I've participated in a number of these threads / discussions with spam in their titles like this, this, and this, and was / am pretty sick and tired of the way things are going, but spamming is just wrong and really prompted me to post this up, see what reactions people post. Go ahead, try defending such a ridiculously dishonest, conniving attitude.

The site doesn't like spamming and takes a stand against them, a lot in the community are very vocal against piracy etc, and act like moral white-knights, but this behavior's somehow ok? Tell me again why the post feature was implemented in the site again? That's right; as a simple way to record and reward hubris - i.e. to give people a tool to brag about, after the fact. Not as an incentive to encourage "ty" spam in giveaways. And no, not every post has to be for 100% on topic reasons. There's a wide range of posts you can make that are not considered spam in terms of quality. But regardless of intended motivation in making posts, you can be sure this kind of post has giveaways hidden inside, and is purely an attempt to shamelessly exploit and trick the post count system, nothing more.
Period.

I'm not going to call anyone out here publicly, but I keep seeing threads with posts of people with 1k+, sometimes even 2k+ posts on their profile, but when looking through their posts, all they've done is spam ty in giveaways. One such profile I saw had more than 17k posts, but looking through their list of posts, a rough estimate of posts that don't say "ty" is maybe 0, being very generous in my estimate.

So, firstly, post count is bull (and yes I know almost every post on giveaways is ty spam but there's still a HUGE disparity between saying ty, and saying something else that the giveaway creator would appreciate), as well as the far more important issue - they're clearly, undeniably selfishly, strategically trying to boost their post count as easily as possible. Why is this kind of behavior allowed? Also, in case I wasn't obvious enough, there are giveaways here.

11 years ago*

Comment has been collapsed.

HA! :-D

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

No, skill is finding those creepy pictures of Hillary Clinton.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I am sure there is a special website (or ten) for just such images. People like to fap to Hillary.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

HillaryUgly.com

Legit site name.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

This is such bullshit, she's quite pretty even on some of those pictures.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

ewww

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

You love it.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Is that thing chewing its D?

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

we all know that dogs also chew on their D's or at least lick em

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Someone get that dog some braces.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

"One such profile I saw had more than 17k posts, but looking through their list of posts..."

I want to learn this skill.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I thought the same thing O.o

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Deleted

This comment was deleted 6 years ago.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Seriously, that guy had 9k posts in a single month. I think he used a bot to ty spam. Also, yeah, you use google to find posts.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Jonex...cmon..you know how to do this,everyone knows the necessary google command. If not I can tell you. Also yeah...although TY is pretty lazy bot. If I would use a bot I would make a longer message that doesnt look that much like a bot...too please the god of randomness ;)

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

The exact message was "Thanks for sharing"

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

thats not as lazy as I thought but still too botlike

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I've honestly never been in a position where I've wanted to know what people have previously posted :P So it's alright, keep your secret google command. I'll come crying to you if I ever need it.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

oh,it has good many uses and often i prefer google with this command than the integrated search function of a website ;)

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I am disappointed in your stalking skillz.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

lol, it's your fault you didn't teach me these tricks.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

To be fair the thread you linked of mine was in response to a real spammer who would make 5 or so spam threads an hour pretty much every day, so it was more of a parody of his spamming.

Plus I had 2(well 3 but I deleted one of them because I realized it didn't give a steam key.) giveaways in my thread so it wasn't really spam, just a giveaway thread with a really shitty topic title.

Though I've come to wonder lately when does the line for spam cross?

If I make 10 different threads all with there own giveaway is that spam? (Quite curious on mods POV towards this.)

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I wonder why I linked your thread then? Hint hint

With regards to the second question, I obviously don't know the official response, but I do know two people who had 10 threads going at the same time for puzzle giveaways. Support didn't seem to mind then.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

But their has to be a line drawn somewhere doesn't there?

I mean can I make 10 threads titled "HA" and each one has a link to a different giveaway? (If I can. I'm totally doing this in the future. lol.)

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

How about those "It's my birthday but there's no giveaway" threads? Those are spam in my book.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I agree with you, on the other hand maybe they just want a Happy Bday and have no one else?

The thing about the one's w/o giveaways is half the time they subtlety/unsubtlety beg for games.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

It's usually very subtle. Birthday threads without giveaways are just attention seekers.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I made one....pure boredom, only reason.

ASSUMPTION BRO, NOT COOL!

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Boredom is seeking attention though, right? :P

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Damn you and your logic!

