thelandbeforetime.org?

ImpracticalDino · **on:** January 19, 2020, 06:09:11 PM

Hi everyone. I am concerned about the site's health. Nothing is being done about the spam bot situation, and there are advertisements being posted constantly, in increments of fives minutes it seems like. I wouldn't post about this if I already knew for sure that the site was abandoned, so I'm going to try and get some answers here.

@landbeforetimelover?

StardustSoldier · **Reply #1 on:** January 20, 2020, 09:45:37 AM

I actually used to post on that forum.

Before the spammers took over, that is.

Alas, I don't think there's much that can be done about the issue at the moment. I had talked to a couple of the other site members about the spammers previously, but neither of them seemed to have admin/mod access themselves, or any way to combat the problem. They both said that we'd have to wait for landbeforetimelover to return before something could be done, but he seems to be missing in action.

Mumbling · **Reply #2 on:** January 20, 2020, 10:05:33 AM

Ah that is a bummer. Did you already try the Contact Us page? If Austin doesn't get back to you in a week or so, I can try to contact him by email. Let me know!

ImpracticalDino · **Reply #3 on:** January 20, 2020, 11:56:47 AM

Alright guys, thanks for the feedback. I kinda knew this would be the best answers I’d get, but I’ll see if he responds.

And to let you guys know, @PteranoTheChosenOne posted there recently two days ago, expressing his concern to about the site to take over as admin or mod and clean up the place. @StardustSoldier and @Mumbling, have you talked to him as well?

Mumbling · **Reply #4 on:** January 21, 2020, 05:21:04 AM

I saw the topic - but I have not talked to him. I believe I had an account on the site, but I wouldn't know the login or password and I very much doubt I have admin/mod powers on there.

ImpracticalDino · **Reply #5 on:** January 21, 2020, 11:54:45 AM

Alrighty. Thanks for the help anyway Mumbling. Let’s wait a week and see what happens.

StardustSoldier · **Reply #6 on:** January 21, 2020, 11:57:39 AM

Quote from: ImpracticalDino on January 20, 2020, 11:56:47 AM

And to let you guys know, @PteranoTheChosenOne posted there recently two days ago, expressing his concern to about the site to take over as admin or mod and clean up the place. @StardustSoldier and @Mumbling, have you talked to him as well?

I hadn't talked to Pterano myself. But I do hope either Austin comes back, or else if Pterano or someone else takes over as admin there. I'd resume posting there if someone was able to clean up the spam problem.

Please do let us know if you have any further updates on the situation.

Anagnos · **Reply #7 on:** January 21, 2020, 11:59:10 AM

I don't frequent this site, but I concur that spam bots are often very difficult to handle without assistance from existing administration members. I also find it very repulsive. Hopefully this issue will be resolved soon.

ImpracticalDino · **Reply #8 on:** January 21, 2020, 12:17:26 PM

This spam problem on the forum has most likely been going for at least a year now, correct? If so, I fear that with the amount of spam posts with advertisements have accumulated to a point where it’ll probably take a very long time to clean up.

Any thoughts on this?

Anagnos · **Reply #9 on:** January 21, 2020, 12:22:48 PM

That would seem plausible. Issues of this scale are not often resolved in a heartbeat. Still, I pray for the best.

StardustSoldier · **Reply #10 on:** January 29, 2020, 06:58:47 PM

Any updates? Did anyone ever hear back from Austin or PteranoTheChosenOne?

ImpracticalDino · **Reply #11 on:** January 30, 2020, 03:11:58 PM

No reply yet, so unfortunately the case is still cold. Even if PteranoTheChosenOne or any of us wanted to clean up the site, there’s nothing much we can do unless Austin comes back.

Edit: Is it possible on that website to check on someone’s profile page when they were last active? I can’t seem to find it.

Nick22 · **Reply #12 on:** January 30, 2020, 06:54:07 PM

clean up of spam posts is pretty easy, once you ban the offending accounts. then its just a matter of cleanup. not fun, but part of the job.

ImpracticalDino · **Reply #13 on:** January 30, 2020, 07:39:04 PM

The only other active member there seems to be ChomperHugger, or @LittlefootAndAliTogether. Other then the occasional fan art upload, there’s nothing much else really.

@StardustSoldier: I believe you have interacted with him at least once there. Have you talked to him yet recently?

StardustSoldier · **Reply #14 on:** January 30, 2020, 08:05:12 PM

Quote from: ImpracticalDino on January 30, 2020, 07:39:04 PM

@StardustSoldier: I believe you have interacted with him at least once there. Have you talked to him yet recently?

ChomperHugger, you mean? Yes, I did interact with him. He was one of the people I PMd regarding the spam issue, but he told me that we'd just have to wait for Austin to return.

As for LittlefootAndAliTogether, he is actually a banned member here.

ImpracticalDino · **Reply #15 on:** January 30, 2020, 08:07:44 PM

Quote from: StardustSoldier on January 30, 2020, 08:05:12 PM

Quote from: ImpracticalDino on January 30, 2020, 07:39:04 PM
@StardustSoldier: I believe you have interacted with him at least once there. Have you talked to him yet recently?
ChomperHugger, you mean? Yes, I did interact with him. He was one of the people I PMd regarding the spam issue, but he told me that we'd just have to wait for Austin to return.

As for LittlefootAndAliTogether, he is actually a banned member here.

Well...they’re both the same person. MongooseLover is also the same person, and he’s an admin on the LBT wiki.

How to know for sure? Well, just check the fanart.

StardustSoldier · **Reply #16 on:** January 30, 2020, 08:09:41 PM

Ohhh, okay. I always thought they were two separate members.

ImpracticalDino · **Reply #17 on:** January 30, 2020, 11:39:28 PM

Quote from: Mumbling on January 20, 2020, 10:05:33 AM

Ah that is a bummer. Did you already try the Contact Us page? If Austin doesn't get back to you in a week or so, I can try to contact him by email. Let me know!

Atlas, one week has elapsed with no response.

I have kept in mind that Austin owns a computer repair business, so he has almost no free time as far as I’m concerned. It’s still weird to see the website left unsupervised however without any sort of update to address the absence.

Mumbling · **Reply #18 on:** January 31, 2020, 01:09:13 AM

I'll check in with him

ImpracticalDino · **Reply #19 on:** January 31, 2020, 09:33:46 PM

Quote from: Mumbling on January 31, 2020, 01:09:13 AM

I'll check in with him

Thanks.

When was the last time you contacted him and he responded back to you? Were you ever aware of the spam that has been on his website for a long time?