Inactive Users

[Hakeem]

Should inactive accounts be removed?
You know, the ones with no posts, no rep, and that haven't had activity since Dec 31, 1969 (haven't ever had activity).
They probably entered an invalid e-mail address and are of no use to anyone except to block others from using that name.

 

[Kixer]

Hmmmm i don't know why any1 would be bothered... They're not doing anything and i have a strong sispision that they were created by Ralle for fun to get the highest users ever online up...
But its just a hunch

 

[Kimbo]

Well im sure there is afew dormant bots in there and such and they do take up names, but its only optional...i dont think its too dire.

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

Deleting users, what a waste of time.

 

[Archian]

Deleting users, what a waste of time.

Indeed.

 

[Ralle]

Deleting users, what a waste of time.

I agree.

 

[HappyTauren]

it gives false image of site though but we have 3000+ guests daily... so... we're a everday bigger and bigger site anyway, so who cares ^^

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

All sites have people who register and leaves again, why delete those users? They might return at some point, they might not, who cares, a user profile does not take up any space really.

 

[Mechanical Man]

Just wondering, can a user request a deletion of his profile?

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

If he has a good reason he could get his profile deleted, but it would need to be some very good reason and I can't really imagine what that could be.

 

[Hakeem]

Well, you have to go through a lot of pages before you get to the user your searching for. If someone didn't respond to the e-mail in one week I wouldn't bother to keep that account. I see it more as a waste of space than time, even the very little space that it is. Maybe once a month...

 

[Captain Griffen]

One map probably takes up the space of 100 inactive users.

 

[Rui]

Well, you have to go through a lot of pages before you get to the user your searching for. If someone didn't respond to the e-mail in one week I wouldn't bother to keep that account. I see it more as a waste of space than time, even the very little space that it is. Maybe once a month...

We have an easy fix for that, use Search Member feature.


Anyway, I still agree with you, unused accounts are of no use. I have an idea, why not deleting users who haven't logged for over a month? You can add an option on the profile, saying something like this:

Away from the Hive?
Yes
No

Users that haven't logged over a month but have Yes in this question, will not be deleted. This, because shit happens, your computer could be ruined or something, or you could spend some really long vacations somewhere, who knows.

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

Why delete users? What would the site benefit from that and why does it anoy you having alot of registered users?

Having alot of people signed up attracts new people more when they see that the site is popular than if they see that only 1000 or so users are there, then it seems like a small insignificant site that you just pass by and go to the next instead that has a lot of users.

 

[Rui]

Most of those users just come here to ask questions. I don't see how that contributes... but if you say so.

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

I don't get your kind of logic Rui, so when people come, sing up, post at the site asking questions about Warcraft Mapping then that doesn't contribute to the site? That's one of the main things the site is about!

 

[Rui]

I didn't say that, I said they leave afterwards, perhaps never to return. Warcraft III is getting old either way.

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

No you didn't actually say that and yes Warcraft is getting old, people have been saying that since 2004.

Alot of the now steady users just joined up to ask questions to begin with, myself included, then I liked the place and stayed around but that was only because I joined to ask a question or 2.

 

[PurgeandFire]

I voted yes, but I meant to put no... I don't think that it really matters whether or not they are active, but it might be misleading eg:

The Hive has 500,000 members! Come join Now!

The [Site that deletes inactive members] has 100,000 members! Come join Now!

Misleading, but still, it is the other people's fault in deleting the members. Besides, that would be a braggative add...

Users that haven't logged over a month but have Yes in this question, will not be deleted. This, because shit happens, your computer could be ruined or something, or you could spend some really long vacations somewhere, who knows.

[Off-Topic]

My friend's catch-phrase...

 

[Shadow_Fox]

Edit the poll and put in "What's the point..."

 

[Hakeem]

We have 1 million members! Good luck getting a response from the server!
I don't think new users join based on how many users there are (I didn't).
But if they did:
Site: We have 500,000 users!
Potential user: Ooh! 500,000! Oh, wait there aren't any active users...

Site: We have 100,000 active users.
Potential user: Hey! They're not trying to mislead me! I'll join!

I'm just saying that I would at least delete user with fields like 0, 0, 0, 0, 0...
It's just a thought.

 

[MySpaceBarBroke]

We have 1 million members! Good luck getting a response from the server!
I don't think new users join based on how many users there are (I didn't).
But if they did:
Site: We have 500,000 users!
Potential user: Ooh! 500,000! Oh, wait there aren't any active users...

Site: We have 100,000 active users.
Potential user: Hey! They're not trying to mislead me! I'll join!

I'm just saying that I would at least delete user with fields like 0, 0, 0, 0, 0...
It's just a thought.

do people really think that way? because if i had a choice between a site with 500k users and a site with 100k users, "Are they trying to mislead me with inactive users" is not one of the few thoughts i have in my head.

 

[Hakeem]

But then, you aren't the kind of person to look at the numbers before you join, are you?
I joined because of all the other things on this site, I didn't once care to look at the numbers at all.
It's just a thought poll.

 

[Kimbo]

lern2reed

Members: 28,567, Active Members: 2,394

 

[GST_Nemisis]

i hadnt been here for about 6 months then i came back...if my account would have been deleted that would have been really annoying..anyways i dont think accounts do anything bad, they dont lag or take up much space...i dont see any advantage in it.

