Removing The Blogs

**Duncan Glenday** · 12-03-2015

The Blogs have been a target for scams.

We have had several bogus members registering, then posting garbage/spam blogs. Those blogs were removed and the "members" were banned.

However, in a new development, one "member" joined, and within an hour, posted over 1,000 bogus blogs.

It will take at least a full day to clean them up using the tools available to the admins
Or I need to spend many hours figuring out the data structures and developing the appropriate SQL to remove them - and hope I don't break the system in the process.
OR... We can simply remove the blogs altogether.

They weren't used very often, and I suspect they were rarely read. And - anything that would/could go into a blog could just as easily be a forum post, and would probably have more visibility.

So - I have removed the "Blogs" from the menu bar at the top of the screen.

Let me know if you need a copy of one of the older (genuine!) blogs, or if you need to know where to buy Viagra...

**battema** · 12-03-2015

Originally Posted by Duncan Glenday

if you need to know where to buy Viagra...

Ummmmm...prog board?

I think you're safe

**JJ88** · 12-03-2015

Also look out for the ones who dig out very old threads, post something non-specific like 'I agree with this!' and have a link to their website in their signature.

**MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER** · 12-03-2015

Relocating The Borgs

good riddance!

**Digital_Man** · 12-03-2015

Sorry to hear this. It's probably much easier to just get rid of the blogs than to ban everyone who posts spam. Again, you did the right thing here.

**beano** · 12-03-2015

I love those commercials on TV where the 2 guys from Ocean Spray are in the Cranberry Blogs...

**Trane** · 12-05-2015

Originally Posted by Duncan Glenday

It will take at least a full day to clean them up using the tools available to the admins
Or I need to spend many hours figuring out the data structures and developing the appropriate SQL to remove them - and hope I don't break the system in the process.
OR... We can simply remove the blogs altogether.

They weren't used very often, and I suspect they were rarely read. And - anything that would/could go into a blog could just as easily be a forum post, and would probably have more visibility.

So - I have removed the "Blogs" from the menu bar at the top of the screen.

You're right... TBH, I'd even forgotten about them... For the most part, I wouldn't miss them, though I'd love to keep the old Scotch thread... could it be included in the Scotch Lovers PE Group? Or just re-started as a thread in the WOT forum, maybe

I checked out the prog meme threads and about half don't show up anymore (but I did lol a few times though)... I even saved a couple of them though

**Duncan Glenday** · 12-05-2015

Yes, I can do that...

Sent via PE's mobile app

**Trane** · 12-06-2015

Originally Posted by Duncan Glenday

Yes, I can do that...

It might have a better chance to survive and expand than the almost-dead PE Scotch lover (who's just been re-livened this past week after an 18-month lethargy)

**Garden Dreamer** · 12-07-2015

What is Blog?

**at least 100 dead** · 12-07-2015

Originally Posted by Duncan Glenday

The Blogs have been a target for scams.

We have had several bogus members registering, then posting garbage/spam blogs. Those blogs were removed and the "members" were banned.

However, in a new development, one "member" joined, and within an hour, posted over 1,000 bogus blogs.

It will take at least a full day to clean them up using the tools available to the admins
Or I need to spend many hours figuring out the data structures and developing the appropriate SQL to remove them - and hope I don't break the system in the process.
OR... We can simply remove the blogs altogether.

They weren't used very often, and I suspect they were rarely read. And - anything that would/could go into a blog could just as easily be a forum post, and would probably have more visibility.

So - I have removed the "Blogs" from the menu bar at the top of the screen.

Let me know if you need a copy of one of the older (genuine!) blogs, or if you need to know where to buy Viagra...

I’m in the market for Zoloft. PM me.

**Duncan Glenday** · 12-10-2015

Originally Posted by Trane

...I'd love to keep the old Scotch thread... could it be included in the Scotch Lovers PE Group? Or just re-started as a thread in the WOT forum, maybe

Originally Posted by Duncan Glenday

Yes, I can do that...

It turns out that bringing back that Scotch item as a thread will be very difficult.

However, it was not saved as a blog - it was an "article", and can still be read here:
http://www.progressiveears.org/forum...php/180-Scotch

In fact - there were a few long, fairly important threads that were brought over from PEv2, and posted here as articles:

A Tab In The Ocean - Nektar
http://www.progressiveears.org/forum...ve-Ears-Thread

Modern Proggy Indie Recs
http://www.progressiveears.org/forum...ecommendations

Thinking Plague - Decline and Fall
http://www.progressiveears.org/forum...e%20and%20Fall

Prog Memes
http://www.progressiveears.org/forum...186-Prog-Memes

The Legend of Wally: A Personal Perspective
http://www.progressiveears.org/forum...%20Perspective

Note:
Some of these documents are very large.
Be patient while the system loads them...

**Yodelgoat** · 12-10-2015

Delete from BlogDatabaseName..BlogTableName where UID like '%I am a troll%'

**Duncan Glenday** · 12-10-2015

Originally Posted by Yodelgoat

Delete from BlogDatabaseName..BlogTableName where UID like '%I am a troll%'

The blogs aren't all stored in one convenient database table. I'd have to delete components from 5 separate tables, which also serve other parts of the system. And to do that, I'd have to learn the database structure. Not impossible, but it would take a few hours that I just don't have.

Lazy perhaps, but much easier to just remove the "Blogs" menu item

**Trane** · 12-11-2015

Originally Posted by Duncan Glenday

It turns out that bringing back that Scotch item as a thread will be very difficult.

However, it was not saved as a blog - it was an "article", and can still be read here:
http://www.progressiveears.org/forum...php/180-Scotch
..

It's OK, I now remember where to find it... Lots of cool infos that I'd almost forgotten about... will revisit when I got more time

**moecurlythanu** · 12-11-2015

I just accessed the blogs from the front page about 10 minutes ago. Easily done.

**notallwhowander** · 12-11-2015

I tried to start up a blog here, but I never got the time to commit and it languished with just one entry. So if it needs to go, there's no flack from me.

**Progbear** · 12-11-2015

Originally Posted by JJ88

Also look out for the ones who dig out very old threads, post something non-specific like 'I agree with this!' and have a link to their website in their signature.

I agree with this!