forum submission software

hello webmasters
I'm testing the market for a forum submission program I'm developing. It would supports different forum software (10 of the major bb software providers, starting with vBulletin and phpBB) so there's practicaly an unlimited number of forums you can use it with.
What it can be used for is making announcements or if you just want to post a message to an entire list of forums and see the feedback (let's say I want an advice, a question that will probably will find answers only on a small number of forums for which and I'll be notified by mail).
There is a very easy system of configuring the program and choosing what forum/section to send to.

Of course many of you will probably think right away at spam. There will be a way so you can tell this program from normal browsers: it will use a explicit User agent string so if you don't want it, you can just block it.

What I would want to know for now is: do you think it has commercial value? And if so how much would you spend on such a program?

If you would like to know more details, please feel free to ask.
If you are interested in seeing a demo or giving a test to the program, please let me know and I'll send a demo to you.

Paul

So if I own 25 forums I can send the same message to each forum automatically, right?

yes AnthonyCea, you're perfectly right :)
after you configure them all (which is almost automatic and also a one time process) you will just write your message, choose the section from a drop-down for each forum and press a button.
Statistics, progress, failure/success for each forum will e shown as the job is done.

Paul

Great my man, sounds like forum owners could also drop advertising messages or promotional news with this, or even distribute press releases :)

precisely. One of the goals of this software is to help owners manage at least a part of the forum activity from their own desktop and save them time by not doing the repetitive work.
Actually, even one post will go faster done from the app than from your browser.

Great news for forum owners my man, I am sure some of them will want to test it out!

When will this be ready to test, will you offer free limited trials or do you have to buy it :confused:

vB has code in it to prevent posting from remote forms. :)

for noppid: what I'm talking about is a full blown Windows Visual C++ desktop software, not a web form. Test have already been made with vBulletin and there aren't any problems. If you're intersted in a test ride, read below.

AnthonyCea, thanx for your interest. A demo version is available right now. grab it from http://www28.brinkster.com/drracoon/ForumSubmitter.zip
You will be required to activate it, that only means to give me a mail/message and I'll send the details along with some hints on how to efficiently use it. In any case, you will be guided by the app so you should have no trouble at all.

And although the demo only supports phpBB and Hyperboards, you'll pretty much see the power of the program.

The first release version is almost done and only has to be tested some more. It has support for 10 forum software (including vBulletin). Free updates will also be available to registered users - and as registered users you will also be able to make sugesstions as what software support you want to be included.

Paul

actually noppid, I wanted to make a 'proof of concept' post so I can assure you of my sayings. The http://www.vbwebmaster.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1226 post was created using nothing else but the help of the software I'm talking about.

Paul

Hey man, with this software I can post on Noppid's forum without really being there, isn't this great Noppid? :p :wave:

I'm sold man, I don't get along with a lot of those guys over there :p :p

Great deal man, keep us updated, when the final version is ready I will test it then :)

good to hear that AnthonyCea! I'll let you know as soon as it's ready to go. By then, give a try to the demo version above and let me know if there's anything particular you would like to have in the final.

Paul

Paul, I got an error message when clicking on the download link, cut and pasted for you below!!

HTTP1.1 STATUS 403 Remote Access to this object forbidden This file cannot be directly accessed from a remote site, but must be linked through the Brinkster Member's site.

A quick solution is to cut and paste the link in the browser's address bar instead of clicking on it. I know it's stupid but it works and I'll get back to you when I upload it elsewhere.
I've attached the file here for your convenience.
Paul

I can only say this sucks. I want interation, not disertations. I can tell you right off, many admins will resent this and the result will be watching for patterns and banning folks for using this.

Thanks for the heads up on what to watch for. :D

noppid do you feel more interaction when using your browser to post a message? That maybe....
But this program isn't for the ppl who want interaction: it's for those who don't always have the time to take by hand all their forums and interact with them. It's for those who want to post a precise message on a precise section.
If you prefer interacting with the forums, then indeed you won't find anything useful in this app. But maybe other people have other preferences. We'll find out.