 

[Unscrewed_Magic]

I spent a couple of years inactive before I started posting, but I still used your map uploading service during that time.

 

[Herio-san]

I've been away for awhile now (off and on really) and if my account had been deleted... well lets just say I wouldnt bother visiting again. I mean, if you really want to save server space just dont submit crappy maps like "Wintermaul X134 Mega Ultra Platinum 8" and models like "I put the head of a boar on a footman! FOOTBOAR MODEL!!!". Things like that take up serverspace wayyyy more than inactive users and serve absolutely no purpose.

 

[Wolverabid]

Under NO circumstances will any user's account ever be deleted for mere inactivity.

Each person has their own real life to live in addition to his or her participation here at our Hive. The staff will always keep the door open and your place reserved for you!

 

[Hakeem]

I don't mean people that haven't logged on in awhile, I mean people who never did anything, never validated their email, never PMed, never uploaded a resource, never chatted, etc.. The people that never did anything and never will. It's not about space, it's about someone wanting a name that's taken.

And necroposting?

 

[HappyTauren]

If someone wants name that is taken he could ask webmaster about disabling inactive account.

 

[Arab4life]

lern2reed

Im pretty sure 500,000 was just an example...

 

[ragingspeedhorn]

Necroposting in such threads as this where there is a solid purpose is accepted. If he had necroposted saying something along the lines of: "lolol i tihnk ur gey for say delet users ok. if my usr delete i fuk dis site n think it gey." then it would not have been acceptable.

 

[Massive_attack]

lolol i tihnk ur gey for say delet users ok. if my usr delete i fuk dis site n think it gey

Lol jk XD you should close this i think.

 

[WerBackIII]

I'm not going to vote, because my answer is not there:

Inactive users with no more than 300 posts - I think they should be deleted after 2 years. But for users with more than 300 posts we should ask. And for users with more than 1500 posts - no!

 

[FrostyisdaKing]

this all deals with preferences. I personally hate "packratting" users who will never come back to this site. They dont really take up room but at the same time my theory is, if we dont' need them why have them? But i wont vote in teh poll either, i agree with werbackIII's post something like that is good because it means that most one time users are deleted and anyone with just inactivity problems is still ensured their accounts.

 

[Sephiyr]

Its a waste of time deleting inactive users, I'm sure the mods and admins have something better to do than delete inactive users anyways.

 

[Hakeem]

Automatic deletion.

 

[WerBackIII]

NO!

 

[Hakeem]

For empty users, who never even used the chat or PM'd or uploaded a resource.
:Looks at poll numbers: 50/50 all the way through.

 

[Ralle]

We are not going to delete any user accounts just for being inactive.
It's a matter of bytes and I do not care a thing about it

 

[Hakeem]

Well one day, when you least expect it, the best modder in the world will come to this site. Unfortunately, his name will be taken by someone who only made the account and did nothing else. Then he will leave this site, never to return.
On that day I'll say, "I told you so!"
I hope your happy.

 

[Kimbo]

people too stupid to add X's or The's or _ in their name?

 

[Hakeem]

Those will all be taken too. And the best modder in the world hates 1337.

 

[Ham Ham]

Unused accounts gives a false image for the site.
THW has over 10.000 users, but just 300 are active.

This is my opinion of what must be done:

For Now:
- Delete ALL acounts that wasnt loged in since 31 December 2006.
I belive that those people dont think about to back.
- Delete all acounts that doesnt loged in at least one time after 14 days of registration. Most of those people can be bots.

Then:
- If an user gets inactive for 30 days, send an email to him/her. if the user dont log in after 7 days, automaticaly delete his acount.

EDIT: Just woundering... why does Darky29 still have the "Respected User" tag? does somebody here still hopes he will log again some day?

 

[Kimbo]

i dont think u understand
but people
been here
like with posts
before that
if you delete then they will go too and models and shit

 

[Ham Ham]

ok, so dont remove the people that submited resources.

 

[Kimbo]

then what about the threads?

 

[Wolverabid]

Well one day, when you least expect it, the best modder in the world will come to this site. Unfortunately, his name will be taken by someone who only made the account and did nothing else. Then he will leave this site, never to return.
On that day I'll say, "I told you so!"
I hope your happy.

Let's hope that such a case never occurs. It seems likely that (for most people, in my opinion at any rate) if they find the site to be of value and have some positive contribution to make, and (SOMEHOW by happenstance) they wish to use a name that is already taken (by a long inactive user) they will be flexible enough to simply add a dot, underscore or some other character in the name to distinguish themselves.

And of course, if a user wants an already used name they need only create an Admin Contact thread to inquire about and discuss the situation. Ralle created that most powerful forum for (among other reasons) exactly such cases: a user who is in distress and needs help from the administration.

Ralle reviews Admin Contact threads on a daily basis and so do I. Each thread is important and is always given due consideration, even if not immediately addressed and / or resolved.

Those most important points aside:

1. The site needs to keep valid records of all past activity.
   
   
2. Existing accounts will NEVER be deleted for mere inactivity. Period.

 

[Ham Ham]

forget me, bad idea...

 

[Hakeem]

Yeah, I know that. If you delete someone who posted or PM'd or submitted a resource then those things would disappear. Once they do something they cannot be deleted.