Who gives a FAQ?

Those of you who have been paying attention will have noticed that the
regular FAQ post has failed to materialise for the last three weeks.

This is because the German server appears to have had its spam detection
settings turned up to 11; since the FAQ post has the same content each
week, it gets rejected with a message along the lines of "441 437 EMP
rejected (md5)".

Questions:

1. Does anybody really care? Is it worth me investing even a tiny amount
of effort to sort this out?

2. Proposed solutions:

a) Change something in the post each week so that the md5 checksum is
different (e.g. add the date to the subject);

b) Send it out through a different server. However, it might still be
rejected by the German server, so a significant number of people might
never see it anyway.

c) Any other suggestions?

 

Write a bot to reply to anything from someone who hasn't posted
before[1] with the FAQ address.

Then flame their second post to hell, even if they get everything
right.[2][3]

[1] or in the last 2 months, or summat
[2] keeps them on their toes
[3] if they do get everything right, change the FAQ

 

You don't need a bot to do this, there are enough regulars who do it anyway.

 

If people who use the German server can see the UKRMC FAQ postings
every Monday...

.... then I can set up another auto-posting job. My server here is
already posting the weekely FAQ hint to ukrmc and upce.

 

An interesting suggestion, but: bollocks to that.

And that would differ from usual in what way, exactly?

 

no. It comes up as the first result of a Google search for "ukrm faq".
Anyone clueless enough to not be able to do that and follow the link
deserves everything they get.

 

Anybody want to confirm that?

I'll have a look at my configuration and check which servers I'm using;
it's probably easiest just to change things so a different server is
first in the list.

 

Is it needed every week?

No, not IMHO.

Post it once a month with minor mods, like, as you say, date in subject.

--
Paul - xxx

'96/'97 Landrover Discovery 300 Tdi 'Big and Butch'
'98 Suzuki DR 200 Djebel 'Small but perfectly formed'
Dyna Tech Cro-Mo comp "When I feel fit enough'

 

Bizarre. Have you included all the right headers in the post?

Whilst I think darsy is right, I can always attach the FAQ info to the
bottom of the stats, if you want?

 

Yes. It used to work, up until three weeks ago, then they obviously
cranked up the anti-spam settings.

Who would think of looking for it there?

 

Yep, if memory serves.

 

That explains a lot, now we know what has happened to Bear and all the
mobile phone threads.

 

WTF thinks of looking for the link in the FAQ post?

 

Change the font?

 

ITYM the encoding, but I don't think that would work for long.

 

No, I meant the font, but it was a feeble attempt at humour. See, if you
changed the font, it would look... err...

I'll get me coat!

 

just checked and yes its there.
--
Adie
(replace spam with nickname to reply)

UKRM FAQ: http://www.ukrm.net/faq/
keeper of the ukrm faq for my sins

YZF-R1 : ZX9R E1 : GPz 750 turbo

MRO#11 BOTAFOF#7 BOTAFOT#130 DIAABTCOD#17 MIB#24 YTC#16 BOB#15 ex-UKRMMA#22 BOMB#11

 

Oh, *humour*. I see. Best give me a hint next time, so I know to look
out for it.

Good lad.

 

OK, so in that case I should be able to run YACJ[1] to post the UKRM
faq.

Eddie, drop me an email, preferably using timo <at> the above domain.

 

Probably makes it easier if the two posts come from the same server.

As long as your automated posting abilities are better than your l33t
footnoting skillz...

I'll send you something later, when I'm at home and can get the files I
need.