Paul

But -0 you cant interact with my forum this way - you can only spam a forum. I wouldnt be happy about it as a forum owner

Of course many of you will probably think right away at spam. There will be a way so you can tell this program from normal browsers: it will use a explicit User agent string so if you don't want it, you can just block it.


I think this says it all.

It's a SPAM tool. PERIOD.

Im inclined to agree - I cant think of what I would use it for except to spam other forums.

Be nice now guys, this man came here to share information with you, it has applications for forum owners who want to automatically post press releases to all their forums, so back off damn it :eek:

given the fact that it gives anyone who has a forum the option not to 'interact' with this program, it's your decision if you want to get this kind of posts.
I totaly understand your opinion but would also like to see what other ppl have to say about this.
All your comments are welcome as long as you are pertinent and stick to the subject.
Paul

It is a software program guys, you can't stop it, so you may as well understand it's uses good and bad, so let's work with Paul here, he came here as a valued member and he is a great coder. :cool:

We can use his help down the road!! :o

vBwebmaster broke this story to the forum circuit, so treat this man fairly please!!

thank you for the support AnthonyCea. You're right though: if you have some solid skills in windows programming, you can make a tool like that. And there are lots of ppl that have skills.
And probably others won't even give it the chance to do good but you won't even know that a tool like this existed (as you can see vBulletin can't do miracles in stopping post outside its interface). So, for those of you who see in this only a bad program, at least you could learn from it how you can protect yourselfs from the real bad guys.

Paul

Are you making rules now? That was a funny post.

Here's the deal. There is no forum owner with multiple forums that has a need to post to all those forums the same subject or topic. That's a rediculous assertion.

There is no end user that has the need either. Any such post would be blind and could only serve to self promote. That is SPAM.

I know you think your idea is great. However, you are not gonna convince me this application has any use except self promotion. Even if an end user uses it to post to say all the webmaster forums on the circuit, what could they possibly post 10 times on 10 different forums that is anything but self promotion?

thank you for the support AnthonyCea. You're right though: if you have some solid skills in windows programming, you can make a tool like that. And there are lots of ppl that have skills.
And probably others won't even give it the chance to do good but you won't even know that a tool like this existed (as you can see vBulletin can't do miracles in stopping post outside its interface). So, for those of you who see in this only a bad program, at least you could learn from it how you can protect yourselfs from the real bad guys.

Paul

I don't need to know the tool exists. I know spam when I see it. This "tool" will be used for spam and nothing else. My mods are trained well and your tool will be useless.

Carry on.

What is bad about it?

A gun can be used to kill or save your life, this is a tool guys!!

For forum owners that have 20 or more forums it will be fantastic as a management tool also!

I don't need to know the tool exists. I know spam when I see it. This "tool" will be used for spam and nothing else. My mods are trained well and your tool will be useless.

Carry on.

ok noppid :)

I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything. I'm just looking for opinions. And yours was well noted.

keep training those mods ;)

ok noppid :)

I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything. I'm just looking for opinions. And yours was well noted.

keep training those mods ;)

Ya see, that will get ya real far, be a smart ass. I can see great things in your future. :/

Yeah, well neither Joey or Noppid can tell me that they have not thought of uses for it because they both have, I know that because this has me thinking about different uses in communicating with forums.

For example news distribution and press releases across many different forums automatically.

I like that idea a hell of a lot if I am a forum owner with a **** load of forums :)

OK, so you are not a spammer? Why use proxies then?

Nice try. Another low life spammer exposed.

noppid, I'm sorry if I offended you in any way. It was only a joke, don't take me too seriously ;)

AnthonyCea, I will let you know about the final version when it's gonna be released - sometime this week, I'm looking forward to know how usefull it will be for.

Paul

p.s.

noopid, are you talking about me using proxys?

Your IP originates from the number one scam network in the world and a server with no websites configured at the root. I have to make the logical assumtions across the board as a result.

SCAM and SPAM. hehe, that rhymes.

Noppid, who said that it was going to be used by posters?

I am talking about forum owners using it man, take it easy and look at that thread at the top of the index page here!!!! :eek:

PS: Noppid, I can say the same thing about the Planet also, that does not mean you and Joey are criminals, take it easy man, this guy is a new member here :cool:

Your IP originates from the number one scam network in the world and a server with no websites configured at the root. I have to make the logical assumtions across the board as a result.

