18,000 + emails? you've got to be kidding Arcon. Please tell me you've got a better idea than that. How about this, people actually read the rules and regs of this site and just adher to them as an acceptance of the "terms of use" or expect to be contacted by one of the moderators asking them to justify their actions?

I think Arcon means when someone signs up, that part of the registration process is that an email is sent to the address with their password, which they can change at a later date.

The reason (afaik) at the moment - is that the forums aren't invision, phpbb2, or any of those other types - which is why that option isn't available at the moment (afaik!). Whilst it would be useful, there is nothing to stop them from editing their email address like they can now afterwards. I agree with adding a NOSPAM part to emails if it fits, as that should stop those harvesters (not bots/spiders - they crawl website meta tags afaik) from taking them.

However, your spam email is never really due to harvesters etc - its due to email generators - where you can generate millions of emails, and send them out to random addresses. If you use hotmail/yahoo etc - it can also be because they have a 'white pages' where your email address is available for anyone to find in a list.

@Stinger, I would care to explain. it's a fake e-mail addy. there is no way I'm going to make my real one public. it's called privacy. there is no can of worms, membership of an internet gaming forum isn't exactly the MOST IMPORTANT thing on earth that I will ever do, is it? if it makes you feel better to ban me, ban away, go ahead. it really doesn't amount to anything newsworthy does it? and i retain my privacy and anonymity. if anyone's opened a can of worms it's yourself by making this e-mail registration an issue suddenly, obviously questions are going to be asked as to why after all this time it's become so important. And you didn't really answer mine, you just got hostile. I wonder just how many TLR registered members actually disclose their real addys on the forums. I bet it's fewer than you'd like to think. Now then if people aren't disclosing their e-mail addresses, why should that be? they're not all up to something scurrilous, surely? maybe like me they value their privacy and don't find your assurances particularly reassuring.

btw if I was ever to publish my real e-mail address, which I'm not going to no matter what you say or do, I would set my e-mail client's message rules to reject any message from people I didn't already have in my address book. SO even if I did let you know what it was, you still wouldn't be able to e-mail me because I have no desire to communicate with you particularly.

I don't see why you can't own up and tell the truth that you're selling the addresses on. Everyone else does, everyone knows it goes on, so this pretence that TLR is pure and untouched by internet commercialism just doesn't wash I'm afraid.

it will be amusing to see how much of this you edit out! I take it you've read 1984?

*groan - why do we always get the self righteous little twerps?!*

Okay, simply put - the rules have been there for a reason for a LONG time. Like Stinger said - obey our rules to post - or don't join.

However - why all of a sudden? Because we are mailing people who don't stick to the rules. We tell them if we move a thread, we give them a warning by the privacy of an email if they go against rules, we ask them their side in a flame war before banning, we ask for explanations about things.

How the heck are we supposed to do that if you do not provide a valid email. If you want to keep your privacy, thats fine its your perogative. However, its our perogative to remove you if we cannot get into contact with you - as we ask that during membership you obey our rules. If your personal rules mean you won't obey our rules, then you don't have a privelage to post here.

There is no point in arguing - you don't want to obey rules and regs in joining, then DON'T JOIN . There is no question about this - you should have read.

The reason the rule is being re-itterated is because recently a high amount of members whom we tried to contact did NOT provide valid email addresses. Who were they? None of your business - but rather than try to argue, either update or leave!

And as for selling email address - grow up you immature little lad.
What value would the addresses hold when a flippin bot could nick them anywhere anytime they like?. Hell - guess you aren't a member of many many forums, because you have to provide a valid email in order to join - they email your code to you. Wonder how many people using those email addresses also use them elsewhere.

My real email addy is here, and has been for....since i joined. I don't get spam emails at all - I have filters on - but emails from people DO get through. IF you get spam emails - I suggest that your email provider is a crock, and you should change.

*edit*

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In my experience moderators from these forums have never initiated contact with a member

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In your experience? With just 6 posts in 6 months, 2 in this thread, your experience. Hmm - you mean your someone posting under a guise perhaps? What EXACTLY is your experience of the moderators here? I am awaiting some enlightenment as to how you know whom/when/why I emailed members about - or are you making things up a bit? If you don't - then how can you say in 'your experience' - have you felt the need to contact us at all? Or have you been contacted in the past? How many accounts do you have, and are you really from mongolia?

Edited by - Chips on 11/14/2004 6:38:33 AM

I'm quite sure I could not have said that better in any way, shape or form myself Chips.

If you post, then you are required to supply us with a valid email address...period, end of explanation.

