Suggestion: Do not allow new users to post links to github(or any links even) until they hit the 20 post threshold.

jh80 wrote on 2026-10-13, 09:34:

What you're describing doesn't actually happen on similar forums that use a like system. […]
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analog_programmer wrote on 2026-10-13, 08:52:

No, it is not the right way. This way is only for pumping some fake "likes" (upvote). If there will be "like" function, there should be also a "dislike" option, so everyone could see, if the downvote ("dislikes") is more than collected "likes" for the particular post. And there should be also list which user "liked" and "disliked" the post, so nothing to be hidden, because we will not play on some false democracy here, if such "like-dislike" functions will be implemented.

In general, I'm against such rating systems, because, as I already mentioned, they lead to more and more counter-constructive consequences:

What you're describing doesn't actually happen on similar forums that use a like system.

It's a minor feature that most people don't even notice - just a small thing on the bottom of a post like in Keropi's screenshot. Its sole use is to tell the poster if people are interested in what they're doing. It isn't used for anything else and it can't be gamed because it simply doesn't matter for anything.

I consider it a must-have feature for a forum where people are posting a lot of creative projects, because it lets people show appreciation and encouragement.

My post with the suggestion about some personal/user's "valuable posts bookmark/list" option was used from some users to rise again this questionable rating system. I DISLIKE this.

As I wrote, I LIKE the current situation - without any "like-dislike" rating systems. And yes, "likes" without or with hidden "dislikes" is a total false, simply because some post may gather 100 visible "likes" and also "500" hidden dislikes, and users will see it as something "valuable", which will be untrue. Who needs this?

megatog615 wrote on 2026-10-13, 10:34:

Suggestion: Do not allow new users to post links to github(or any links even) until they hit the 20 post threshold.

This is a good suggestion. And may prevent part of those one-shot promotional posts with "ai slop" software github repos.

Boohyaka wrote on 2026-10-13, 06:48:

There *is* a "benefit" on reddit: giving accounts some legitimacy and credibility, whatever the end goal is (misinformation, ads, guerilla marketing...).

Reddit's a poor poor example, there's high karma accounts that are frequently poor behavior. There was a point when a lot of good people left reddit after spez announced ai training from all the posts/comments and then dumping the old reddit interface by default (gating it to a registered user option).
and I don't think Vogons should have likes either.

leileilol wrote on 2026-10-14, 02:30:

Reddit's a poor poor example, there's high karma accounts that are frequently poor behavior. There was a point when a lot of good people left reddit after spez announced ai training from all the posts/comments and then dumping the old reddit interface by default (gating it to a registered user option).
and I don't think Vogons should have likes either.

I think we're somewhat in alignment and there's a misunderstanding: I wasn't using Reddit as a positive example, it's a train wreck for many reasons, including "karma". The system is completely taken over and abused by bad actors. I was replying to a previous poster that used Reddit as an example, because people over there were farming karma for no benefit. I was merely explaining that there was a benefit of high positive karma accounts on Reddit, and that such accounts would sell well on the black market. But that is specific to Reddit, still in the top 10 of most visited websites...we're nowhere near comparable level of user base and attraction for that to become a problem imo.

leileilol wrote on 2026-10-14, 02:30:

Boohyaka wrote on 2026-10-13, 06:48:

There *is* a "benefit" on reddit: giving accounts some legitimacy and credibility, whatever the end goal is (misinformation, ads, guerilla marketing...).

Reddit's a poor poor example, there's high karma accounts that are frequently poor behavior. There was a point when a lot of good people left reddit after spez announced ai training from all the posts/comments and then dumping the old reddit interface by default (gating it to a registered user option).
and I don't think Vogons should have likes either.

Reddit is a great example of how not to do a merit system. Youtube is another example. People want to be loved there, they are less discussion forums than Vogons. Stop trying to make this like those, we don't want it.

ldeveraux wrote on 2026-10-14, 17:28:

leileilol wrote on 2026-10-14, 02:30:

Boohyaka wrote on 2026-10-13, 06:48:

There *is* a "benefit" on reddit: giving accounts some legitimacy and credibility, whatever the end goal is (misinformation, ads, guerilla marketing...).

Reddit's a poor poor example, there's high karma accounts that are frequently poor behavior. There was a point when a lot of good people left reddit after spez announced ai training from all the posts/comments and then dumping the old reddit interface by default (gating it to a registered user option).
and I don't think Vogons should have likes either.

Reddit is a great example of how not to do a merit system. Youtube is another example. People want to be loved there, they are less discussion forums than Vogons. Stop trying to make this like those, we don't want it.

Speak for yourself, dude!
I have not given you any permission to speak for me.

yet STILL no way to block you

analog_programmer wrote on 2026-10-12, 14:33:

I have a suggestion for a new forum's functionality.

What about something like "favorite posts" bookmarking function? There's a tons of useful info in the forum, which is hard to be found later, when some of the threads became enormous. It will be very convenient, if every user could mark/flag "favorite posts" in his own personal list.

The old forum software had this and I had a ton of bookmarked threads. When the new software came about, I lost all those and asked to have all those bookmarks converted into watched threads and that was done.

Not nearly as good of a system but it does work.

cyclone3d wrote on Yesterday, 15:24:

analog_programmer wrote on 2026-10-12, 14:33:

I have a suggestion for a new forum's functionality.

What about something like "favorite posts" bookmarking function? There's a tons of useful info in the forum, which is hard to be found later, when some of the threads became enormous. It will be very convenient, if every user could mark/flag "favorite posts" in his own personal list.

