See you another day

[SparKy697]

I have enjoyed using AA for about a year now. Over the past few months the site has become almost unusable for me. You all know the issues.... I would like to suggest that if the admins can't figure the problem out, they should consider seeking help. I think that there are enough contributors to the site to raise funds for what ever is needed to take care of what ever is causing the problem. Enough is enough.

I'll be back when I can visit without my machine locking up.

 

[Marconis]

And change the photo contest pictures....

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

The photo contest pictures are the least of the concerns! I'd rather have old photo contest stuff over the daily threat of trojans.

Sorry to see you go Joe, but can understand where you're coming from.

 

[rkilling1]

Man, we are lossing the backbone to this forum. All of our regular posters are no longer coming around and many MOD'S and Mentor's have left.

It's hit the FW side the hardest it seems.

I just wanted to post and give a thank you to Joe for all of his help on the boards.

Thanks

 

[WaterPond]

I couldent agree more.

I think its time for the Admins to give the site a little update. Its still their site to care for and it. Time to fix the problem. Most of the time when i visit the site the same things that happened to Sparky happens to me as well. Don't let this forum slip. Its a great forum but it needs an update.

Get rid of the old mods that don't contribute anymore, get some new mods. Fix the glitches, and i personally think Admins need to contribute more besides just running the technical aspects of the site.

Just my two cents.

 

[bs6749]

I don't have much experience helping out on forums but I know that I would be able to catch on quickly. I am volunteering myself as a moderator, if needed. I haven't been on much lately because it seems that people (the regulars you speak of) aren't on as much.

As far as the locking up with the computer goes, I have never had a problem, but then again I did just have over 1400 "threats" when I cleaned my computer yesterday LOL. I swear I'm not going to let that happen to the computer I am building for myself next week!!! What kind of connection are you guys using that are having the problems?

Does anyone know which moderators and regular members are "officially gone"? What would it take to give this site a "facelift"? I think I'd have more than enough free time to help. I just don't want to see this site go down the drain!

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Moderators, as far as I know, are not what is needed.

What's needed is for the script that's imbedded in this site... directing the user's browser to another site that houses a buffer overrun script that opens the back door to a lot of unprotected computers for a trojan download script... that script needs to go away. It's been here more months. Many months. If you've never had a problem with your computer locking up, or any antivirus giving you a warning, then you've probably been bit. It has nothing to do with the "connection"... it's IN the site.

 

[NoSvOrAx]

Its the same thing that happened on myspace and a few other sites. Banner ads can be a pain in the butt. They provide a nice entry point to spread nasty things.

Lets not forget the trojan laden porn and ringtone posts.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

I could have some sympathy if it was the banner ads... that's where I assumed it was too. But it's not the banner ads - it's in AA itself.

 

[ellisz]

I have been on the site less due to these issues as well. I can't log in at work as it locks up and a reboot is the only thing that will fix it.

My home PC seems to not be affected. I run AVG and get daily scans and updates. I never have any problems show up.

There are more issues than just this though. I noticed a few mods have left since I was here last. Life does get in the way sometimes. The admins are looking into the site problems but alas I don't comprehend what all they have to do.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

The exploit code is geared towards MS Internet Explorer, and if you're running Firefox, you'll probably just get locked up and not see any virus activity. Also, this may be one of the smarter scripts in that it only runs once per IP address... so if you never turn off your DSL/Cable Modem, you might only "see" it happen once.

This is NOT an occassional thing. The code is there. You can't see it using the standard "view source code" in your browser, but when you look at it using some of the debugging programs out there, it's there. It most likely isn't directly coded on the web page itself, but there's a script somewhere within the bulletin board suite of programs that is corrupted and is inserting the malicious code into every page.

The fact that I've emailed screenshots of all this to an admin, and just been told, more or less, "Yeah... we're going to redo the site anyway" leads me to believe nothing will be done about this. I understand the whole hobby website stuff - no one is making money on this even with banner ads, etc. But in my opinion, if you're going to have a website, you better be darn sure it's not spreading junk like this around to unknowing people. It's just not right.

 

[WaterPond]

Moderators, as far as I know, are not what is needed.

I wasn't referring to the topic of trojans when i posted that. I was referring that AA is slipping and it needs a more active ones. Not to get rid of the trojan, but just because many have moved on and it would be a plus to get an updated site that one that isn't well maintained as AA is seemingly becoming.

I also agree with Marconis about the photo contest. If we are going to have it, keep it updated, if not, get rid of it.

Now to comment about the trojan

All four computers in my house are affected. It happens almost every other time and i have to reboot. I usually only use AA at school now so i am definately using it less.

Betting get fixed soon or more will follow suit and leave.

 

[Zagz]

Sorry to see anyone feel the need to leave over these issues but I do understand.

In reference to the mods that have stepped down. If you see Moderator Emeritus below the name they have stepped down. There are many moderators still active on the site.

 

[Marconis]

Let the revolution begin ladies n' gents.

 

[lReef lKeeper]

i have not been here long, but would be glad to help out with moderation when the time comes. the other issues should be taken care of first though.

 

[blazeyreef]

I agree, almost every other time I try to get on it locks, and its becoming a pain. I learn to check everything else first (email, etc) and then try AA, if it works, great, if not, I reboot and go do something else. I do have the time to contribute as a mod if necessary, I do have experience with it (on a huge parrot forum, but none-the-less) I will not leave, but I definitely have noticed that I do not visit quite as often

 

[ellisz]

I use firefox and keep my PC on all the time. It does get rebooted on occasion but not much. I have never had this issue at home. I never understood it.

My question is, is it really a virus, trojan etc. or just an annoyance? What are the effects other than slow down and or lock up?

There seem to be plenty of mods and it is being monitored. We have mentors on the site as well.

 

[blazeyreef]

for me it is mostly an annoyance. The computer just completely freezez and I have to turn it off and on again

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I haven't been around too much lately partially due to stuff going on in my life but mainly the trojan issue. When it takes me 45 minutes of rebooting just to get the page to load, it doesn't seem worth it. I type in the address and it doesn't even let the page load completly before locking up. I wait a few minutes and it is still locked up so I reboot. I have been infected with the virus and had to reformat my computer at home because of it. I'm not going to risk my work computer because I have too much financial and personal client information on that computer. I'm not going to risk all of my client's SSN's along with names, addresses, DOBs, drivers license numbers, and insurance information being broadcast all over the net. Plus having to re-input all that info for over 500 clients? Not going to happen. Occasionally (like this morning) I can get in on my home PC but it's a rarity. I have been too busy lately with other obligations to want to reformat my computer and re-load all of my information. It takes days to get it all back.

 

[Marconis]

Seems as if when people use Mozilla, this does not happen.