Sunday 2 November 2008

STOP OTHERS USING YOUR NAME TO POST COMMENTS - GET A BLOGGER ACCOUNT

Here at Pitsnpots, we are well happy with the amount of comments being posted to all our articles. It's great to get debates going about almost everything topical, both locally and nationally. However, we have noticed of late that there are lots of people "hijacking" other people's names to post comments that are totally irrelevant, and sometimes downright nasty, which really don't add anything to the debate.
So we are urging anyone interested in debating and adding comments on this site, to register for a blogger account, details of how to do this are as follows:

Before posting a comment, see below the comment box where it says “choose an identity”.

Click on
sign up here.

This takes you to another web page where you need to type in your email address (an existing one you use generally, such as hotmail, yahoo, tiscali account).

You then need to type this in again, for verification purposes.


The next box you need to choose a password, try using a combination of letters and numbers, or capitals and lower case letters. This will give a better password “strength”.

Then you need to type the same password in again. Remember this password – you will need it every time you sign in to blogger and want to post comments under your own name.

You are then asked “display name”. This is the name you would like your comments to be attributed to – mine is Alison, Tony is Tony, etc. Choose whatever you want. It doesn't have to be your actual name - we have "brooneyes", "sir findo gask" and many others (and I don't think for one minute these are their real names!)

Word verification – you then see a set of green letters which you have to type in to the word verification box. This is to ensure your PC/laptop compatibility.

You then need to click in the box to accept the terms, and click the continue button. This takes you back to the blog article you want to post on, and tells you who you are signed in as.

When you leave the blog, it is always a good idea to sign out at the top right hand side of the home page.

So if you follow these instructions, when you start posting comments, they show in blue and underlined (like mine and Tony's and Nita's), and everyone knows it's definitely your comment, and not someone else posing as you.

We urge every genuine poster to get a blogger account, because, whilst we don't wish to remove legitimate posts, we may have to start removing posts that are totally irrelevant to the topic under discussion, particularly when it isn't attributed to an actual blogger account.

We were hoping that we would not have to resort to this, but it's really not fair for people to make comments in another's name, whether that name is a councillor, a party member/candidate, or just your average Joe Bloggs like me (no pun intended - Blogg!!)

So, it's time for action if you want to stay blogging with us and ensure your posts stay on the site. Get yourself a blogger account using the instructions above, and happy blogging...

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thats a great idea!

Alison said...

Yours will be the first to be deleted if you don't register....

Anonymous said...

That's an even better idea!! (I'm not the same as the last one).

Anonymous said...

The problem is that people like Joy Garner have more than one identity on here....so this site is now unbias.

Anonymous said...

So let's get this straight, if you pretend to be T Cope being gay your post will be removed. But if you're registered and are offensive and threatening to anybody that disagrees with your viewpoint like say, brooneyes/Craig Pond then you'll be allowed to post? If you're going to stop one you'll need to stop the other, otherwise it's double standards.

Anonymous said...

Oh, and I'm not one of the fake T Cope posters either, but I am genuinely contributing to this debate. Does that mean I don't get banned? Irony...

Craig Pond said...

Alison, I have registered.
Does this mean I can carry on with childish gay slurs without being deleted now!!!

Alison said...

The issue here is that we want posts to be relevant to the topic under debate. Childish remarks and idiotic gay slurs aren't part of any topic currently under debate on this site, as far as I am aware.

t cope - the fact that you've registered won't stop us deleting your messages if they are not relevant to the topic under debate.

In answer to anonymous - most of brooneyes' posts are relevant to the debate, however passionately, and at times, slightly over the top he chooses to debate his points.

I just feel it's a shame that, having set up this site for the people of Stoke in general, from all walks of life, all political parties, all cultures, to be able to have a say in how things are run and how things happen in this city, it seems to be being hijacked by morons (some of you have posted already on this blog), who don't seem to care about what's going on in the city, but are happy to deride those of us who do care passionately.

Get a life. You are annoying me now.

Craig Pond said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

brooneyes isn't simply passionate and a bit over the top, he can be downright offensive and threatening. If you're going to blacklist the fake T Copes.... How many on this site agree with me?

Shaun Bennett said...

Thanks for that advice. Speaking as a self confessed techno-dunce I found it very useful. Hopefully I've now registered correctly.

Craig Pond said...

Shaun, "techno dunce" really?
Your like, 22 aren't you?
While I'm 107 and a jizz whizz at this computer thingy a ma-jig!

brooneyes said...

Anonymous, if you have something to say about me, come out and say it, instead of hiding in the shadows like a whipped dog.

Shaun Bennett said...

Yes T Cope, 26. I'm afraid I never paid much attention during IT classes at school though. Its only when I went to college that I started using computers and then only for basic internet and WORD. In fact I've just had a bit of a fight to sign back in to reply to you!!! I seem to have the hang of it now though.

warren said...

Can we try and get the real Terry Cope back, he was realy bob on with some of the stuff he posted, as is Craig to.
Look you lot, theres a time and a place for a joke and a bit of leg pulling, I'm prone to it myself at times but not when the debates inportant and good, so stop it and use at least your first name or a nikname we can ID you with.
As for you, him with no name, No I dont agree, the only time Craig as been rude or treatening is to you when, to be frank,you drove him to it. So if you have something to say put a name to it and say it, we are not going to march round to you house and smash your windows in.

Anonymous said...

Warren, get you blinkers off about your luvvie Craig.

Craig Pond/Brooneyes said:

"the majority of the blacks are only interested in stabbing, drug dealing, or codging
treatment on the NHS for bloody AIDS!"

brooneyes said...