You win this round.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

:D

You made one mistake. You should have called it "spam farming" in the title. It would have made it sound a lot more serious.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

oh, good idea. Farming spam is just like farming carrots :3

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

After further thought I realised that the correct term would be "post count farming". This not only highlights the real issue, but also avoid using "spam", a word meant to describe unsolicited commercial mail, for "thanks" posts.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Sorry, misread title. Thought it said spanking. nm

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

"spanking is a skill..."
Or was it another part of it?

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

It most certainly is.

We should open a club of disappointment. I bet Cloonaid will join us too.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Spamming or spanking. Both are valid topics for discussion ^^

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

The similarities between this post and the slightly older "Contributor value farming is a "skill" people use to cheat / exploit s.gifts, period." are quite odd. Was this just copied, pasted, and modified?

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

You sir are quite the detective.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

OMG, someone stole my intellectual property? Why, I'll just have to sue him/her!

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I believe it was in de facto public domain.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

[Placeholder in case I decide to come back and post something worthwhile]

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

+5000000

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I'm actually not sure why the first thread I posted was closed

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

[Moar spam, although with some effort and diligent editing, this might become a worthwhile utterance, and an outstanding/fully valid addition to my post count.]

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Leave some posting space for the rest of us. You're so heartless sometimes. D:

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Spam seems to be really dangerous ◕ ‿ ◕

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

actually I like it...but I never understood why its known as Spam in every country except in germany

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I agree, thanks for fortix.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I do know the perfect way of exploiting post count. And it has nothing to do with bots or things like that.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

...why would you care about your post count?

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

When post count minimum giveaways start being introduced! :D

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

With contrib value on the way out, it's only a matter of time.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

That won't be for awhile though isn't it?

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I hope that never happens... :/

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

O_o

I kinda hope not, would be super silly....though I feel like I would be covered :-P.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

You mean like this?

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

He should be banned...

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

My thought process is to always thank someone for doing something nice for me. However, if you want a more interesting response, give me something to respond to in the description. Sometimes I just don't know what more to say and would rather not just spit out random stuff, especially if OP isn't going to read them.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I'm curious what's wrong with a fake high post count?(besides it just being really dumb.) I mean it really doesn't benefit them besides an attempt at getting into one of the community groups, but anyone who is in the community would probably know they aren't an active poster.

However, I do suggest. Maybe let it NOT count as a post on giveaways?

(I'd say remove the post count all together, but I stats are fun, and I'd say make it private, but than technically they'd still be there, so there would be no real difference at all.)

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Well, I know on a couple of other forums, people use post count as a basis for rep. Basically if you have no posts, no one will listen to what you say and label you a troll.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Hm, I guess that's fair.

Though imo the SG forums have never been like other forums.

I don't think I've ever seen anyone take someone less seriously for having a bad ratio unless they tried suggesting something that has been suggested 100 times or something. That's the only times I see people get shit, that and when certain people unless spam the forum with useless/spam/super dumb topic and don't try to the improve at all, or the people who try flaunt around their value.

Most the time I only see people get attacked if they deserve it. (keyword most.)

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Stop looking down on me. :(
I'm trying my best to ok.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

"However, I do suggest. Maybe let it NOT count as a post on giveaways?"

^THIS
And after that... look on extremely huuuuuuge drop in comments number on most profiles. Suddenly those people doesn't look active anymore. And what's more - I bet thousands of them would actually STOP posting such comments, when they realize, nothing is recording on profiles anymore.
I got couple hundreds profile names in txt file, of people who post "ty" without reading giveaways description, where actually creator asked to not post them.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Spam is ridiculous. As someone who's moderated several internet forums, I really can't stand it when people blatantly spam threads. I will note that there can be a difference between posting a joking comment or two and flat out spamming. I don't feel I need to explain the difference, as anyone who's fairly aware of what spam is can discern these posts.

My question to you is, are you saying it's a bad thing to thank giveaway makers for their giveaways? I don't say thanks every time I enter something, but I do when the game is really good, if it's a private one I found on these forums, or if it's from a close-knit group I'm a part of. I don't go "ty", as that's ridiculous. I take the time to say "Thanks!", or modify a thank you to a way the creator will appreciate. So, where's the line here? I agree that "ty" is lame and more or less an attempt to get the post count up, but is saying "Thanks!" or "Thanks for the giveaway" something that can really be considered spam? I'd like to think not, within reason.

Also, as someone who makes giveaways, I like being thanked for my time, money, and effort. Granted, I prefer it when people say something other than a straight "ty", which is why I usually ask a question for the entrant to answer.

