Hello, new here.

[Sephiroth]

Hello there!

A friend of mine referred me to this site, and I've been lurking off and on for a while, then I registered a little bit ago, but the registration process on this forum is just so convulted and confusing. First I had to validate my email, which it did, then it told me I had to be admin validated. Apparently I was, but I still cannot do much on the site. May I ask what's going on?

I think there needs to be a bit more clarity on the registration process, or some of the phrases changed in vBulletin to reflect the system here, because I am utterly confused on how it works.

A little info about myself, I haven't been employed yet, but I do enjoy reading some of these stories I've read on this forum. I'm currently in college however, going for an associate's in Business Management, so I'm beginning to understand how things are run.

Well now, let's see if this actually goes through. Thank you for reading this!

[Rapscallion]

Spambots ruined it for everyone. First few posts have to be invisible due to spambots posting shite all over the place. We also had to restrict new members from having the ability to PM people, since the wankers were using that to spread their adverts.

Sorry, but the current system is the only way to keep them at bay. I'll get around to looking at the phrasing at some point.

Rapscallion

[Sephiroth]

Sorry, but the current system is the only way to keep them at bay.

Is there any way you could put a more detailed explanation of the system somewhere? I know for a fact the FAQ can be changed in the admin control panel, having run a vBulletin board myself for several years now.

The whole system is just confusing, and all I ask is for some sort of detailed explanation easily found somewhere that explains what happens and informs users what all to do.

When I registered on the site, I was told to check my email for validation, so I did that, after validating my account, it further told me to wait for administrator validation. So I waited, and I waited, and no change happened on my account. Nothing.

Question about this thread: It mentions if I have any questions, I am to PM a mod or admin, but just how am I supposed to do such a thing if I can't even view member profiles, let alone send private messages or receive them. A lot of these questions could be answered if there was just a FAQ somewhere filled with tons of useful information instead of the defaults that ship with vBulletin itself.

[MadMike]

Is there any way you could put a more detailed explanation of the system somewhere?

If you're asking about how someone comes off newbie moderation, we keep that a secret. We don't want to give spammers or trolls any sort of advantage.

It mentions if I have any questions, I am to PM a mod or admin, but just how am I supposed to do such a thing if I can't even view member profiles, let alone send private messages or receive them.

You should still be able to use the "Contact us" link. I don't think you even have to be a member to use it. I also remember that awhile back, someone managed to email me (without being able view profiles as you mentioned) and ask why he wasn't able to view profiles. After I explained to him that it was a measure to thwart spammers, and that it would change once he'd been a member for awhile, we never saw or heard from him again. I suspect he was up to no good.

[Treasure]

also new here - and actually, if you read "Da Rulz" it does explain .... or it did for me...

[Sephiroth]

If you're asking about how someone comes off newbie moderation, we keep that a secret. We don't want to give spammers or trolls any sort of advantage.

That's not what I am asking about, I'm just asking about a more detailed explanation on how this registration process works, as by my understanding, I'm still awaiting administrator approval, and 9 times out of 10 on boards I've been on before, admin validation had to occur first before I could post. Here I just don't understand how it works. There's not enough information out there to inform people.

if you read "Da Rulz" it does explain .... or it did for me...

Unfortunately I looked through Da Rulz and it mentions nothing on this issue.

[Sephiroth]

Going to double post here as well, since I can't see my latest response to edit it.

Another reason I ask, is because I still see the Stuck Validating? forum, which makes me wonder what exactly is going on, since it only mentions email validation, but I'm apparently past that.

[Rapscallion]

The way it works is that we have an automatic process by which people can attain membership. We've tried for a mixed approach of human and automatic interaction. Everyone's first few posts require moerator approval, and nobody in the very early stages can send private messages. We've had far too many spammers and trolls to allow them to try that.

Get a few posts in areas where posts count towards your post count and you'll see some progress.

Rapscallion

[Sephiroth]

Get a few posts in areas where posts count towards your post count and you'll see some progress.

How would I find out if the specific section I am going to post in will actually count towards my post count? That's another area where information is missing.

[Rapscallion]

Generally speaking, this section and the community section don't attract post counts. Areas such as the 'Heart of the Site' do.

Rapscallion

[Ree]

The friend who referred you is another active member of the site. (I checked.)
Were they not able to give you any details about what they experienced when they joined the site?

