Thread for So, that happened. Index | New Thread | Reply | Close | Stick | Delete  So, that happened. Tim 9:12pm, August 01, 2012 [Edit] [Delete] Last night, July 31, we got hit by a disruptive non-registered user who was able and willing to circumvent ip-based banning methods. So I locked the chat down. It's open again now, but I want to talk about chat security. I don't know if last night's event has any connection to this. Probably not. But I've been getting increasingly worried that we'd see repercussions from it ever since this stuff started a week or two ago. I'd like to have more mods available at more hours. Particularly, I'm rarely here mornings, and I think most of our mods and admins are similarly unavailable. I wouldn't ask anyone to change their schedule or report in or anything, but anyone who's frequently here when mods and admins aren't can be place under consideration to help tighten the net. But that still wouldn't be an effective solution if something like last night happens again. I want to be welcoming. I want to be open. I'm not sure if I can do that and maintain a healthy and respectful environment for the existing community. Like I said, we're fully open again, and if nothing happens, well, good for us. But if something does happen, here's our options. I can set portal visibility and chat access separately. We can be visible on the portal or not visible on the portal. Our chat access can be anyone can post, anyone can view while only members can post, or only members can view. I've set our access denied messages for unregistered members to be as welcoming as possible while maintaining brevity, but that's still a barrier to entry. Anyway, like I said, if nothing happens in the near future, great. But if we have issues again soon, frequently, or both, I want to know what the community, on the whole, thinks the best course of action is to keep us friendly but comfortable.   Epona 3:24pm, August 02, 2012 [Edit] [Delete] I think it would be best to keep the chat visible no matter what. I for one am rather hesitant to enter a new chat if I can't even see what's happening. The worst that can happen there is some poor bored soul makes fun of us where we can't see him.   Epona 3:25pm, August 02, 2012 [Edit] [Delete] Okay, that wasn't clear, was it? I meant have the chat able to be viewed by anyone, in terms of the actual chat. As for the portal, I can't really say what the best course of action is there. Though to me that should be a last resort.   Finvara 3:51pm, August 02, 2012 [Edit] [Delete] My obvious preference is to leave the chat on the portal, with posting and viewing rights in place for unregistered users. Now if that gets abused often enough to be recognized as a pattern, I would be unrealistic to deny it. That hasn't happened yet, though. As for morning/early day coverage, I'm certain there's at least one or two people laying around that would both be on around that time most days and willing to perform the duty. Index | New Thread | Reply | Close | Stick | Delete