What is the Posting Limit?

How does it work? It's a function of the forum software and is set by the administrator to a level they feel is good.

Why? Simple....you can thank spammers for the need to do that. It limits the extent of the crap that will need cleaned up by a moderator or admin.

This post from a few years ago may sort of answer your question: http://cr4.globalspec.com/comment/152371

In short, the system is in place mostly to prevent spam. We don't like to provide too many details about it because we don't want spammers to devise methods of getting around the restrictions.

The majority of our users don't have a problem with the posting limits. Those that do are generally spammers, posting numerous nonsensical comments, or blatantly disregarded the rules and so had their posting limits lowered as a "warning" prior to being removed from the site entirely (which can be reversed if the behavior changes).

Your link to mgaulin's comment only talks about PMs. What is the default limit for forum posts?

There are limits for all types of posts (new threads, comments, etc.). They exist for the same purpose as the PM limits - to limit the attempts of spammers and we also lower them when there's adverse behavior like serious harassment.

What are the defaults? (or is that classified information?).

We don't make the information public because it's not something we'd like spammers or others who may abuse it aware of.

If spamming is the reason, then why is it, that deleting/house keeping in your mail box can negate both your posting and PM limits?

That sounds like a bug - thanks for pointing it out. I'll add it to our list of things to be looked at.

Mgaulin's link also talks about admin being able to raise the limit

is there a formal process?

Raising limits is done on an individual basis if a person makes such a request. Some requests are granted (for example, if the user makes good contributions to the community) and others are denied (for example, if the user is posting to promote his or her own business, many of the posts are nonsensical, etc.).

Can you define nonsensical?

Give it (the post) the Elephant Test?

I can, but dictionaries are more efficient: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/nonsensical

Joking aside, I think I have an idea of what you're getting at here. The answer is no, if you post 30 "people of Walmart" pictures or the like in order to obtain a "shiny" and then realize you've hit your limit when it comes time to post relevant material on the rest of the site, your posting limit won't be increased.

no,

that's not what I'm getting at...

nice of you to confuse me with another member, in an effort to provide an explanation

If you are a good member of the community and help others by contributing useful information - your request to increase posting limits will probably be accommodated.

If you cause extra work for the moderation team and use up much of your posting allotment on things that aren't helping the community be a good place for discussion or good resource - your request to increase posting limits will probably be denied.

Is reporting spam [possible] & other violations of site policy considered "extra work"?

Define helping the community?

would a member of both CR4 & the GS blogging staff posting political threads [violation of the guidlines] be considered a good member who contributes to the CR4 community?

Spend much time around preschoolers? Just wondering.....they get on the why, why why...kick almost universally. It rubs off on their parents.......

Actually...staff most sites are considered to have god-like powers. They can do what they wish....because they run the site.

Where as the great unwashed don't run the site or pay its upkeep, just provide content and thus.....have their own rules to follow.

This makes much more sense and is very logical when you have your own site to run....and have to deal with all the stuff mere mortal users never see ( and the crap some generate) that goes into running a site. And it is significant.

Sure

We are content

the entertainment

the show

the filler that rounds out the bottom right of GS newsletters

the question usually appears a week or so before the newsletter, so there is a few posts

the lag used to be longer [keeping it fresh], threads have a certain shelf life

The how & why of posting, varies from site to site

membership is ebbing, after a recent influx of new members, caused by a GS email campaign

we're at 50000+ members. I notice around 100 or so online most of the time, peaking 200+

the recent push seems to have added 10000 or so

seems about the same as years past, though I have no way to quantify anything except total members

Personally, I'm kind of enjoying the free speech that's been allowed lately. I haven't seen anything that resembles the madness that went on when guests were allowed. Our opinions differ, and things bubble up now and again. Nothing to the point that grownups shouldn't be able to handle.

Much like using the OT button to punish people we disagree with, I don't think it's a good idea to throw up the guidelines in reference to another member........................unless it's a spammer. I know, I know, I've probably done it myself.

