Aurora 4x

Announcements => Announcements => Topic started by: Erik L on February 26, 2018, 02:12:31 PM

Title: Policy change
Post by: Erik L on February 26, 2018, 02:12:31 PM
I am contemplating a measure to thin out some inactive type accounts.

My idea is if your email bounces due to it not existing anymore, and you have not logged into the site in 3 months or more, I will delete the account.

Thoughts?
Title: Re: Policy change
Post by: davidb86 on February 26, 2018, 02:28:01 PM
Sounds reasonable
Title: Re: Policy change
Post by: Conscript Gary on February 26, 2018, 02:41:31 PM
Normally I'm wary of login time checks like that, since I often go quite a while between checking in on places, but combined with the email check I think that's reasonable enough.
Title: Re: Policy change
Post by: Steve Walmsley on February 26, 2018, 02:54:04 PM
Might catch some legitimate accounts who have changed email but only login to post occasionally and usually just browse. No idea how many people that might be though.

Do you receive any stats on people browsing without logging in?
Title: Re: Policy change
Post by: schroeam on February 26, 2018, 02:57:33 PM
What about forcing a password change for accounts that seem inactive?  Then for those accounts that don't change their password after several months can be considered for deletion?

Adam.
Title: Re: Policy change
Post by: Erik L on February 26, 2018, 03:37:10 PM
Might catch some legitimate accounts who have changed email but only login to post occasionally and usually just browse. No idea how many people that might be though.

Do you receive any stats on people browsing without logging in?

I'd have to correlate last logged IP with guest IP's. I'm thinking that would be a pain in the keester.  Right now, there are 30 guests on the forum. Not counting spiders/web crawlers. I'm certain some of those are still bots. But the only information I get on a guest is the IP address.

I could amend it to only accounts with zero posts, bounced emails (due to non-existent emails), and no logins in 3+ months.
Title: Re: Policy change
Post by: Erik L on February 26, 2018, 03:38:53 PM
What about forcing a password change for accounts that seem inactive?  Then for those accounts that don't change their password after several months can be considered for deletion?

Adam.

I could, but they would not get an email notifying them of the need to change their email address. If I were to change your password or force the change for your account, you should get an email. With an invalid email, no notification, and if they legit attempt to log in, it will fail.
Title: Re: Policy change
Post by: Steve Walmsley on February 26, 2018, 03:55:20 PM
I'd have to correlate last logged IP with guest IP's. I'm thinking that would be a pain in the keester.  Right now, there are 30 guests on the forum. Not counting spiders/web crawlers. I'm certain some of those are still bots. But the only information I get on a guest is the IP address.

I could amend it to only accounts with zero posts, bounced emails (due to non-existent emails), and no logins in 3+ months.

Yes, that sounds good.
Title: Re: Policy change
Post by: TheDeadlyShoe on February 28, 2018, 10:31:14 AM
are the inactive accounts hurting the website at all?
Title: Re: Policy change
Post by: Erik L on February 28, 2018, 12:33:18 PM
are the inactive accounts hurting the website at all?

There are nearly 10,000 accounts here now. My estimate is that maybe 2500 are actively participating. Other than consuming database space, they are doing no harm. It's the ones with invalid emails that give me bounce notices I'm talking about. As long as the email is valid, I don't care about them. :)
Title: Re: Policy change
Post by: Prince of Space on February 28, 2018, 02:02:37 PM
Sounds like I need to be more chatty.
Title: Re: Policy change
Post by: Erik L on February 28, 2018, 03:59:23 PM
Sounds like I need to be more chatty.

You got posts, you're cool. :)
Title: Re: Policy change
Post by: solops on February 28, 2018, 06:21:29 PM
Don't delete us lurkers!
Title: Re: Policy change
Post by: Erik L on February 28, 2018, 11:05:55 PM
Don't delete us lurkers!

As I mentioned earlier, the only accounts considered for deletion are zero posts, invalid emails, and no logins for 3+ months. If any one of the conditions is not met, then you are safe.
Title: Re: Policy change
Post by: MarcAFK on March 01, 2018, 07:53:41 AM
I was looking at the members list a few days ago, literally 80% of the forum's accounts have zero posts, a lot of those might be dormant spambots, or even legitimate users who just haven't gotten around to posting
Theres really no reason not to delete inactive 0 post accounts though, nothing will be lost and they can just re register if they intend to become active.
Title: Re: Policy change
Post by: Detros on May 08, 2018, 10:37:32 AM
I was looking at the members list a few days ago, literally 80% of the forum's accounts have zero posts, a lot of those might be dormant spambots, or even legitimate users who just haven't gotten around to posting
Theres really no reason not to delete inactive 0 post accounts though, nothing will be lost and they can just re register if they intend to become active.
Theoretically one can have no posts but still lose some PMs this way. Other than that there is hardly anything such zero post account could lose with this cleaning and not again gain on creating a new account later.
Title: Re: Policy change
Post by: hubgbf on May 22, 2018, 06:42:01 AM
Hi,

I do not post often, but I use my account to know which game aar I've read or not.
Deleting the account will delete this information.

Perhaps deleting account without post and without login for 1 year ?

My 2 cents,
Hubert
Title: Re: Policy change
Post by: Erik L on May 22, 2018, 01:54:59 PM
Hi,

I do not post often, but I use my account to know which game aar I've read or not.
Deleting the account will delete this information.

Perhaps deleting account without post and without login for 1 year ?

My 2 cents,
Hubert

You have posts, so your account would not be considered for deletion.