Update about Security

I thoroughly examined Sher's account and there seems to be nothing fishy. Next is the PnQ Mod Account, but I have other things to do today. I've already spent hours of my afternoon investigating... at this point, don't get your hopes up that we'll find anything.

Tomorrow the search continues.

Not based on ad hominem fallacies, I am quite certain it was not any of the current mods who "accidentally" suspended the member account. More likely, it's a past mod OR someone who is an expert at hacking and is invested in the site. Possibly both. It would have to be someone who felt they could gain something from the incident, wouldn't it?

Thank you for keeping us updated. I know it is a serious matter but do try to enjoy the weekend a bit.

You're welcome, and thank you... I think I'll go take a walk outside in this gorgeous weather!

Have a nice day everybody.

"I am quite certain it was not any of the current mods who "accidentally" suspended the member account."

I doubt this very much as well. You can't accidentally suspend someone's account, unless you are 100% not paying attention to a darn thing you're doing, which is unlikely lol.

Thanks Jane, and yes, go on a walk in the sunshine. I have rain currently, so enjoy it for me too :)

I think we have a mystery- mod, one who is able to do all the real mods do and more...Maybe we should consider making a new site and call it "New Poems and Quotes"and leave a message here on the main board for all. This way we could take the one behind all this the wind right out of his sails.

Do we have a whizz kid here willing and able to create a new site?

I've been willing for a long time Ingrid, all I need is someone to finance it...lol

How much does it cost, Joe?

You get money when you allow companies to advertise on your site, don't you? And I know of some sites that ask a small contribution from their members.

If you were to make an estimate and ask around how much advertising would generate, then you could see how much money the members would have to donate to get it up and going, and maybe from that point on the advertising money would suffice to keep it going?

I made mention of this in another thread:

Amanda: "Do you think it may be beneficial to start contemplating making a new site? In the end if the Admin don't care those members who do can just transfer over to a new site and PnQ will slowly fade into the background. Not to mention things can be properly maintained. Security can be kept on top of. Because the more attacks that happen the more members have a reason to leave. Also with a new site it leaves the hacker to a barren site."

Sibs reply: I do think it's a valid option. Without invested owners, and with moderators only equipped with certain levels of power, we're kind of at a stalemate. Barring some sudden and extensive interest by the administrators... I don't know. Things like this probably can't sustain themselves forever. (We've actually been coasting pretty well for a long time!) What this site DOES have is dedicated members, history, and a nice spot in the Google queue, which are things that might be compromised if a new site were opened.

Uhmmm how many times have we talked about this as a whole site? I've never actually seen it happen. But sure, go ahead. Talk in circles or make a new site.

We'd have to be sure all dedicated members are willing to make the effort and move with us to the new place....

What's the point about talking about making a new site? This has been discussed countless times in the past and never was anything done. Temps is making sense so why keep walking in circles? :/

Of course unless you all are actually going to make a new site this time, which I highly doubt will happen.

No harm in talking about it, especially as the site gets older. Eventually, if we want to survive, we'll have to find other inhabitable planets. Er. You know.

Couldn't agree more Sibs

Why does it bother you guys that we're talking about it? Haven't you noticed every PnQ discussion goes in circles? :)

If P&Q were a place it would be a big roundabout somewhere, with traffic lights and confusion and a nice few flowerbeds in the middle

No harm in talking about it. Its a good idea but realistically if a new site was created could anybody see thousands of people leaving here to join there? I can see it just turning into what amounts to a big club. At least here there are new members joining, the odd old member returning.

In an ideal world somebody could take over admin of this site, and make the required improvements. Not sure what that would involve, Im sure its probably been looked into already.

By the way kind of off topic. Is there any way to change the message on the homepage or does that require admin too?

For what it's worth I think it's talked about more now because of the recent events. How security has really been tested. It doesn't hurt to discuss options and weigh the pros and cons of making such a move.

The biggest thing as Ingrid pointed out is members and finance. Then you have to wonder 1. Mods, 2. Admins, and the rules of this new site. When you have new owners of a site the dynamics will change and how it's run will also change. Members need to know before switching what differences there'll be. Or if the site rules and the way it's run will remain the same only be on a different site.

The one big thing you don't leave behind is security issues. Even the biggest guys are vulnerable to worms, spam & hacking. A new start up is easy pickings.

Security can and should be beefed up here. Takes some admin input, but Janis seems to be popping in occassionally now.

In all honesty it would cost roughly around $150 a year to run a site. But like many have all ready a fore mentioned, is a new site really that wise at the moment? Is it wise at all? What I mean is...you'll never have another P&Q regardless of how hard you try to make it the same. So...why not put the same effort into fixing this one? Give ideas, issues, concerns, etc. forward for us to discuss and possibly have implemented within a given time frame.

I think it's nice that Janis has been coming around more often, I don't think we should give up yet either Joe. Hasn't someone been in contact with Janis, recently?

All we know about Janis is he came around twice in the past month without talking to anyone. Suddenly activation emails were being sent again and we are attributing that to one of the times Janis popped on.
Why he couldn't write even a few words in the mod forum to let us know what's going on, I have no idea.

How about the active members chipping in to meet the $ 150 yearly and a one time amount of money to pay whatever Janis will ask for his site? I would be up for that, that way P&Q would belong to us all and we would truly be a family.

The Mods tried asking Janis for the site once offering the money but he refused. He still makes some money off this site. At least that's what I read somewhere once.

Joe: "why not put the same effort into fixing this one? Give ideas, issues, concerns, etc. forward for us to discuss and possibly have implemented within a given time frame."

Joe, can you recommend a professional level secutiry system that would block spammers, worms & spyware and be resistant to hackers?

Janis has always been that way Jane, he very rarely posts in the mod forum or communicates, but when he does it is unusual, yet, good!

As for buying this site, we've tried in the past, Janis won't sell regardless of how much you offer. And yes, he still makes money via the ads on the main page.

Larry: most security systems (all ready made) cost a ton of money. Not just that, but, a majority focus on select issues, not all systems will guarantee what we need. Personally, I would have someone code one from scratch (whether that be me or someone else) since we can then tailor it to our needs better.