New File Spam

[kitsukat]

I've been browsing the "New Premium" section for a while now, and I've noticed that many of the files are produced by the same two or three people, and it really clogs up the front page. Is there a way to limit the number of files one can upload within a short amount of time? Or at least filter New Premium for more variety?

[Jeshi]

What I do is go to "advanced filters" "by author" then I click on the name "Haxsaw" and then click on "Invert selection." That way I don't have to scroll past fifty of his new files to get to the newest file by someone else, and nobody has to get upload capped.

[EMG]

Yeah, I'm not going to cap uploads, but the next time I upgrade I may allow filters on the main page(or permanent blocking of authors).

[kitsukat]

I do this, but it doesn't change the fact that he's clogging up the new files, and every search for anything. It's disappointing to see that at least 60% of the new files are his.

[sarnoga]

Hey Kitsukat,

I understand how you feel about this.

I've been browsing the "New Premium" section for a while now, and I've noticed that many of the files are produced by the same two or three people, and it really clogs up the front page. Is there a way to limit the number of files one can upload within a short amount of time? Or at least filter New Premium for more variety?

Yes, it can be frustrating to go to the new files page and see that everything on it is by the same author and all posted the same day or within a couple days. I haven't posted any files in a while, but this has been the case for some time. I can tell you from this author's point of view that it can be also be frustrating to post a new file only to have it pushed off the list the very next day because someone posted half a dozen or so files at the same time.

Now having said that, I would like to take this opportunity to put this into what I believe is the proper perspective.

I find it somewhat incredulous that we are sitting here complaining about someone creating and posting new files. There is no reason to beat around the bush and pretend we don't know who we are talking about here. Clearly at least one of the two or three authors you are referring to is Haxsaw. And yes, he is very prolific in his file creation and posting. Who the other one or two authors are to whom you refer, if there are any, I haven't the slightest idea.

The fact is, whether you like Haxsaw's files or not, he is contributing a great deal of material to this site. His files may not be for everyone, but then that could just as easily be said about my files or any of the files here. All the same there are those who enjoy his files. Unless someone is consistantly posting files that are inappropriate for this site, I think the last thing we want to do is discourage anyone from posting files.

I think we need to identify the problem.

Haxsaw and his prolific file posting is not the problem as I see it. He is posting a lot of files and nearly as I can tell he has never so much as charged anyone a nickle for any of his files. (No, I am not complaining that some files are pay) What this comes down to is that he has posted a great number of files increasing the chances of someone browsing finding something that appeals to them when they visit this site.

As I see it, the problem is that the page or pages that list the new files, while once functional is no longer quite up to managing the task in a way that shows everyone what they want to see when they go take a look.

What I do is go to "advanced filters" "by author" then I click on the name "Haxsaw" and then click on "Invert selection." That way I don't have to scroll past fifty of his new files to get to the newest file by someone else, and nobody has to get upload capped.

I have to agree with Jeshi, (even though jeshi doesn't like my "forever gay" file, hehehe). There are reasonable work arounds that are far supirior to limiting the number of files that can be posted.

Yeah, I'm not going to cap uploads, but the next time I upgrade I may allow filters on the main page(or permanent blocking of authors).

I think this shows that our fearless leader understands the issue.

So how to fix it? Heck, I don't know. EMG's proposals seem as good as any, though I am sure he will consider any serious suggestions. There has to be a way to make this site even more user friendly than it already is without discouraging the very activities this site is trying to promot, the creating and posting of hypmosis mp3s. Personally I like EMG's idea of a filter that can be added to the new postings page. Something that can be set to filter out what you do not want to see at that moment so that you see more of what you are looking for.

I do this, but it doesn't change the fact that he's clogging up the new files, and every search for anything. It's disappointing to see that at least 60% of the new files are his.

To this I have to disagree, at least in part. I think it is a very unfair, disparaging, and hurtful thing to accuse someone of "clogging up" the new files because of prolific posting of files.

So, you have identified a problem. The new file page gets clogged. Lets not attribute this to Mr. Haxsaw. That is like complaining that it is the fault of the drivers that a certain road is congested with traffic. Sure, were it not for the drivers the congestion wouldn't be there, but the problem is not the drivers any more than the problem on the new file page is Haxsaw. The problem is the road has insufficient capacity to handle all the traffic. Or in this case the new file page is not designed to adaquately deal with so many files being posted in so short a time.

I can agree in part. It is slightly disapointing that such a high percentage of new posted files are all from the same author. The solution to that is certainly not to hobble someone who is contributing so much. It is for everyone else to start posting more files.

