New users should be allowed to post messages.

[Suzyqabc]

I’ve been a member for 2 years and I’ve replied to several posts, but I’m not allowed to compose a message. What’s the logic behind this rule? If “new users” aren’t allowed to post anything, then why would they even join? If you feel that way about people who join your sight, then why would anyone stay with a welcome like that? I understand the need to filter certain things, but if nobody is trusted enough after 2 years to even post a question, how do you expect to grow? I’m signing out. Thanks for the decent info I’ve received from Double M, but I don’t think I’m needed or wanted here.

[e_poison]

I'm sorry this is making you feel unwelcome. It's how we keep the board 100% spam free.

In order to prevent spam on the forum, all users must have their first few posts manually approved. Once this happens, the system automatically upgrades your account and then you can freely post. It is based on post count, not how long you've been a member. Sometimes spam accounts will sign up and then wait months or even years to unleash a spam attack so using post count is the best defense against this.

Hope you understand why we do this. Many other board do this as well, it's an anti-spam feature built into most forum software.

[onespeedstop]

Isn't it a 5 message-reply thing, before making your own new post ? That seems 'fair', if it is that. Though these days even bots can mass-reply I guess. Same with the trading forum, time & replies/posts = acceptance. It seems like a reasonable way to weed out bots and bad actors.

[brassy]

Relatively new users ARE allowed to post messages after they reply to a relatively low number of other people's posts.
This seems incredibly reasonable to me. I have learned a ton of stuff by reading the content more senior members provide -- consistently thought-provoking enough for me to want to chip in with my own two cents.
Please don't change the current system. The chasm in quality between posts here at Double M and posts in the Reddit subs is huge and one of the reasons is you can't just spew whatever you want to here from the get-go without making the small investment of reading content by fellow members.
Thank you, mods, for maintaining such a happy place!

[NiqueKristan]

I’ve been a member for 2 years and I’ve replied to several posts, but I’m not allowed to compose a message. What’s the logic behind this rule? If “new users” aren’t allowed to post anything, then why would they even join? If you feel that way about people who join your sight, then why would anyone stay with a welcome like that? I understand the need to filter certain things, but if nobody is trusted enough after 2 years to even post a question, how do you expect to grow? I’m signing out. Thanks for the decent info I’ve received from Double M, but I don’t think I’m needed or wanted here.

I’m sorry you feel that way. I think it’s reasonable to require a minimum post requirement in order to compose messages. They don’t even ask for very many.