Dragonbox Pyra - Spammer initiated

[bedocoman]

The Pyra is a handheld computer/game console from a German company called Dragonbox. In many ways its a sequel to the Pandora handheld from a few years back, so it's got game controls, analogue sticks, shoulder buttons and a full keyboard crammed into a clamshell format, but adds two more shoulder buttons (should help with playstation emulation), faster wifi, a 720p screen and a replaceable CPU/RAM board.

Currently it's available to preorder. It's not cheap at 500EUR + VAT for the standard 2GB edition, but I've already pledged my support. As a user of a Pandora, I'm hoping for a repeat of the experience with emulators coming out to cover pretty much every old console and computer, and new open source games being ported to the console to this day, not to mention being able to use it to read and write documents or browse the web. I've ordered a version with an 4G/LTE modem built-in, so it should be even more usable on the move.

 

[Wally]

Couldn't have said it better.

 

[rygD]

Well, it is in the right section. Almost has a spam feel (the real stuff, not the random drive-bys we get with a brand name in place of original words in a text block). I think it should be reported. I am so confused.

 

[Wally]

Oh it's spam. Just surprised that we managed to get spam about the pyra.. Beats suppliments and performance improvement crap.

 

[sebt3]

Oh it's spam. Just surprised that we managed to get spam about the pyra.. Beats suppliments and performance improvement crap.

The question is who the f*** is paying for Pyra spam ? and why spamming here ?

 

[ashcloud]

And it's not even april 1st...

 

[rygD]

and why spamming here ?

Probably the perfect audience to get Pyra sales. Just a guess.

 

[Kippykip]

Um, since when were there pyra spambots?

 

[Binky]

Remember when someone approached ED offering to supply bulk volumes of Pandorae?

 

[TrashyMG]

I think use of this forum's Private messaging system is likely the reason for some of the spambots to be here. Credit card information trade, perhaps some other reason as well.

 

[Binky]

There's a post here: http://www.eurogamer.net/forum/thread/319627 which looks suspiciously similar...

Edit: That post on eurogamer.net was posted by a long-standing forum member of 16 years with 28k posts. The one about is the first post of someone who claims to be 24 years old.

24 - 16 = 8

So not impossible, but still a little fishy to my mind...

 

[Grench]

Oh it's spam. Just surprised that we managed to get spam about the pyra.. Beats suppliments and performance improvement crap.

1. Post something relevant to gain 'trust'.
2. Spam like hell.
3. $$$

???

 

[sm0kew0n]

@Binky More of a copy/paste, the guy on eurogamer has been following the pyra development, why would he post here?

As an aside, that thread is quite good, it has most of the videos in one place and some pics I haven't seen.

 

[sebt3]

2. Spam like hell.

 

[Dark Pulse]

There's a post here: http://www.eurogamer.net/forum/thread/319627 which looks suspiciously similar...

Edit: That post on eurogamer.net was posted by a long-standing forum member of 16 years with 28k posts. The one about is the first post of someone who claims to be 24 years old.

24 - 16 = 8

So not impossible, but still a little fishy to my mind...

And if you do some clever math fuckery...

24 - 16 = 8

2 - 4 + 6 - 1 = 3

DRAGONBOX PHOENIX CONFIRMED

 

[ClockworkCoder]

View attachment 31093

Where's that big, grey-bearded bugger at when you need him!

 

[Grench]

There may be a simple cure - though it might also annoy more than it helps...

Require a nominal (2 EUR?) annual membership fee for posting.

Spammers rely on their anonymity and free/abusive posting - charging for posting rights fixes both.

Have a line in the T&C giving the board the right to terminate any account at any time without reason. That way if a spammer pays the membership fee, then posts their crap, they just paid for their own removal.

 

[Wally]

That’s the worst idea ever!

 

[Dark Pulse]

There may be a simple cure - though it might also annoy more than it helps...

Require a nominal (2 EUR?) annual membership fee for posting.

Spammers rely on their anonymity and free/abusive posting - charging for posting rights fixes both.

Have a line in the T&C giving the board the right to terminate any account at any time without reason. That way if a spammer pays the membership fee, then posts their crap, they just paid for their own removal.

Inconveniencing the people you want to keep just to reduce a number of people who you don't want to keep is like (to quote a rather good musician) treating dandruff by decapitation.

What's better is to put in some anti-spambot modifications. I remember for a forum I ran one mod I installed allowed the admin to create questions and answers, and pick one of them at random upon registration. You can tune this to your audience - it's especially helpful when it's something your audience would know but a spambot (or spammer) generally wouldn't without doing some research. That takes time, and time is precious to them.

Of course, nothing beats a proactive mod/admin team as well. That's still the #1 spammer defense, along with regular users smacking that "Report" link.

 

[TeDaDeS]

You can have the new-here topic, the first message you can post can only be in that topic.
It looks like most spammers only post one message, so if you put those all in one topic everyone is less bothered by them.
I think the forum allows to set rules like those, not sure.