Anyway, I'm sure I'm digging a bit too deep on this one, but I just wanted to throw all that out there.

TL;DR: Down with spam and spammers, but what's the line when thanking someone for a giveaway?

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Nobody cares about post count.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Except for people who care about it, but after excluding them, you are completely correct.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

i like this comment.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

i like this like - and the comment - and the hairline border around both comments
don't much care for vertical line connecting the comments tho'

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Google "intent".

:)
11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

ahahahah +1

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

You have to reply to another post with your particular post content. Without that it's irrelevant and spam. :P

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Oh noes! Please don't report me! :(

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

☺

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

so you rather be "intent" than outside...

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Personally, I don't think it has any meaning, I'd prefer if they removed it just so people would just stop caring about such a meaningless detail. I've had people tell me that my post:giveaway entry ratio is terrible (which I guess it is), but I try to make all of my posts meaningful rather than spamming thank you, ty, or thanks on every giveaway I enter, which is completely meaningless and feels less like a thanks than no response at all. The few groups that actually care about the ratio have the right to choose whatever requirements for their group that they want, but I'd rather have a lower number of posts and make sure that each of them are actually meaningful (which I believe I've managed to accomplish). It'd be interesting to have a link added that shows all of a person's posts (giveaway and forum posts) so the people who do prefer people with high post counts could see that 99%+ posts they make don't mean anything ^^

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Trying to show your appreciation is better than not showing it at all. If you're like me, you'll also appreciate the opportunity to win a game, rather than just winning the game. You don't have to just write "ty" or any other bot-like comment. I usually include the gifter's name so that at least I know who they are, and other's can see that too, rather than just mindlessly entering.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

This.

I don't care if a lot of my giveaway comments tend to be a simple thank you. It's when someone doesn't even bother at all that I take notice.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

(:

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Personally, I comment on giveaways for games that are on the top of my wishlist (not my steam wishlist, as that's a jumbled mess) to explain why I actually want the game and what makes me really want to win it, as well as showing more appreciation for it. It's not that I don't appreciate the other games I enter for, and of course I plan to play the games I've won and (hopefully) will win, but when I do win a giveaway, no matter what the game is, I always thank the gifter personally (I either add them on steam and thank them or respond to their email if they send the game that way) because it shows a personal effort to be thankful rather than what seems to be an automated one. To me, saying thanks on every giveaway you enter weakens the meaning of the use of the term (I feel like some people enter giveaways and feel that they deserve the game, not that it was a nice opportunity). I've had a person who added me after a giveaway I made in the past ended who just told me to give him his game, and when I tried to actually talk (I like to speak to the winners, I'm sociable :P), he just kept asking for the game, so even if the person said thanks, I knew that it was a formality with no meaning behind it.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

But that's not the point Jonex is making. It's not about only thanking the gifter for winning the game, it's also thanking the gifter for the opportunity to win, which is what a lot of people fail to understand. It doesn't matter if the game is wishlisted or something that just caught your eye, or whether it's an AAA game or a bundle game. The fact is, you're still entering for something that a member is giving away for free, and that should be acknowledged whether you're lucky enough to win or not.

Obviously, expressing your gratitude if you do win is common courtesy. That goes without saying.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

+1

So much this.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I understand that, but I just feel that words without meaning are just words. Saying thanks on every giveaway without actually meaning it is the same as saying nothing. I appreciate the chance I''m given for every giveaway I enter, and I'm even thankful for the giveaways I can't enter because there's someone who actually chooses to give something to others, but there's no way that I could convey that in a way that doesn't sound generic and, well, meaningless. Even including the gifter's name doesn't mean anything, all it does is show that you took the time to glance at the name next to the "Enter to Win" button :) On my giveaways, I'd rather see something interesting, random, or prominent in the comments, I actually take the time to read all of my giveaway comments and I do pay attention to who posts something more than a simple thanks, ty, or thank you. Post a random joke that has nothing to do with the giveaway, as long as I don't see you spamming that joke everywhere I'd appreciate it much more than a ty :P

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I know there are people that use scripts or spam "thanks", but that's expected on a site like this and doesn't make my point invalid. If you don't see the point in writing anything at all just because others are not sincere, that's a silly excuse IMO. You say that saying thanks on every giveaway is equal to saying nothing, so doesn't that kind of put you in the same boat? Personally, it makes me want to write something more personal, something the gifter will really appreciate in the midst of all the "ty"s and "thanx" comments. It's really not that hard to think of something to say! Something random is nice. Even a smiley and a couple of hearts might do the trick, lol.

