Privacy violation?

[garageboy]

Hi.

I don't wish to appear paranoid, but someone is screwing with my posts, attempting to mess with what I use as a signature.

This is a global setting? I've check my profile.

Since my account appears not to have been hacked, I assume this is someone with special privs messing with things?

What gives?

.steve.
NYC
1988 528e, 5-speed, 99k miles, The Time Capsule
2001 530i, 5-speed, 119k miles, Almost a Time Capsule

[mooseheadm5]

wut

[garageboy]

Bump? Beamters? Help?

If I had somehow "violated" the rules, I would expect to be contacted and asked to officially cease and desist.

This, to me, sounds like an abuse of privileges on the part of someone on this list who should know better.

WHAT IS GOING ON?

[C.R. Krieger]

Hi.

I don't wish to appear paranoid, but someone is screwing with my posts, attempting to mess with what I use as a signature.

This is a global setting? I've check my profile.

Since my account appears not to have been hacked, I assume this is someone with special privs messing with things?

What gives?

.steve.
NYC
..., 99k miles, ...
..., 119k miles, ...

If I were to play along with your paranoia, I would suggest that THIS POST was not made by the Steve I know ...

[Karl Grau]

[tsmall07]

Why don't you click on the "Profile" link at the top of the page and enter your signature there instead of pasting it in every time you post?

[oldskool]

heh heh heh. Hold on a min. . .

[oldskool]

Hi.

I don't wish to appear paranoid, but someone is screwing with my posts, attempting to mess with what I use as a signature.

This is a global setting? I've check my profile.

Since my account appears not to have been hacked, I assume this is someone with special privs messing with things?

What gives?

.steve.
NYC
1988 528e, 5-speed, 99k miles, The Time Capsule
2001 530i, 5-speed, 119k miles, Almost a Time Capsule

Whoops. . .

[garageboy]

Up until a moment ago, my signature was appearing as follows (I did a cut/paste).

Even CR's quote shows it!!!

So to the person who intentionally is fucking with me and hiding behind your computer, a righteous FUCK YOU is in order, you fucking cunt. I hope I get to meet you some day.

Beamters, which one amongst your ranks is the fucktard in question?

.steve.
NYC

[Justin_FL]

No, your repetitive text was simply blanked out. Please use the signature portion of your user profile for this information like everyone else.

Writing your car model and year clutters up the search results, say for a 1988 528e, with totally irrelevant posts of yours, which is why it would be most useful if you didn't continue the practice.

You were asked a long time ago to not add this stuff into every post body text, but it seemed to not have a behavioral change. Hopefully I have your ear this go around.

Thank you!

[Justin_FL]

So to the person who intentionally is fucking with me and hiding behind your computer, a righteous FUCK YOU is in order, you fucking cunt. I hope I get to meet you some day.

Beamters, which one amongst your ranks is the fucktard in question?

Wow, a true New Yorker if I've ever seen one...

[garageboy]

My signature changes with my mood. Last year's signature reflects what's going on last year. Is there an official rule against creating a unique signature for each post? Am I violating the policy?

And the more important question is: who is the fucktard fucking with things? And isn't THAT the policy violation?

.steve.
NYC
My new signature: if you don't like my signature, you can suck my balls.

[garageboy]

OK, Justin, I guess you're the one.

I have nothing to say to you. If the list elders ask me to not do this, I will not do this.

A vigilante douchebag will not influence my behavior.

[Jeremy]

A few points.

1. We go to lengths to make sure that our archived information is correct and easily searchable. This is why the software was modified to not include the signatures when the site gets indexed by crawlers like Google, Yahoo, Bing, et al, unlike most other car forums out there.

2. You have been previously contacted about your behavior on this count. Your insistence on manually copy-pasting your signature into every post BREAKS THE USEFULNESS OF NOT INCLUDING THE SIGNATURE IN SEARCH RESULTS ENTIRELY. You've been contacted by us in the past about this. You told us to go screw, so other methods were employed to try to improve the board for everyone.

3. You can change your profile signature as often as you'd like, it's never set in stone.

Help us make this place as useful as possible and use the signature part of your profile. Thank you.

Jeremy

[garageboy]

2. You have been previously contacted about your behavior on this count. Your insistence on manually copy-pasting your signature into every post BREAKS THE USEFULNESS OF NOT INCLUDING THE SIGNATURE IN SEARCH RESULTS ENTIRELY. You've been contacted by us in the past about this. You told us to go screw, so other methods were employed to try to improve the board for everyone.

Can you produce said communications where I told you to "go screw"?

It has never been my goal or intention to make search results less useful.

.steve.

[Shawn D.]

It has never been my goal or intention to make search results less useful.

Lack of a goal or intention notwithstanding, do you understand the point?

[garageboy]

It has never been my goal or intention to make search results less useful.

Lack of a goal or intention notwithstanding, do you understand the point?

Absolutely. As I said, if I am doing something inadvertently to harm the list and I am asked to stop, I will stop. I have been asked publicly by two Beamters. Therefore, I am stopping. I have stopped.

I am sorry if I did anything to harm the list and I won't do it again. You should state this in the FAQ regarding the use of signatures so that people don't accidentally harm the list by doing what I did and am not doing anymore.

