"You are only allowed to send 0 messages per day"

[WhOregon]

On 1/5/2022 at 1:24 AM, PozPeter said:

@drscorpio: I fully understand that you're careful in granting full features availability, because you obviously ventured too much spammers and scammers - That's really a bad attitude 🤢.
Nevertheless I'm missing some transparency on what are the prerequisites to get promoted by you for full features access. I'm nowadays more than a month actively contributing (29 posts), trying to add some value to the site, but still I'm completely limited and not able to communicate properly with any potentially interesting users, nor can I add comments as I'd like to, nor can I like or upvote any contents.

Any clear guideline on your promotion conditions could be encouraging for any newcomer, otherwise it's kind of frustrating 🤔

Thank you for your kind consideration.

YES - these restrictions seem completely arbitrary! How long does it take to see that a regular user isn’t spam? Why would any site prohibit users from taking to each other? 
 

If BZ said - after x-many weeks, or y-many posts - sure. But all they say is - LATER/indefinitely.  Huh? 

[BootmanLA]

2 hours ago, WhOregon said:

YES - these restrictions seem completely arbitrary! How long does it take to see that a regular user isn’t spam? Why would any site prohibit users from taking to each other? 
 

If BZ said - after x-many weeks, or y-many posts - sure. But all they say is - LATER/indefinitely.  Huh? 

Because this isn't a hookup, one-on-one based site. It's a discussion forum, so discussions should, overwhelmingly, take place on the public boards, not in private messages between users.

That's not to denigrate such services, of which many, many exist. That's to say that this isn't designed as one of them. And I'd note that one of the problem such sites face is a massive number of fake profiles and spam messages. 

On one of the "apps" out there, I can't log on without getting at least 3-4 messages within the first minute, all from bots spamming me to come check out some other site. That's the reality of the internet today, and that's not what the owner of this site wants. By focusing on the public discussions, and limiting the ability of members to communicate privately until they've proven themselves, there's more of a sense of community here (in my opinion) than on any "meet your flavor-of-the-week guy here!" site out there.

And for the record, it's not "indefinitely". There's an algorithm that controls what access each member has, based on a number of factors (primarily based on the number of postings you've made, but also factoring in how many reactions you've made once you get that ability, reactions others have given to your posts, and so forth). It's not "indefinitely", but the site owner is deliberately vague about how much participation gets you X level of access, precisely to defeat those bot/spammer types who would use that information to target getting sufficient access as soon as possible.

[rawTOP]

I should add that if I had my way I'd let Senior Members initiate conversations and then have zero limits on those conversations. But the software that powers this site isn't that flexible.

And I know I've said I'm developing other sites and it's been forever and you probably don't believe me by now. BUT after a few years where I wasn't making much progress, I'm back at my programming. For personal reasons chat and messaging aren't my top priority right now, but I will get to them in the coming months. Once I do that, the other sites will be better for DMs. (Hopefully I can do it in a way that's not too confusing.)

[ellentonboy]

I have to admit it is confusing and discouraging not to know when I will be promoted and how I prove that I am not a spammer or someone here to cause problems for the administrators.  I have advised a fellow poster that the reason I took so long to respond was that I had limitations on my accounts that prevented me from more than 3 messages a day.

 

I know administrators or moderators have a tough time dealing with tons of new posters so I have decided to be patient and let the situation just play itself out.  But it does make you wonder just how long it will be before you are accepted.

[bluedragon]

When someone is eventually allowed to send private messages, do they get a notification telling them so? Or do I have to keep trying to send a message to someone to check whether I am allowed to?

[BootmanLA]

10 hours ago, bluedragon said:

When someone is eventually allowed to send private messages, do they get a notification telling them so? Or do I have to keep trying to send a message to someone to check whether I am allowed to?

I *believe* you just "find out". I would note, however, that you don't need to be checking every day; sufficient participation to gain that permission isn't specified (like all such), but it's a good bit higher than the 17 posts you're showing as having made thus far.

[PozBearWI]

Fretting when we're allowed to send private messages and or click on "reaction" icons won't help.  Relaxing and participating on BZ will help.  Do what you can and be patient.  The message is clear, it will happen when it happens and the heuristics are intentionally closed.  

FWIW, for myself anyway, impatient guys on prox aps wind up getting blocked when they push too hard like that.  There are much more enjoyable ways to be a PITA than fretting.  

[Guest]

Right let me get this straight, you want us to participate so you know we are not spammers. But we are only allowed to send I think 5 comments a day, I don't get it how do you participate if you can't comment, I cant come on everyday...... sometimes I have to leave it for a week or more. Its going to take ages to get to being able to message other people!!! I'll be leaving the site soon if I can't talk to other people because what's the point otherwise. How many posts do you have to post and what level do you have to get to, to get to message other people??