I just don't understand why people keep saying "everyone just posts ty in giveaways and that's meaningless and spammy so I'm not going post anything at all". Post something else then.

I also read all my giveaway comments, and love it when someone posts something different, so I agree with you there :)

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Like I've already said, I do post in certain giveaways when I have something meaningful to say, but if I have nothing particularly interesting to say, I choose not to add to the dozens of ty's. I completely agree with you in that I should be classified with those who do post ty to an extent, though I still feel that I don't quite fall into that category because I still do make an effort when I'm able to. I never said your point was invalid or that I disagree with you, all I'm saying is that I see "form letter" comments to have as much meaning as someone typing "qwertyuiop". There are plenty of users who don't say thank you or thanks and have their own personal signature, but when it becomes overused, it begins to lose its meaning as well (like every giveaway that SFK enters having the comment <3 "Insert Gifter's Name Here"), nothing wrong with it, but after seeing it a few thousand times, it's kind of just there ;) (nothing against you SFK <3 ). I think you make some valid points, but that doesn't mean that mine is wrong, it just means that we agree to an extent, and have two personal views on the matter with a few overlapping components :)

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Fair enough. The "invalid" bit is only there because it started out as a reply to wojtek below, who did say my point was invalid. At work at the moment so I got distracted and forgot to edit that out :)

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

That's actually a script, she doesn't comment at all since it requires too much effort. Go figure

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I was actually surprised to find that out. Even though it makes perfect sense why the comments never change...

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

IMO this point is invalid, because most people write it automatically, many of them don't even read description, because they >don't give a shit<. That's why such comments are meaningless, because you can't see if they were sincere.

If you want to show your gratitude, then write something else then typical "ty", "thx", as long as you won't copy-paste the same sentence under every giveaway as hundreds do.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I have to agree. I have a bad habit of when someone wins my giveaway, I check to see if they had the decency to post at least a 'ty' .. or anything at all really. Something to acknowledge they entered the giveaway and took that extra second to scroll down, change focus to text box, type something and click enter.
It might be small and meaningless to others, but I would like to think that the winner of the giveaway that I either spent money or own time to get, is somewhat, even very tiny appreciated.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I think that it's better to receive "thanks" after delivering the game, than getting it ONLY in a comment, which happen often, because people think it's enough. I don't "require" an answer for my game, but it's really not nice when you don't get a word of reply to your message, but they just take the game.

Also I saw many comments, which included giveaway's creator name and were written under description "PLEASE DO NOT POST 'TY' COMMENTS", making them meaningless too...

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Check my reply to Corinne, I think it explains my views a little more clearly, though it seems like you agree with me to a decent extent :)

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Post count should be removed altogether already! Spammer should be kicked out of the website. I wouldn't give 2 shits if they get banned from the site, even if that would mean less posts. Post Spammers do not even deserve the dirt from my toe nails.
Also it will drastically reduce the bandwidth consumption of the website.

:P

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

You choosed a wrong thread as example. Mine isn't spam at all but an actual question. Now. Try to read before taking out threads. You know what makes my sick? people who whines about other people or other things/threads/giveaways

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I don't see why he thinks your thread is spam either... you were asking a question (that sure, is based on common sense), but a question is a question. The first thread is definite spam and the third is... well that's just how that person acts on the forum.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

None of them were actually spam, they were just the first threads to come up in search with spam in their titles >_>

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

omg, who the hell cares?

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

im wondering is what i do with all the spam letter "yes i mean the one intentionally placed not the complete thread" to find the giveaway.

im sorry to ignore the main topic of the thread but i dislike it also and prefer to avoid, as you can see i do not comment much.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

farming

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

pharm

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Just ignore/avoid what you don't like. Simple as that. (P.S. Post Count means nothing so just ignore it and stop getting butthurt over it.)

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

You don't understand what this thread is about. For some people it MATTERS and they flood us with meaningless spam. That's the problem.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Deleted

This comment was deleted 3 months ago.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

First world problems...

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

dude what the efff/ why do youcare so much about someones post count?? it doesnt matter at all period. so why are you so upset about it.
I mean are yo ubeing sarcastic cause i cant imagine why anyone would be so up in arms or even a little itty bitty bit concerned at all with this

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

"You don't understand what this thread is about. For some people it MATTERS and they flood us with meaningless spam. That's the problem."

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Closed 11 years ago by jatan11t.