Yes, there are times I would like to be able to filter out Haxsaw's files from the new file page. Not because I don't want to see Haxsaw's files, but because I want to see what other new files have been posted. Yes, as Jeshi said, there are other ways to accomplish the same thing, but it just isn't the same as being able to see the recently posted files on the new file page.

Not knowing much about how websites work, I don't know if the following suggesiton is a good one or not, but I do have one suggestion. This suggestion, however, is not intended to be in place of a filter, I still think a filter would be a good thing.

I would like to see the new file page changed just a bit. I would like it if instead of showing the ten newest files it showed all the files posted in the last 7 days. Sure it would be a longer list, but with the addition of a filter it would be even better. Or perhaps there could be more than one filter. Perhaps you could set it to show all the files posted in the last N days.

Of course if you start adding multiple filters to the new file page what you end up with is the file negotiation page that we already have that is quite functional and has a lot of divers filtering capabilities.

So I may have to ammend my assessment of the problem.

I still maintain that Haxsaw is not the problem. However, after this not so short post I am no longer convinced there is a problem with the new file page, not that most anyting can't be improved from time to time if there are changes that are actually improvements rather than changes for the sake of change.

The problem may be that sometimes we are just too freaking lazy to go use the file negotiation page which allows you to filter out an author by selecting all the other authors but the ones you don't want, just as Jeshi suggested.


In conclusion, sure, there are many improvemnts that may be thought up and made to make this site even better than it already is. But the problem is not this site. The problem is not Haxsaw. The problem is that too many of us, including me at times, have become a bunch of lazy sods that cant be bothered to click on a few buttons to use the file search and filter functions that are already avaiulable to us. I suppose someday EMG will figure out a way to make the entire site completely customizeable. But until he does and until he feels it can be done without more work that it is worth, lets be happy that EMG and this site and its authors, continue to provide us with so much for so little.

Free members who do not pay a nickle and may not even contribute are given the same freedom to post files, questions, comments and complaints as anyone else. Those with premium membership either have that in exchange for contributing material to the site or because of paying the nominal fee that EMG asks of those who want premium access without contributing material. But whether you are a free memeber or a premimum member you are given the same access to posting both files and in the forum.

While there are certainly a number of improvements that might legitimately be suggested from time to time, lets be careful we do not just slip into the habit of frequently complaining about what we do have.

EMG: Thank you for hosting and maintaining this site that we all enjoy for either free or cheap.

Haxsaw: Thank you for your many free contributions to this site. I say keep posting to your hearts content. (the same goes for everyone who posts whether many files or few)

Everyone Else: Thank you for your support of this site and for the encouragement and appreciation you show to all those who contribute the free material that keeps this site new and exciting every time it is visited.

Regards,

Sarnoga

[demigraff]

Maybe it would be nice if it showed (" ... and 6 more files by haxsaw") under his second one, and you could click or hover to see what they are. Then you could see more files by different authors instead.

[tallguy744]

Maybe it would be nice if it showed (" ... and 6 more files by haxsaw") under his second one, and you could click or hover to see what they are. Then you could see more files by different authors instead.

This is what I wanted to say, but couldn't put into words. A "more by author" link would be awesome.

[EMG]

This is an excellent idea, I cannot say when I will get to it, but the idea in general is a good one for many areas of the site.

Maybe it would be nice if it showed (" ... and 6 more files by haxsaw") under his second one, and you could click or hover to see what they are. Then you could see more files by different authors instead.

[sarnoga]

Once again, demigraff to the rescue. That does sound like a fine idea.

[kitsukat]

Sarnoga, your suggestions are pretty much what I meant to say. Haxsaw is not the problem, but he is the one who is posting the most files. I tried not to single him out in my complaint. The problem is not that he's producing a lot of new content--that's a good thing and should be encouraged; the problem is that he's burying new content from other users, which is frustrating.

I do really like demigraff's suggestions as well. That would be a really good idea. :)

[sarnoga]

Thanks for clarifying that, kitsukat. As I mentioned, I agree with that part. I do not like that things move off the new list so quickly. Years ago that seldom happened. But now it seems to happen quite often. But it happens because we have so many new postings which is a good thing. It seems there should be a solution. It happens on the new free files list even more often because on the special occasions when something becomes instantly free then it stays on top of the free list for 6 months before the newly free files push it off. This leaves very few slots left for the files that have recently become free.

Regards,

Sarnoga.