What happened, what we know, what we don't know

a reply to: MoreCoyoteAngels

So you’re telling me that you were privy to everything behind the scenes that happens when a member gets banned. Good to know. Because in all the years I’ve been a mod, the only time I’ve ever seen someone banned, just for the comments in a thread, said comments were so egregious there was no redeeming said member.

But what do I know, after all “it is known”.

If you are the one being actioned, then you’ll know why, and you can discuss it with the staff. All you have to do is ask. If you aren’t, you don’t need to know.

a reply to: Zaphod58

That is the theory, even if not the experience.

originally posted by: MoreCoyoteAngels
a reply to: ArMaP2

Actually, a banner isnt code, its content, and as such, more more readily changed.

That banner is in the banner ads section, so it was either added as an ad (I don't know how) or it was added by changing the code.

Both ways are out of reach for moderators.

a reply to: ArMaP2

Where did I say a mod did it? I said it isn't code.

Ad banners are far more dynamic. This one is fixed content. But even if an add, it's a CONTENT SERVICE from the ad plugin.

NOT CODE. Which is what I said.

originally posted by: ObsBartim37
Sure we don’t have their dashboard to see the trends, but I’d suspect things trending up.

I have my own statistics, so I can show how things went in these days.

Email list could get you a quick $500 or in this case if they are quality emails (gmail accounts) might have a higher value.

For how many emails?

The gmail request came strait from DJarums In one of the many posts about how to recover your old account. I’d have to sort through to find it, but it’s there.

Zasphod verified it with his reply to my post.

Yes, I saw that just before I made this post.

One more thing on the emails
If I decides to get my old account then ATS would have 3 emails for me. One for my original account, one for this account and one quality email for the Djarum path to recovery.

Maybe not, as it looks like we aren't able to use the "Recover Password" option because the original emails were the database along with our passwords.

a reply to: ArMaP2

Im sure it could have been possible to scrape all of the email addresses out of the identity db before wiping them out....

a reply to: ArMaP2

Maybe not, as it looks like we aren't able to use the "Recover Password" option because the original emails were the database along with our passwords.

Do you think they just disappeared?
Is there a reason why we can delete our old accounts. Or delete this temp account when we get our old one back?

originally posted by: MoreCoyoteAngels
a reply to: ArMaP2

Where did I say a mod did it? I said it isn't code.

You did not, but if you remember that's how it started, I said it could not be changed because it was done in code and only admins have access to it.
That's in my reply to your post I said that either possibility is out of reach of moderators, so even if it is server as real advert moderators cannot change it.

Ad banners are far more dynamic. This one is fixed content. But even if an add, it's a CONTENT SERVICE from the ad plugin.

NOT CODE. Which is what I said.

Yes, this is fixed, that's one of the reasons that makes me think it's done in code and not from an advertisements source.

PS: no need for "shouting", specially when both of us are just giving their opinions.

a reply to: ObsBartim37

You’ve never been able to delete accounts, because that would delete posts, which would leave threads Swiss cheesed, and replies making no sense.

a reply to: MoreCoyoteAngels

I’m so glad you know better than the people actually involved in the process. Thank you for setting me straight and pointing out that I’ve been wrong all these years.

a reply to: MoreCoyoteAngels

I suppose it depends on how things happened.

If it was someone with full database access and the idea was get the email addresses then it was easy, but if it was done by accident (someone forgot to add a WHERE clause to the SQL statement) or in an attempt at making an SQL injection then it's more likely they weren't interested in the email addresses, many of those are already outdated and I think that all the members that joined during the existence of the connection between ATS and social media sites didn't need to give an email address.

a reply to: ArMaP2

Im not shouting.... Im emphasizing some words that I want to be 'heard' boldly.

You know the difference.

THIS IS SHOUTING. PLEASE TELL ME YOU UNDERSTAND.

Now: content isn't code. An image file is always and forever data in a standard format. CONTENT.

It doesn't matter if it is static as a file name entered straight into the code, or dynamic, as a ad plugin, that is modifying ATS user interface with multiple files with ATS user interface's agreement, so to speak. A handshake between your site and the ad service. CONTENT. But that isn't what is happening with this banner.

Some content can be modified by you and I, this conversation, for example. Other content can be uploaded by us as files. But we are limited to what we can do with the content. Mods can delete some user created content, if it goes against the ToS. But they cant modify all the content on the site. That kind of thing is subject to user permissions. Mods have more than you or I, but don't have permissions to stuff behind the 'firewall'. SO to speak.

Hope this helps you understand it in laymans terms with a few buzz words.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I don't know what has gone on between the mods, the owners, the users or any of it. Havent even been here a year.

I haven't claimed to.

I was in IT for more than 30 years, so I know a little bit about coding, database design, user interfaces, backups, webmastering and stuff....

a reply to: ArMaP2

Awesome, you grok a bit of SQL. So you see how scripting on the backend is how alot of boo-boos happen.

BUt those kinds of things are very recoverable, if there are backup procedures and standard business practices.

We didn't see that happen here.

originally posted by: ObsBartim37
Do you think they just disappeared?

Apparently all passwords were changed or deleted, and the same must have happened to the email addresses, as the Recover Password process states the email address is not correct.

Is there a reason why we can delete our old accounts. Or delete this temp account when we get our old one back?

As far as I know ATS never had the possibility of removing accounts.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: ObsBartim37

You’ve never been able to delete accounts, because that would delete posts, which would leave threads Swiss cheesed, and replies making no sense.

That makes sense. I didn’t read the find print when I signed up, but Im assuming there is language in there to inform members that it’s a permanent account right?

When a member is banned is all their content removed too, Or is left up to limit the Swiss cheese effect?

a reply to: MoreCoyoteAngels

and it might still be recoverable ...but until darko or someone shows up.. who knows..

a reply to: Another_Nut

Someone showed up. And gave Djarums and DTOM access. Gh0st I believe is his name. Sysadmin privs I bet.

originally posted by: BrucellaOrchitis

originally posted by: Degradation33
I don't know though, between nefarious hackers ghosting us and an experiment or game, I lean towards the latter.

If it's a game though we're not the players. We're the played. Our agency in all this is so limited we don't even know what the game is or if indeed there is a game. Which make it sound, game or not, much like an experiment. But then, if it is an experiment at what point was a consent to participate sought? Is it somewhere in the small print? If our consent has not been sought then that limits the options as to who would conduct such unethical human experimentation.

Either of those options renders the membership mere toys.

I'm not really leaning in that direction but that could just be because that that's not my idea of fun.

If that were true, it would be the first experiment in the history of research psychology or sociology that was done with applied moderation, or to call it properly, the data manipulation.

To put it simply it's not the crazy scientist's prerogative to teach his subjects manners or to tell them what to do and say and what not to do or say. Changing/editing the people's responses would make such a research invalid. Because the whole point is to see how people react without the crazy behavioral scientist's intervention.

Just sayin'

And I have yet to see the administrator of any forum intentionally f***ing up the database only to spend inordinate amount of time and effort to put it back in order. To each their own but I can think of a thousand ideas for the better show than that one. Unless this is the show specifically tailored for the computer nerds, and those autistic ones. Dunno if there are any on board. If so, only they would find it funny.

a reply to: MoreCoyoteAngels

ok i know what happened... i was there and one of the first handful of people that were let back into our accounts. what im saying is the person who let us in might not have a way to recover the database from a restore point and that may be in darkos hands, if anyones


i honestly dont know but, whoever it was was very helpful ... he even helped me when i doxxed myself in the thread i posted after getting back in and it seems he just just doing a good turn .

i will leave his reasons to himself and your speculation