And to be clear, is it the changing signature that you object to, or the car model information that "throws off the search" that you object to? The mileage info? Or perhaps the images to which I linked to? If my signature was "If you don't like my signature, you can suck my <fill in the blank portion of my anatomy based on my "mood">" would that be OK? (sorry, trying to maintain a little levity since I'm still pissed off by Justin's actions)...

Is Justin's behavior acceptable? Is there a mechanism by which I can appeal his actions to the group of Beamters?

Once again, can anyone produce said "screw you" communication?

.steve.
^^^ should this also be in my signature file?

[Jeremy]

And to be clear, is it the changing signature that you object to, or the car model information that "throws off the search" that you object to? The mileage info? Or perhaps the images to which I linked to? If my signature was "If you don't like my signature, you can suck my <fill in the blank portion of my anatomy based on my "mood">" would that be OK?

All of that would actually be fine, IF IT WERE AN ACTUAL SIGNATURE. What you're calling a "signature", wasn't. It was part of your post. It was artificially making your sig part of your post that was throwing things off.

Is there a mechanism by which I can appeal his actions to the group of Beamters?

You just did.

Once again, can anyone produce said "screw you" communication?

You were contacted about the issue, asked to change your behavior, and absolutely refused. That's what "go screw" means, it's a mostly British term, perhaps I shouldn't have used it here. The exchange was several years back at this point, there is no record.

.steve.
^^^ should this also be in my signature file?

Do you want it to be?

It seems you're still not getting the point. Manually putting all your past cars into every post throws off the search results for people looking for information about a specific model of car.

I don't think anybody will ever be searching for .steve.

[wkohler]

Good thread. Would read again.

[garageboy]

All of that would actually be fine, IF IT WERE AN ACTUAL SIGNATURE. What you're calling a "signature", wasn't. It was part of your post. It was artificially making your sig part of your post that was throwing things off.

Oh good grief. Now my signature isn't really a signature? Do you hear yourself? Why don't you waste our time and define what IS and IS NOT valid for a signature. Unbelievable.

Once again, can anyone produce said "screw you" communication?

You were contacted about the issue, asked to change your behavior, and absolutely refused. That's what "go screw" means, it's a mostly British term, perhaps I shouldn't have used it here. The exchange was several years back at this point, there is no record.

Several years back??!! And you "allowed" this "violation" to go on this long?? You expect me and everyone else here to believe that both of these statements are true? Really now? You sound like Fox News. "Many people say..." and "Many believe that" are two of their classic bullshit lines... kinda like "there is no record". Don't accuse me of something you cannot prove. What an asshole move.

I certainly have no beef with the Beamter community. But I suspect I have a beef with a couple of the Beamters that think they can act with impunity whenever they deem fit. It's a smelly day in Beamter-land, that's for sure.

It seems you're still not getting the point. Manually putting all your past cars into every post throws off the search results for people looking for information about a specific model of car.

Talk about not getting the point. I was only putting in current cars with current mileage. When cars or mileage changed, the signature changed. If you must know, it was an easy way for ME to keep track of my mileage in case I was behind in my record-keeping.

I have engaged in enough search engine optimization in my career to know how it works, now that you pointed it out to me there is a problem with your search function. Just for your information, when I use the MYE28 search mechanism, if I put "1988 528e" in the keyword search, you are correct: my recent posts seem to dominate. However, when I use the "google" box on the search page, it seems smart enough to eliminate EVERY one of my posts since they are not relevant to a 1988 528e search. So that would indicate more that your search mechanism requires some tweaking on your part. As a lifelong technologist, that is the preferred approach: fix the tool; don't blame the user.

Like I said, I will absolutely and forever more comply with your arbitrary "ruling", which may be more based on your technical lack of abilities in configuring the search mechanism, but no one likes to be shat upon or lied to. So I am speaking up. Your somewhat slanderous words, Jeremy, and Justin's obnoxious behavior both violate the spirit of this forum and cast a dark shadow on an otherwise functioning list. Especially Justin - reconsider your behavior next time.

I don't think anybody will ever be searching for .steve.

OK, funnyman. But if I was searching for a guy named "steve" that sold me something, wouldn't my posting it in each note also throw off the search mechanism?

Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining,
.steve.

[Shawn D.]

All of that would actually be fine, IF IT WERE AN ACTUAL SIGNATURE. What you're calling a "signature", wasn't. It was part of your post. It was artificially making your sig part of your post that was throwing things off.

Oh good grief. Now my signature isn't really a signature? Do you hear yourself? Why don't you waste our time and define what IS and IS NOT valid for a signature. Unbelievable.

Your "signature" is what you put into the block that says...

Signature:
This is a block of text that can be added to posts you make. There is a 350 character limit

... when you click the "Profile" link at the left of the lowest line under the header at the top of every page. If you're not putting it there, it's not the signature we're talking about.

[demetk]

I'm glad I haven't been contacted by any of you beamter guys because I'd be terrified.

[C.R. Krieger]

I'm glad I haven't been contacted by any of you beamter guys because I'd be terrified.

[skip535i]

Now this is some good shit. And ya'll though I was over-reacting this week.....

[davintosh]

Wow, here I was worried that I was being unreasonable; it's all relative I guess. You beamters need a raise.