Failure to do so will be grounds for banning you from even seeing the forums you so willing to participate in as evidenced by your participation on them. You all may not like it that we're enforcing this long-standing rule, but it will be enforced nonetheless. If you are reluctant to maintain these open lines of communications, then be gone w/you and have a wonderful day.

My email address has been publically available since before I was a moderator. It will remain that way and I welcome visitors to contact me or anyone else on the staff with their concerns. If you don't reach me in one attempt, please try again...I average well over 120,000 email a year so I might miss the first attempt.

my desire to participate? I've made half a dozen posts in 6 months, that's not exactly active participation, is it? it's only your ongoing transformation of TLR into a teeny little police state that attracted my attention. Your banning me will be no loss to me or to you. Although your only justification for it is that I refuse to supply you with a valid e-mail address even though you haven't remotely convinced me that your reasons for requiring such are valid or genuine. Just spouting "rules is rules" over and over again just isn't good enough. Oh and I've publicly challenged your authoritah over this issue, because it's a stupid and unenforcable rule. You'll get rid of me easily enough, but if membership as you say is so high, are you now going to go through every email address on your lists to determine whether they're valid or not? Please, pull the other one, it's got bells on.

You've become the 'poster child" of exaclty why are enforcing this long-standing rule. Enjoy your short stay.

Kai etc....

Do you not realize posting in these forums is a privilege and not a granted right. There ARE people that pay to keep this site going and ARE people that spent much time making sure the place flows and every once in a while we get a person like you that is just a sore on the rooves of our mouths and we are forced to deal with their immature personality. If you look, 99% of the community here obeys the rules (to a certain extent *glares at esqy*) and everything works fine with them, they have no problems with moderators or admins here, and they are able to enjoy their time here. We've worked up quite a nice community of gamers here and thats the way we like it...If you dont like it...LEAVE

but you haven't answered his question, have you?

I have to say this point is good:

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........you haven't remotely convinced me that your reasons for requiring such are valid or genuine

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You seem to keep missing the point. We don't need to convince you - when you join the forum you are accepting our terms. You chose not to, which means you will also be leaving. Whether you argue against what the rules state, and whether you try to manipulate our rules to show we have alterior motives is beside the point. Your beligerent posting about this is neither here nor there, we put the line out - you tow it. Simple.

by the way, if you forget your password - it emails it too you as well. Not too good if your email addy is non existant.
Hang on - why the flippin heck am I trying to persuade you - its a rule - follow it!

Edited by - Chips on 11/14/2004 10:15:43 AM

i think maybe he has a point though. Enforcing a rule for the sake that its a rule and should be enforced. A circular meaningless loop. I put my email address because i dont mind it when people get in touch with me about things, my ego demands it, but when people legitimately dont want to be contacted, you surely have to respect that right.

having contact details because if they cock up you want to privately deal with something is valid too. But if they dont want to be privately contacted then why not just lock their thread. or disable their accoutn for beign an asshole. As Kai said, it IS only a website and small potatos in the grand scheme of things. If they dont want to be contacted and have seriously messed up, then lock them out. leave them a message saying "you want your account back, email me in private" or something. spammers and assholes are inevitable but not worth getting all PATRIOT ACT over.

i see both sides of the argument, one is going to have to back down, its just a shame that in this stage of TLR's lifespan, i think its going to be the mods who get their way.

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leave them a message saying "you want your account back, email me in private" or something.

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How can we leave them a message and expect them to see if if they are banned from the forums? Banned means you will not be able to see any more posts...period.

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its just a shame that in this stage of TLR's lifespan, i think its going to be the mods who get their way.

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It's always been like that

Edited by - Stinger on 11/14/2004 3:36:54 PM

why do we have admins that dont know how to code asp? surely if this site is going to expand they need to be able to make changes to the current system. maybe there are somwhere, in which case, code it so when you log in you get a message saying "password denied, you've been locked out. Email us to find out why" or simply have that as the generic message for when people have had their accounts locked...use your imagination.

and i mean the current state of affairs that's happening on the forums. The "new changes" which have yet to provide one good point except grom's red sticky icons.

Sheesh! If people are so concerned about their email addresses, then make one exclusively for signing up to forums and newsletters, etc. I possess FOUR email addresses (long story), and the one listed in my profile is specifically for spam trapping, TLR, and other services that require an email address. It's not hard to create a new email address, and it only takes a few minutes. While some people may bridle at the thought of creating a new email address just to post on one site (ie. TLR), that same email address can have many applications, and it will always be there if you need it. After all, email addresses don't go off... unless you don't use them for 12 months of course .

Edited by - esquilax on 11/14/2004 4:04:56 PM