I doubt you would get deleted.

[DPsx7]

As long as he's doing it manually and it's not an automatic process, yeah.

[triverse]

As long as he's doing it manually and it's not an automatic process, yeah.

I am not sure how he does it, more than likely a mixture of manual and automatic (probably scans it for various attributes).

[Gnash]

I hope I never get cut out I have a forum posting phase then I forget for a bit then I return again...

[Hidinger]

I am not sure how he does it, more than likely a mixture of manual and automatic (probably scans it for various attributes).

I bet he literally uses the shark

[Phillyman]

I bet he literally uses the shark

I just run a query, looking for members with less than 1 post.....and that haven't logged on within the past 365 days. I then email them and tell them they are about to be axed.....and 7 days later I run the query again and delete those who still meet the criteria

[Phillyman]

Little early this time, but roughly 580 accounts have been purged.

[Phillyman]

I am a bit late on the October pruning, but 888 people just took the long walk.

Next Pruning is January!

[Hidinger]

I am a bit late on the October pruning, but 888 people just took the long walk.

Next Pruning is January!

Seriously. What happened to the Shark picture?

[gblock]

I am a bit late on the October pruning, but 888 people just took the long walk.

Next Pruning is January!

Fixed

[Thor]

I am a bit late on the October pruning, but 888 people just took the long walk.

Next Pruning is January!

LOL, WOW!

That is a crazy number.

[Phillyman]

62 Members lighter, Next Pruning is April 10th 2010

[Phillyman]

Damn, Late again!

374 members pruned!

July 14th is the next deletion.

[Areala]

I think the pruning only affects people who have 0 posts or who have not signed in to Retromags in over a year. You should now officially be safe for another 365 days, Rayder.

*huggles*

Areala

[ezyville]

I don't post much, but I'm still around. Don't delete me.

Same here. To be honest, I totally forgot I was a member until I heard about the ownership change.

[Gnash]

Walk the plank you scurvy dawgs!

[Redstar]

So why is it that inactive members are deleted? Obviously not all of them are potential spambots, and at least some will be annoyed if they realize they have to re-register (though it's not that difficult a task)... Is it mostly to get a semi-accurate representation of how many people are actually here?

[E-Day]

No clue. Maybe it's to get a better idea of how many members are or were active on the forums. Plus if someone takes up a cool screen name and then doesn't post, it frees up that name for someone else. There is still a lot that hasn't been explained to me about this site.

[Areala]

So why is it that inactive members are deleted? Obviously not all of them are potential spambots, and at least some will be annoyed if they realize they have to re-register (though it's not that difficult a task)... Is it mostly to get a semi-accurate representation of how many people are actually here?

From what I understand, it's a resources issue. Every new member who registers creates a new slot in the database, making it that much larger, more unwieldy, and (most importantly) slower. Think about an Excel spreadsheet that gets larger and more complex with every new row and column and formula you have to plug into it, and you should get an idea.

Pruning the database allows the site to operate faster for those who are actually using it, incentivises people who are serious about wanting to be here to post on occasion (seriously, all you have to do is log in once a year and post a couple things to be exempt from the pruning), and frees up potential user names from non-participants to be used by someone who might actually contribute from time to time.

But honestly, most of it has to do with the fact that Phillyman used to enjoy sacrificing the blood of virginal forum accounts to whatever dark, demented power holds this place together, and this was the best way to ensure said power's satisfaction.

*huggles*

Areala

[Mister Zero]

I hope you'll keep up with it, E-Day. I think it's probably a good idea.