Why in the world...

hmmm, I'm not sure - I'll assume that another admin did it (with good reason).

I'll find out...
JP

------------------
What Next?
"Easing you onto the Internet"
http://www.what-next.com

Hey thanks.

It is just that many people do not like this (including myself ), and there is no reason I can see to use it that way. It is still fully capable of logging the IP's without displaying them. I have a feeling that someone may not know that it will work that way as well.

Thanks for your time.

------------------
http://www.were-here.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/Ultimate.cgi

Not me

I have two opinions about displaying ip-addresses to all users. It´s idiotic. Nobody wants to see it and nobody cares about it. Where is the use of an ip-address? Nowhere.
On the other hand, some people (especially newbies) will be more aware of the fact they are not completely anonymous when posting anywhere, so it might be easier for them to keep things under control. Don´t you agree?

later

------------------
Got computer-problems? Don't miss to join our
partner-site at http://www.computer-forums.com

I understand what you are saying, but at the same time I do not agree. I have not seen a need for anything such as this in the time I have owned a couple of forums.

But thank you for the explaination of why you are using it, and I hope it does indeed help you

------------------
http://www.were-here.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/Ultimate.cgi

I doubt if the newbies even understand what an IP address is, let alone understand the implications of what it does and does not reveal about the user. Anyone really interested in causing trouble anonymously would use Linux and IP-spoofing.

I used to display IP addresses on my forum (not UBB, personally, I hate UBB) until a few people complained. While I feel they were just being paranoid about having it displayed, I stopped displaying it with the posts and just started logging IPs to a hidden file. Given the valid concerns about privacy on the internet, it's better to make people feel safer when posting

quote:Originally posted by Maverick:
Anyone really interested in causing trouble anonymously would use Linux and IP-spoofing.

That's kinda stereotypical, isn't it? Wait, very stereotypical. You can cause just as much trouble anonymously with Windows, or Be, or MacOs as you can with Linux. In fact, I'm guessing that most of the little script kiddie trouble makers use Windows.

I don't see a reason why to display IP Addresses either. All it does is it lets people find it out and use something like BO2K or BOK2 or whatever that hacking program is called...

------------------
Is this signAture short enough?

Darn- I can't even spell right...

To use BackOrifice (BO2K) you actually need to trick the person running the computer to install it. For that matter, that describes just about every virus and trojan there is. Personally, I feel that displaying the IP address is only a risk to those people with dedicated IP addresses. Otherwise, if you're using a dial-up, by the time someone gets around to doing something mean and nasty, you've usually got a new IP address anyways.

Yeah well if you had not noticed, there are many people using cables and DSL lines these days, and they almost always use a static IP!

------------------
http://www.were-here.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/Ultimate.cgi

quote:Originally posted by roBofh:
To use BackOrifice (BO2K) you actually need to trick the person running the computer to install it. For that matter, that describes just about every virus and trojan there is. Personally, I feel that displaying the IP address is only a risk to those people with dedicated IP addresses. Otherwise, if you're using a dial-up, by the time someone gets around to doing something mean and nasty, you've usually got a new IP address anyways.

True, but if that person were to attempt to SPAM the forums or commit another malicious act against them, their IP would reveal the ISP that person is using. By revealing what ISP they were using, it is possible to find out who the person actually is, because the ISP keeps logs of what users are assigned to particular IP addresses and at what times.

Brian

------------------
Web Design - Hosting - Promotion - Programming
InfoStar Web Design - Click Here!

OK, read what I said again

Being able to track down someone who spam's the board has nothing to do with whether their IP is publicly viewable or not.

I re-read the post I responded to- and I still can't find where you said that .

Anyway, we need to consider if there is anything WRONG with displaying the IP address, and what harm it is causing, if any. Right now, we only see IP: LOGGED at the bottom, and I don't see how that is causing any damage. If anything, it will let people viewing the forum know that we do keep an IP log, which may prevent them from doing something they would do if they didn't think we kept one.

I don't think we need to display the IP addresses to the public, but I see no reason for removing the IP: logged...

------------------
Web Design - Hosting - Promotion - Programming
InfoStar Web Design - Click Here!

No, I was responding to the IP: 123.456.789.012 thing, not the IP: Logged. I'm just saying that it doesn't really harm anyone to display it. OTOH, it doesn't help them either Where do I say that not having the IP publicly (as in, to non-moderators) viewable does not prevent moderators or administrators from tracking down spammers?

Brian,

What roBofh is talking about is the fact that IP addresses were publically displayed on the forums until werehere started this thread. It wasn't something we (admins) really paid attention to and it was just a feature that was there by default when we upgraded to UBB. It has since been turned off because of this thread.

------------------
TWF Administrator

Dynamic Internet Solutions : Windows NT and UNIX Hosting & Dedicated Servers

Well I know many large forum owners, and have one myself, and I would say that it is customary to not publically display them.

Of course it is always left up to the man in charge.

I thank you for taking this thread into consideration after I posted it, that is wonderful

------------------
http://www.were-here.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/Ultimate.cgi

I administer a very small (~100 registered members), yet active bulletin board (UltraBoard) and the IPs are visible for all to see. No one has ever said a thing and there are several internet-savy active members. Guess no one seems to care. There were some problems with anonymous/harrassment type posts previously, when the site was using a free remotely hosted bb, but none since the conversion to UB in September with the visible IPs.

I plan on running a significantly larger bb (I purchased Ultimate Bulletin Board) on a different site and figured I'd start by keeping the IPs hidden. I figure I'd start that way, just to keep the IP #'s private to "protect" the honest/well-behaved static IP users. I wonder what the "general consensus" or "correct protocal" is concerning the display of IPs, internet-wide. What's the "correct etiquette"?