As has been pointed out, you're correct that the signup process is a bit lacking in details, but how would we be fighting spambots and trolls if we revealed the criteria to become a full member with all access and privileges?

That would just give them details to work around.
We keep it all sketchy for a good reason.

[SG15Z]

Well it's been a long time since I registered, but I don't remember the process being that confusing. this sticky which is in both this forum and the Site News area, explains the new users being moderated for a while before they're officially members.

As for the PM issue, it was posted in the News section a ways back here. It might need to be stickyed or something, but no PMs for zero post users is becoming more and more common amongst forums due to Spam, so it's likely no one thought much of it.

Either way the first link is at the top of both the Site News and New Members, and has been helpful to people in the past understanding how it works (including myself).

ETA:
Oh and to

[Sephiroth]

...snip... how would we be fighting spambots and trolls if we revealed the criteria to become a full member with all access and privileges?

I'm not asking the criteria to be divulged, just asking for a bit more clarity of the general process put somewhere where it's easy to find, such as how registration works, like you sign up, then validate your email, then details on the steps after that, which remain fuzzy for me because nothing is being told other than fighting spambots.

Apparently if I was a spambot, I would've already posted my crap and have been gone by now, but I am not, yet I am still seeing the stuck validating forum, which only discusses email validation. I'm already past that so why do I continue to see it?

[Dips]

I'm not asking the criteria to be divulged, just asking for a bit more clarity of the general process put somewhere where it's easy to find, such as how registration works, like you sign up, then validate your email, then details on the steps after that, which remain fuzzy for me because nothing is being told other than fighting spambots.

The fact that thousands of people have joined and are posting away is a good indication that the signup process is easy to follow.

The fact that your posts appear here indicates that the criteria were clear enough to get you over the first hurdle just fine.

As to the rest being fuzzy. That's by design. Fighting spambots IS the answer. That answer isn't going to change.

Apparently if I was a spambot, I would've already posted my crap and have been gone by now, but I am not, yet I am still seeing the stuck validating forum, which only discusses email validation. I'm already past that so why do I continue to see it?

Here you go:

Spambots ruined it for everyone. First few posts have to be invisible due to spambots posting shite all over the place. We also had to restrict new members from having the ability to PM people, since the wankers were using that to spread their adverts.

Sorry, but the current system is the only way to keep them at bay. I'll get around to looking at the phrasing at some point.

Rapscallion

The way it works is that we have an automatic process by which people can attain membership. We've tried for a mixed approach of human and automatic interaction. Everyone's first few posts require moerator approval, and nobody in the very early stages can send private messages. We've had far too many spammers and trolls to allow them to try that.

Get a few posts in areas where posts count towards your post count and you'll see some progress.

Rapscallion

If you're asking about how someone comes off newbie moderation, we keep that a secret. We don't want to give spammers or trolls any sort of advantage.



You should still be able to use the "Contact us" link. I don't think you even have to be a member to use it. I also remember that awhile back, someone managed to email me (without being able view profiles as you mentioned) and ask why he wasn't able to view profiles. After I explained to him that it was a measure to thwart spammers, and that it would change once he'd been a member for awhile, we never saw or heard from him again. I suspect he was up to no good.

The friend who referred you is another active member of the site. (I checked.)
Were they not able to give you any details about what they experienced when they joined the site?

As has been pointed out, you're correct that the signup process is a bit lacking in details, but how would we be fighting spambots and trolls if we revealed the criteria to become a full member with all access and privileges?

That would just give them details to work around.
We keep it all sketchy for a good reason.

Hope that helps.

[Ree]

Basically, after all the questions you've asked, all you want to know is, why can you still see that "Stuck validating" forum if you've followed all the instructions to register, and have validated the registration.
Am I right?

All those convoluted questions and critiques on the registration process, which has worked fine for thousands of other members, were just your way of asking, "Why am I seeing the 'Stuck Validating' forum, which is only for members who are stuck validating, if I have validated?"

Simple answer is....you must not have validated properly after all.

That is, unless everyone can see the "Stuck Validating" forum. (I never log in as anything other than a mod, and I can see that forum anyway.)

Can you see the "Not Logged In" section?
That forum can only be seen by people who have not validated properly.
I don't see any message there for you, so I am assuming everything is fine.

Just keep posting and you will soon meet the prearranged criteria to come off moderation.

Is that a bit clearer?