The old forum software had this and I had a ton of bookmarked threads. When the new software came about, I lost all those and asked to have all those bookmarks converted into watched threads and that was done.

Not nearly as good of a system but it does work.

This is sad. "Watch topic" functionality is too broad and far from exact post bookmarking 🙁

analog_programmer wrote on 2026-10-13, 10:37:

megatog615 wrote on 2026-10-13, 10:34:

Suggestion: Do not allow new users to post links to github(or any links even) until they hit the 20 post threshold.

This is a good suggestion. And may prevent part of those one-shot promotional posts with "ai slop" software github repos.

Reiterating because this is still happening.

megatog615 wrote on Today, 10:39:

analog_programmer wrote on 2026-10-13, 10:37:

megatog615 wrote on 2026-10-13, 10:34:

Suggestion: Do not allow new users to post links to github(or any links even) until they hit the 20 post threshold.

This is a good suggestion. And may prevent part of those one-shot promotional posts with "ai slop" software github repos.

Reiterating because this is still happening.

IMO this will block interesting projects.
Not in favor of this.

Like buttons that just show for the thread and doesn’t add to any other metric, I would *like* 😉

Bookmark function, IMO your browser can do that fine as those allow folders as well to sort them. But yes, when you switch browsersoften it’s not a good solution.

BUT everything not being a stock option of the forum software is risky. Every time you upgrade this might become a headache because of incompatibilities.

maybe instead of "like" the button should be "thanks" *if* this ever gets implemented

keropi wrote on Today, 11:55:

maybe instead of "like" the button should be "thanks" *if* this ever gets implemented

"Thanks" button, without any related rating-systems probably should be Ok. Also, no stupid "reaction" emojis involved. Just a list under the post with user nicknames, who are too lazy to write 😀

That seems to be what we want 😉

I'm new here, but would like to suggest enabling post reactions, similar to other forums. Sometimes there are comments I'd like to acknowledge but don't necessarily require a full written reply.

edit:

megatog615 wrote on 2026-10-13, 10:34:

Suggestion: Do not allow new users to post links to github(or any links even) until they hit the 20 post threshold.

This seems like a good way to limit forum growth and make the site hostile to new people.

oldGPU wrote on Today, 13:02:

megatog615 wrote on 2026-10-13, 10:34:

Suggestion: Do not allow new users to post links to github(or any links even) until they hit the 20 post threshold.

This seems like a good way to limit forum growth and make the site hostile to new people.

And you already know, that there are other restrictions for the freshly registered user accounts like no posts editing, no PMs sending, etc., but no one complains.

analog_programmer wrote on Today, 13:16:

oldGPU wrote on Today, 13:02:

megatog615 wrote on 2026-10-13, 10:34:

Suggestion: Do not allow new users to post links to github(or any links even) until they hit the 20 post threshold.

This seems like a good way to limit forum growth and make the site hostile to new people.

And you already know, that there are other restrictions for the freshly registered user accounts like no posts editing, no PMs sending, etc., but no one complains.

It’s not quite the same IMO AND new people do complain about these restrictions 😉

Dominus wrote on Today, 13:24:

analog_programmer wrote on Today, 13:16:

oldGPU wrote on Today, 13:02:

This seems like a good way to limit forum growth and make the site hostile to new people.

And you already know, that there are other restrictions for the freshly registered user accounts like no posts editing, no PMs sending, etc., but no one complains.

It’s not quite the same IMO AND new people do complain about these restrictions 😉

It is not the same, but it is still a temporary restriction, so it will not be like "the end or the wold" for the "newbies" 😉 And having some forum-marked posts in a personal user's list is not the same like having some external browser bookmark links, but I already accepted the fact, that such feature will never be available again 😀

Restricting new users from posting links is a step *way* too far. If your problem is with links to projects that fail to mention AI involvement, that's something that's already spelled out in the forum rules, and should be treated like any other instance of broken rules: report it and move on. Long-time users are just as prone to slipping here and there as new users who were just recently shown the rules.

Some amazing works (absolutely AI-free, too) have been shared here by total newbies as their first ever posts. The rules are clear enough, and adding a 'guilty until proven innocent' mechanism on top of them will just result in a chilling effect with no balancing benefit. The fact that most of the internet (and the world in general) works this way doesn't mean it's a good thing.

If we were talking about checking new users' posts as they're submitted, and showing them the rules *as a reminder* if the post happens to contain links, that would be slightly more reasonable. Still a bit overboard, but a blanket restriction? Nope.

Dominus wrote on Today, 11:11:

megatog615 wrote on Today, 10:39:

analog_programmer wrote on 2026-10-13, 10:37:

This is a good suggestion. And may prevent part of those one-shot promotional posts with "ai slop" software github repos.

Reiterating because this is still happening.

IMO this will block interesting projects.
Not in favor of this.

The VAST majority of 'projects' posted here by people with less than twenty posts(and usually it's the first or second post they make) is non-disclosed AI slop that is abandoned shortly after it is made. These new users are not reading the rules and do not care to disclose their AI usage as required. Even if they do disclose that it is AI that doesn't mean they will continue to support that project. It is pure garbage being heaped onto this forum and we should be better than that.

You are assuming that moderators can't step in and approve link posting by editing the author's post and adding it themselves if it is truly exciting and worthwhile.

We're entering a new era of slop coding and we need to be ready. Right now it seems like we're not.