SCAM and SPAM. hehe, that rhymes.

noppid, you're actually starting to amuse me. For my knowledge, what is this number one scam network in the world? (this is NOT a rethorical question!)
and to actually prove that your are wrong look now and you'll find that port 80 isn't open anymore.
But actually the situation is pretty odd. I make a post here and you start probing my computer? What's the purpose of this? The next thing you'll try to hack into my pc? I really don't like this attitude. And I'm starting to actually not like you although you amuse me.
I'm pretty perplexed to find a person like you with a high rank on what I think is a respected forum.

You've already acused me of beeing a spamer, a scam..what else? You should try to learn to measure your words as it seems even you ca be sometimes wrong.

Paul

Noppid is a good guy, he is just upset a bit, he will settle down and get down to brass tacks here in a few Paul, just wait him out and don't leave :o

This is what you came here for to see the reactions, so hang in there and don't quit the forum :)

AnthonyCea, although I'm dying to see details about the world's biggest scam network, I'm gonna hit the sack and that will have to wait till tomorrow.

noppid, I hope you'll have the time by then to tell us more about about this network. I am very interested. Even more interested now that I know I'm part of it :D
I'll catch up with you later.

Ciao boys and girls.

You take care man, remain a member here, Joey and Noppid are really good guys and you will enjoy this forum, they will not ban you Paul, so be sure to keep on posting!! :o :wave:

Yawn.

I just dont see a use for this script except to post the same message across a variety of forums - which is the equivilant to spam in my book. WHat else would I use it for?

Looks like DP feels the same way pretty much

http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=28037

There were positive responses in that thread Joey, John and Shoemoney seemed to think it had uses.

I can use it to send Nixon threads to all of Noppid's forums at one time every two weeks to keep things going!!! ;) :p :p :wave:

Love ya Noppid :eek: :D

Anthony - whats one legitimate use? And I mean something that you would do regularily.

What is the RIPE Network??
The RIPE NCC is an independent, not-for-profit membership organisation that supports the infrastructure of the Internet through technical co-ordination in its service region. The RIPE network assigns IP addresses to African, Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Thus most of the scams seem to come from the RIPE network. Most of those always follow the same block of IP addresses. They must be assigned to countries like Nigeria, Ivory Coast, etc.! According to this article the 419 scam has become the third to fifth largest industry in Nigeria -- and we are talking millions of dollars each year!!!


http://www.absolutearts.com/portfolio/help/fraud.html

Welcome to reality.

oh, so RIPE (reseaux IP Europeenes - it's french) is the biggeest scam network? The whole Europe, Asia and the middle east make a large scam network?
noppid, you really know how things work! maybe you should all ban this 'network' to avoid spams and scams (just an ideea).
O event better, why don't you just make your homeworks before posting something? Google is your friend noppid!

So this is how it will be? You can't disprove your spam ware is just that in a debate, so you attack me personally?

Nice. I'm sure our readers will appreciate this thread and it's content.

I have a challenge for you. I think your concept has a place in directory submissions. How about a tool that can take a list of URLS. Go out, find the directory software and then submit to that directory properly.

That my friend would make you my hero!

Man, I love flame wars, you guys are my kind of people :D :p :wave:

PS: Noppid, I love the thread and it's content, thanks for being a good sport guys :o

Welcome to the forum Paul, keep posting here, I enjoy your posts man!!

noppid, I don't want you to feel personally attacked but after all the false things you said, I think you should take my 'do your homeworks' advice only as an advice. The truth is that most ppl will buy the things you said: spam, scam, root, ripe..big words. On the other hand, those who know their stuff will just raise their eyebrow. The question now is: who you're targeting?

And I actually have a directory submission program. It's not completely automated but it can save you a lot of time. And actually I can do it to be fully automated if I have the time. The biggest problem with automating this process is the category(/subcategory) you must choose to place your site - this is the only thing left unautomated in what I have now.

Paul

Racoon - havent you noticed - here and on DP - most people immediately said SPAM ??