Now now Nigel, if you're going to quote me, don't do it out of context!
I did indeed say those words, but what he doesn't tell you is that I was talking about the
overspill from Birmingham that's coming this way. You might not mind seeing the ethnic minority
communities double, or even treble in size, but I do! There are something like 12,000 people on the housing list, we should make sure our own are housed first.

Anonymous said...

Craig, you can put it in any context you like but how sweeping/blanket statements about entire racial groups can be justified is beyond me!

Anonymous said...

The last post was mine, I know how you hate anonymous posters.

terry turbo said...

Warren, I did not go away, just had a bit of trouble with my computer, trying to register on anything, sorted now.
Its the fools posting offensive remarks, that have brought us to this point.
I just pointed out that these people are blighting an excellent site.

nita said...

I have no problem with people having a laugh and a joke, and a bit of banter here and there, but it's just not funny, when you use someone else's ID. T Cope has contributed to some good debate, and we want him to carry on doing so. So, we ask the fake T Cope to register using his/her own user name, and contribute to the debate. Okay, Brooneyes, may take the debate a bit too far, and some may find his comments offensive, but at least he is honest with his views, and keeps to the context of the debate. Whether you like what he says or not, this site is about voicing an opinion, and he is entitled to it.

The only people who really need to comment annonymously are the Councillors themselves, or anyone that may compromise their positions.

So, if you can use your name, do it, you should have nothing to hide!!

Anonymous said...

Nita, so when Craig comes out with statements such as:

"the majority of the blacks are only interested in stabbing, drug dealing, or codging
treatment on the NHS for bloody AIDS!"(you have to take it in context, apparently)

It's all right though he's keeping it in context of the debate!

Tony said...

The issue is that we all like a bit of fun. We all like the banter that comes with this site and god knows me and Craig have had some differences of opinion. I tell you what though this site was not set up so that posters, no matter what their view point can be insulted and the site bombarded with the sort of comments that were used by the fake T Copes! We need to be able to take the piss but in a nice constructive way. This site has become very well known in a very short space of time and long may that continue, but let's keep the site for those people it was set up for. People who enjoy debate and can argue their corner without going over the top. There isn't anyone who uses this site regularly who I wouldn't share a pint and a chat in a pub with, that's the sort of ethos we want to keep.

Tony said...

Nige,
Craig's comments are relative the the legitimate political party that he represents. I'm fairly sure that is opinion is shared by 99% of the BNP. The BNP have 9 councillors in Stoke and whether we like it or not they are very much part of the political spectrum of this city.

Anonymous said...

No, Tony, I was merely countering Warrens claim that Craig never says anything untoward or if he does its justified.
No one can justify that, not even Craig's best apologists!

nita said...

Nigel. I personally, do not agree with some comments made by Brooneyes, but if that is his opinion, then we have to let him make it. As you will see, there has been some good debate, in response to some of Brooneye's opinions, and that is why this site was set up. It gives a wide range of opinions. Some good, and some bad.

The issue we have is, people coming on and leaving comments using another person's name. We do not see the point of doing this. If you have something to say, say it, but do it using your own identity.

nicky said...

When the site was first set up if I remember rightly we had to register with a blogger account. Shaun I sympathise as I had a bit of a struggle too, although I've maybe more of an excuse because I'm 'somewhat' older. I was quite pleased that I managed to muddle through without resorting to asking my 15 year old son, who I feel sure would have sorted it out in seconds, age being very much on his side.

But then the anonymous/unregistered option is good because people may want to impart inside info without getting into trouble. Also there are those whose family/friends etc. may object to them being so public. So I quite like that option being available. Now I'm like a lot of us here, bold enough to publically say what I think. And actually there have been people who know me who have not liked that and who have got a bit personal and unneccessary about it. But hey, if they want to discuss that I will, but I will try to keep it relevant. But not everybody's that bold although it can still be good to hear what they think. So I quite like the other options being available.

I do think it is also a bit unnecessarily personal to pretend to be a t cope. And I also think there must be other web sites far more suited to the topics of discussion favoured by the fake t copes, so that would suit all concerned if they go there.

But I really like the lack of censorship.

Anonymous said...

Crikey, I go away for a few days and you lot get all serious. I have an idea, why don't all the fake T Copes just number themselves. Or better, one of us could ourselves John Lowe, another, John A Windridge, another, Betty Cowan etc... then we can have different people impersonating a wider variety of the bigots that write in to the Sentinel because they have nothing better to do. Mind you, neither have I otherwise I wouldn't be typing this shite.

Anonymous said...

I've been following the fake t cope stories for a few days and I think I got the joke on day one but still the persistence is to drag it out. This sort of activity normally dies away as the joke becomes tired and new jokes are tested, but still it goes on.

The registrant T. Cope is more than likely still fake.

Anonymous said...

Gary, he/she is, they've admitted to it and the fact that regeistering doesn't stop you being a fake somebody.

John Lowe said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
John Lowe said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
John Lowe said...

Fake T Cope, good idea!

Anonymous said...

I think all niggers, pakis, chinks, coons kikes yids etc... are actually OK. All my rants to The Sentinel are misintepreted and blown out of all proportion. I'm not really nazi sycophant, I'm just pretending.

Anonymous said...

Oh for f**** sake, how many John Lowe's are we going to have now? Are they going to pretend to be gay like the fake Terrys? Or are they going to be more realistic and pretend to genocidal maniacs like the real John Lowe does in the Sentinel? More to the point, is John Lowe actually a real person? There are some who believe he was created by the Sentinel to wind rational people up with his nonsensical, hysterical Goebbelesque rantings.