New user verification system - feedback

AnthonySmith

Let's have it then, based on my own observations the change required is obvious.

I am going to change it so that no one even sees the thread to vote on until they have made an actual post doing and introduction, I will make that a clear requirement.

If you are going to suggest changes or changes to numbers and requirements, please provide justification, like if not 5, why not 5. Nothing needs to be war and peace just give me a clue why you think what you think.

As a reminder the previous system was 1 question and 1 person deciding, it's just more visible now.

And the purpose was to reduce friction for new members to join and actually participate.

Not_Oles

@AnthonySmith said: I am going to change it so that no one even sees the thread to vote on until they have made an actual post doing and introduction, I will make that a clear requirement.

Thanks for improving new user onboarding! Thanks for being, as always, open to feedback!

What you just suggested here, holding the thread until the new user actually makes a post, sounds like a big improvement! I'm eager to see how much it helps!

For convenience, please let me repeat the suggestion to consider asking new users Ken Thompson's lunch-at-Google question: "What are you working on?"

Thanks again! Always best wishes!

Tom

MichaelCee

With the current system, I don't think a new user should be banned at -5 points. None of what I've seen has really called out as being bot/ai behaviour.

At most, it's just been low quality responses.

I think with the current flow, instead of banning them they should have limited access until their overall karma reaches a certain level. It gives the users a chance to prove themselves outside of their registration thread.

I think the registration thread could serve as a fast-track for certain access.

If possible, of course.

Lee

The home page has a lot of new user threads. Can they not be put somewhere else? It just seems quite polluted and distracting.

MichaelCee

@Lee said:
The home page has a lot of new user threads. Can they not be put somewhere else? It just seems quite polluted and distracting.

Suggestion?

Two throwaway ideas from me would be

1. Put them in the sidebar in the style of the sidebar columns
2. Shrink them like the Show LES posts

Lee

@MichaelCee said: Put them in the sidebar in the style of the sidebar columns

That ^^ People can see them, but not as a thread on the home page; you will end up with times that all the home page is going to be is new user threads.

cmeerw

Why an additional step? Why not have the introduction as part of the questions on the initial sign-up form? But maybe add some ideas about what people should talk about there (like "What are you working on?", "What is your favorite OS and why?") and maybe have some very basic filtering that enforces a minimum number of characters/words for the introduction. Definitely remove unrelated questions like "cats/dogs" or "pushups" - answers to those questions don't provide any value and just trigger useless comments.

So what about just a single "Introduce yourself (talk about topics such as what you are working on, your favorite operating system, your experience with system administration, and why you want to join this forum)" question with a minimum of 20 words?

The idea is just to see if they can write one or two sentences that make some sense, but not to make it any more difficult as necessary to join.

david3

Maybe with the new checks in place:

Register > Pass through Cloudflare Turnstyle > Check against stopforumspam black list

That would be enough to just create the new user. If they start posting spam, the down votes or reporting should be able to hide it until they're blocked.

AnthonySmith

I might be being too idealistic or naive, but the idea was to actually get new users interacting, as previously we got 1 or 2 per day that then never post.

Idk, just something to consider.

david3

You could just make the only other requirement a new post, too (instead of the questions).

Not_Oles

@cmeerw said:
Why an additional step? Why not have the introduction as part of the questions on the initial sign-up form? But maybe add some ideas about what people should talk about there (like "What are you working on?", "What is your favorite OS and why?") and maybe have some very basic filtering that enforces a minimum number of characters/words for the introduction. Definitely remove unrelated questions like "cats/dogs" or "pushups" - answers to those questions don't provide any value and just trigger useless comments.

So what about just a single "Introduce yourself (talk about topics such as what you are working on, your favorite operating system, your experience with system administration, and why you want to join this forum)" question with a minimum of 20 words?

The idea is just to see if they can write one or two sentences that make some sense, but not to make it any more difficult as necessary to join.

+1 ☀️

yoursunny

@MichaelCee said:
Shrink them like the Show LES posts

We prefer this solution.

@david3 said:
You could just make the only other requirement a new post, too (instead of the questions).

Keep the questions.
We love to see the push-up counts.
P.S. our answer to that question would be “22”.