[BannedWord]

1 hour ago, PleaseBBmyass said:

Right let me get this straight, you want us to participate so you know we are not spammers. But we are only allowed to send I think 5 comments a day, I don't get it how do you participate if you can't comment, I cant come on everyday...... sometimes I have to leave it for a week or more. Its going to take ages to get to being able to message other people!!! I'll be leaving the site soon if I can't talk to other people because what's the point otherwise. How many posts do you have to post and what level do you have to get to, to get to message other people??

That's the rub, isn't it? It's difficult to set that line immediately to both avoid SPAM and encourage conversation. It does detract from the overall experience, but I agree that with the increase in levels the messages restrictions should become less restrictive. If you've posted 50 messages or responded to say 50 discussions, it should stand to reason that you aren't here to propagate SPAM. I'd welcome some leniency in order to enhance and encourage the discussions.

I'd be simply guessing if I said that the criteria are probably not advertised to avoid people just upping their post count by Replying "Me too" or "I agree" or the like on posts?

[viking8x6]

1 hour ago, PleaseBBmyass said:

Right let me get this straight, you want us to participate so you know we are not spammers. But we are only allowed to send I think 5 comments a day, I don't get it how do you participate if you can't comment, I cant come on everyday...... sometimes I have to leave it for a week or more. Its going to take ages to get to being able to message other people!!! I'll be leaving the site soon if I can't talk to other people because what's the point otherwise. How many posts do you have to post and what level do you have to get to, to get to message other people??

If you read the first page of the thread you just posted this in, there are several good explanations of why the system is programmed the way it is, including one by RawTop (the site owner, who makes the rules).

Here's the TL;DR:

1. It's not just the number of comments a day. Other parameters (including the responses to your comments) count, too. So making "me, too" posts will (probably) count for less than will constructive contributions to the discussion.
2. The exact details are not disclosed TO ANYONE (including the moderators), in order to prevent spammers from spoofing the system, and for the reason hazarded by @TheSRQDude.
3. The stated and intended purpose of the site is to be a discussion forum, NOT "to message other people". There are lots and lots of sites that do that already (BBRT is probably the best for people who enjoy BZ, despite its drawbacks).
4. It really doesn't take that long to get out of "New Member jail". It just feels like it. There is at least one Junior Member (the second privilege level) who has barely been here more than three months, and whose total number of posts is less than 50.

 

 

[hntnhole]

1 hour ago, PleaseBBmyass said:

But we are only allowed to send I think 5 comments a day, I don't get it how do you participate if you can't comment

I had a difficult time with that when I first discovered BZ too.  Initially, it was a bit off-pissing, and what got me outta BZ jail (at least I think it was) was replying to as many posts - or writing new ones - that eventually I was tossed in the "no responses" clink less often.  I may be entirely incorrect, but merely "responding" (the little doo-dads in the lower right corner of a post) doesn't count as much as adding commentary to an existing thread, or starting a new one.  I have these all these badges, and I still don't understand what they're for, other than I happen to like the discourse and don't mind throwing in my couple of cents worth. 

As to the messaging, I only used it a couple of times at first, and that was to ask questions of the moderators.  I don't use BZ as a cruise-site, which I think is a big part of the moderators business-plan.  I still messages only sparingly.  

In any case, we're hoping you stay, contribute to the discourse (there are some threads that are interesting, some of no interest whatsoever, so choose as you see fit).  Some threads I never bother to even look at. Here, it's the discourse that I enjoy.

Good Luck.

[hntnhole]

and presto !!!   Your answers have arrived, PleaseBBmyass !!!!😉

[Guest]

I have to admit I find this site confusing.... I can't quite work out if I have missed something or I need to spend time looking into this site properly..... it ain't no easy overnight fix that's for sure....

[ellentonboy]

On 3/17/2022 at 1:08 PM, PleaseBBmyass said:

Right let me get this straight, you want us to participate so you know we are not spammers. But we are only allowed to send I think 5 comments a day, I don't get it how do you participate if you can't comment, I cant come on everyday...... sometimes I have to leave it for a week or more. Its going to take ages to get to being able to message other people!!! I'll be leaving the site soon if I can't talk to other people because what's the point otherwise. How many posts do you have to post and what level do you have to get to, to get to message other people??

I have been asking the same questions, so it is obviously more than 30.  I think patience is the key, I felt similar to you when I first started, now  I understand everyone goes through this.   I have managed not to take it personally.

[Guest]

On 3/30/2022 at 1:47 PM, ellentonboy said:

I have been asking the same questions, so it is obviously more than 30.  I think patience is the key, I felt similar to you when I first started, now  I understand everyone goes through this.   I have managed not to take it personally.

Thank you I've nearly given up but, no I'm still trying but it is very trying to get to that that level lol.