A Message from "True_Oracle_of_Phoenix"

[TOoP/Bruce]

IMDB continues to experience one of its most disruptive troll invasions ever -- the ghost-bumpers of inane threads.

The attack is a bot program (in violation of US Federal Law), and threads are bumped that are stupid, inane, out of date, or negative.  Often an original post is somewhat inane, and it generates a few responses.  Then the original post is deleted and thread is ghost bumped to the top of the heap along with several others, crowding out most attempts at genuine discussion. 

Although some members are reporting some headway in addressing this problem with admins and letting them know the enormity of the problem, the reality is that addressing it will be a slow process.  SusieBell reports in a thread that she had been in contact with IMDB admins who had succeeded in disabling the accounts of the trolls who are bump-deleting threads, but the attack continues and perhaps the activity is now being carried out under new identities.

If you are an IMBD regular and you have come here seeking refuge from this latest troll storm, then welcome.  You may know me as TOoP - the reposter of lost but not forgotten threads, or my IMDB "bump IDs": Cowbot_X (an identity that was recently attacked and all posts were wiped out) , GeorgeObliqueStrokeXR40, Boot_in_the_Fire, The_Bar_in_Signal, CrowJumpin, and a few more I have in reserve.  These extra identities are utilitarian, and I use them for their lower quota ratings.  These pretenses are not necessary on this board, since threads do not roll off the back end of the board if not bumped every two weeks.

A long time ago, I was a semi-regular poster on IMDB under the name bjblakeslee, and it is under that name that I have quietly posted here at BetterMost since it was founded in the midst of the first destructive troll invasion at IMDB.  And it is under my own name that I prefer to known at Bettermost.

If you are here because you are looking for a safe port in the troll storm, please know that you are among friends here. 

If you are newly here from IMDB and your are feeling that you are at a party where you don't really know anyone, rest assured -- you may know more people here than you think!

TOoP / Bruce

[Meryl]

Welcome back to the fold, Bruce.  Thanks for that update on the situation at IMDb.  That bot program sounds particularly mean and insidious. 

We hope you and Susiebell and our fellow IMDb Brokies will take up your seats around the campfire and join in the gabfest.  Nice to have you here! 

Cheers,
Meryl

[serious crayons]

If you are an IMBD regular and you have come here seeking refuge from this latest troll storm, then welcome.  You may know me as TOoP - the reposter of lost but not forgotten threads, or my IMDB "bump IDs": Cowbot_X (an identity that was recently attacked and all posts were wiped out) , GeorgeObliqueStrokeXR40, Boot_in_the_Fire, The_Bar_in_Signal, CrowJumpin, and a few more I have in reserve.

Hi Bruce, YOU'RE CowbotX and GeorgeObliqueStroke?! For a while I suspected they were someone else.    But maybe that sort of explains why I thought so!

And you're CrowJumpin? Isn't he the one who does those fabulous type-art (there must be another term for those, hunh  ) pictures of cowboys and cigarettes and things like that?

Cool aliases.

[Clyde-B]

Hi TOoP!

You do wonderful work (and I do mean work) over at IMDb.

I saw one of your posts from GeorgeObliqueStrokeXR40 signed TOoP the other day, but you caught it and changed it right away.

Got any clue how those bot programs work and any way they can be detected and disabled?

CB

[Jeff Wrangler]

Welcome back, BJ. Haven't seen you around in a while. You've been away way too long. 

[mvansand76]

Welcome to Bettermost imdb-Brokies!!!! You will find a safe home here! 

[Fran]

A long time ago, I was a semi-regular poster on IMDB under the name bjblakeslee, and it is under that name that I have quietly posted here at BetterMost since it was founded in the midst of the first destructive troll invasion at IMDB.  And it is under my own name that I prefer to known at Bettermost.
 
If you are newly here from IMDB and your are feeling that you are at a party where you don't really know anyone, rest assured -- you may know more people here than you think!

TOoP / Bruce

Bruce,

Welcome to BetterMost.  Hint, hint:  I just checked and saw that "Bruce" is available as a username, perhaps waiting just for you.  If you want it, it can be yours.  BTW, it's easy to change your username here.  If you're interested and need help, just PM me.

Susie,

Welcome to you, too.  It has to be frustrating constantly fighting trolls over at IMDB and so time-consuming.  You won't have problems like that here. 

See you both around the forum.

Fran

[TOoP/Bruce]

Hi TOoP!

You do wonderful work (and I do mean work) over at IMDb.

I saw one of your posts from GeorgeObliqueStrokeXR40 signed TOoP the other day, but you caught it and changed it right away.

Got any clue how those bot programs work and any way they can be detected and disabled?

CB

It was a mistake.  I've occasionally logged on with an account, and forgotten which ID is active when I've posted.  For people who PM me, I usually confess to the other IDs quickly since as I said, I am not trying to deceive anyone with them.  I use them to bump threads because IMDB has upped my quota as TOoP to 2:30 minutes.  George has a one minute quota.  That makes him a more efficient bumper.  

Boot in the Fire was intended as a "bumper", but by accident he started a thread on Brokeback Anagrams that is still running.  The truth is, I simply forgot which ID was active when I logged on.  

My posts as Cowbot_X were intended to let me speak freely.  TOoP became something of a trademark for reposted threads, and people  would naturally expect to see a thread that was begun by TOoP as something that was interesting, but perhaps a dead conversation since none of the original posters could be contacted.  Cowbot_X let me break away from that identity and post something original.  Unfortunately, trolls got Cowbot_X's account wiped and the quota was upped to 2:30 minutes as well, so he will not be a very effective bumper any longer. ("Cowbot" was a tongue in cheek reference to an old thread I had reposted on IMDB "I 'Cowbot, Brokeback Fever Pitch, and about a 100 other sequels."  The original ran for months, and was brought down by a troll attack in August 2006. )

About the bot programs, they are apparently designed to kick in at strategic times to fill the message thread sampler box on the front page of Brokeback Mountain at IMDB with offensive or inane posts.  I know that if the admins wanted to see who was posting and deleting in a tread it should be a simple matter to look it up.  The Admins at IMDB are apparently unwilling to do so.  Apparently, they would rather pretend there is no problem, than respond to the abuse reports.  The flaws in the system are exploited fully by the trolls who understand them better than the people who try to follow the rules.  As the people who founded this board well know, IMDB has not always been the friendliest environment for Brokies.  

I won't give up on IMDB, but the reality is that until the admins there troll-proof their systems, it may be pointless to continue to post material over there.

TOoP / Bruce
 

[Brown Eyes]

Welcome IMDB-ers!  So happy you've found your way here.  You certainly are amongst friends here.  Many of us got our start at IMDB, so you'll find lots of empathy for the frustration you're feeling with some of the problems over at IMDB.  I came over from IMDB during the first major troll war that really started the day the DVD of BBM was released back in early April 2006.  It was soooooooooo upsetting to see great old threads being deleted and to see the negativity that overwhelmed the big BBM board over there pretty quickly.  I still have an account over there with the same username that I have here.  But, I rarely, rarely venture back there these days.  BetterMost is a very friendly community, so I hope you feel right at home here and have fun exploring the forums.


cheers
Amanda

[chowhound]

Hi TOoP. You did marvellous work on the other Brokie board - even were kind enough to help me out with a reopost once as I didn't know how to do it.

This is essentially my first visit to this board. It's a bit confusing at the moment but I'm sure I can get the
hang of it. However, my heart is still with the old place, so I hope I can become what somebody has called "bibordial".