All I'm saying, is that if we decide to throw the guidelines back in the face of admin, they can enforce them any way they choose. If we push admin to the point that they follow the guidelines to the letter, none of us are going to like it. We all bend the official rules. It's not a bad thing.

And you will NEVER, EVER win an argument with an admin anyway....they have skin in the site....all we are really, are freeloading visitors when you get down to it.

You live with the rules the powers that be lay down, whatever they are....or you find a different sandbox to play in.

Here at CR4, you're the second guy in the last hour to predict the future.

Who do you like for the World Series? I've gotten a hot tip about the Pirates.

It's our site, we the members make it what it is

all the administrators & moderators can do is ruin it

this forum is the jewel that it is, in spite of the control, not because of it

There will continue to be changes

have we passed the peak? depends on your point of view

growth & decay are all part of life, equally interesting in their own way

I'm trying to find out what the rules are supposed to be & possibly the whys

there is no argument

This is partially correct - if none of the members participate then we'd be more of a news outlet than a community site, wouldn't we? That's why we allow discussion under certain terms. The back-end operations of the site aren't public info for the reasons that have already been mentioned.

Apart from allowing and encouraging discussion we also make improvements to "your site" (not bad for free rent). For example, in 2011 we have done the following, all by request:

• Added support for the Chrome browser
• Required user registration for posting
• Distinguished between anonymous posters within threads
• Clarified site use rules
• Improved the moderation tools on the back-end (okay, so this one was an internal request!)

100% customer satisfaction will never exist. When we have the resources we make the improvements that we can.
Now that I've explained they whys and have explained why I can't explain the rules I'm about finished with the topic. My weekend begins soon. :)

they have skin in the site.

I am unfamiliar with that term. What does it mean?

freeloading visitors , or are we ''eyeballs '' that count towards generating revenue for the site?

Smoothy, I think if you're see this as "win", or loose, so Us and Them, you're up the wrong tree.

The idea of "feedback", as I see it, is "making a better sand box" - or why else did Admin create it?

"Joking aside" You example "the thread" long regarded as a recreational venue.

It is very broadly read for amusement. Meaning stupidity, invented goals and games are actually the "relevant material"

But it raises the question: Where does your "relevant information" evaluation sit when it comes to general forum comedy?

For instance, Del probably has over 100 GA's for humor and commonly presents as "a cat". Then there is the Kris-Del and Lyn-Door Industries and a list of "comedy" threads, such as this and even Caption This

Participating in these threads obviously costs 'serious post' quota.

As said often enough, by many, CR4 is both educational and amusing relief from the daily grind of work.

Perhaps, you might consider a 'comedy and light relief' quota exemption?

_{P.s. Ref: "I think I have an idea of what you're getting at here". I seriously doubt Garthh has posted this thread to lobby for an increase in Mrs R's quota - If you think this is the case, I think you are completely misreading the person/situation/intent/topic. Garthh has never struck me as one chasing petty self-centered agendas, or petty personal gain. If in doubt, look at his continuance on Haiti, for one.}

General forum comedy within a thread is going to happen. (If it wasn't, our goal would be more professional, like LinkedIn.) It's happened within this thread. It's just a part of the way humans have conversations. Caption This was not my initiative but you could argue it's engineering related; the images are or are close to being on topic. How many of the images in the thread you mention are on topic to this forum?

The example I used to explain why we wouldn't raise limits if asked was not intended to be pointed at the original poster. It was simply an example. Another example would be if frequent anonymous comments were made, provoking/baiting other users with one-liners, rather than having a civil conversation with them (or ignoring them) like the other users in the thread are able to do.

Thanks for your time

"to this forum?"

Fairly broad, rather than thread. But equally broadly all are relevant to electronic image capture which falls under Communications & Electronics

Engineering touches everything - engineers are interested in everything.

Look at the success of Kramarat's 'post your own pictures' thread

Ref this "baiting" business; Engineers are not inclined to let the totally stupid stand unchallenged.

But you are right, CR4 is not like the "professionals" that vapidly agree with misguided fools who post esoteric self-promoting "discussions" on linkedin.