Doesnt that tell you something?

Joeychgo, indeed, most people immediately said SPAM. I noticed. And indeed it told me something. I haven't insisted anymore to prove otherwise.
It told me that if there are also ppl that see good purpose in this tool, they'll see it from the beginning.

Paul

Not everyone, John Loch thought is was interesting and so did Shoemoney Joey :o

I also think it has a use as a forum management tool and I am sure forum owners will use it, he has mentioned many times that forum owners can block the software if they want as you can block a SE spider!

Should we now outlaw software coders or gun makers for producing something since someone may do something wrong with these tools :confused:

So now every new forum owner has to know about his 'spider' and decide if they want to block it. Gee, thanks.

Its not that something evil 'might' be done with this tool - I see this particular tool as being pretty much useless for legitimate uses.

Technology changes Joey, forums of tomorrow may be all automated for all we know, maybe with VR you just talk and it is posted.

Are you going wonder about that too :confused:

Come on man, let people state what they want to, if it is no good no one will use it.

For all you know a ton of your members here may be using it as a tool on their forums :confused:

So he can talk, pronounced ask for opinions, but if he don't like them we should shut up and let him use the forum for promotion?

I don't ever see that happening! :/

noppid (and everyone), a simple question: what is the purpose of the average forum?

please try to stick to the question, leave the program thing beheind.

noppid (and everyone), a simple question: what is the purpose of the average forum?

please try to stick to the question, leave the program thing beheind.

That is a very subjective question. There are lots of reasons to have a forum. What is your point?

I know where you are going with this, it's that they are for help and if someone has a question, they should submit it to all the pertinant forums. However, the point is lost and time on forums wasted as the user will most likely latch on to the first response that they see. Thus the time and resources of the other forums will be wasted in answering the spammed question when the user does not return.

You can try and spin this all you want. There is no useful way to use your program on forums. Forum owners want members, we are not here to play who can answer the fastest. With forum loyalty comes the benefit of free help. With your program there is no loyalty. The user will go to the fastest forum. I can live without that competition.

look..I asked a simple question. I even told that I would like an answer not related to the program. But of course noppid....

I see you're totally against the program. You don't have to repeat yourself...5 times. I think most people got your point.

And about your argumentation: me, as a user, I would find frustrating to ask a question on a forum, wait a few days. If I get no answer ask on another one, wait again a few days as you suggest. You get the picture.
You are a forum owner. You're afraid of spam. There's no way you would give a chance to such a program. Fine with me. I understand you noppid. It's ok..you don't have to repeat yourself...we understand

So what makes you think if you keep asking questions, someone will agree with you? We don't! If you are going to a forum and wait a few days for an answer, you didn't choose very well and they do not deserve your loyalty.

Because you chose a forum that sucks does not justify what you are trying to shove down our throats, spam as many forums as possible and see who's quickest. None of us make a forum to cater to anyone, especially those of the instant gradification generation.

We do it cause we enjoy the topic. Again, I'll repeat, if the forum you chose makes you wait days, don't post questions there.

If you are going to a forum and wait a few days for an answer, you didn't choose very well
....
Because you chose a forum that sucks

noppid, I totally disagree with you. If I don't find the answer to a particular question on a forum that doesn't make me label it as junk.

I would like to know though in the name of who are you talking? Who do you represent and by what means that group gave you power to talk for them? (You always say 'we', 'our', 'us')

noppid, I totally disagree with you. If I don't find the answer to a particular question on a forum that doesn't make me label it as junk.

I would like to know though in the name of who are you talking? Who do you represent and by what means that group gave you power to talk for them? (You always say 'we', 'our', 'us')

Wanna Play spin? Show me whom you represent that requires the ability to post the same question on multiple forums. :D

You are sounding more and more like a troll every post. :wave:

noppid I don't represent anyone. The provider doesn't represent his customers (does Jelsoft Enterprises represent you because you use their software).

And now that I've answered your question, please, let us know who is 'we', 'our', 'us' from your posts.
Paul

Man I love you guys, I think you are both going to be big stars on the forum circuit, no doubt about it, it is a sure thing :)

But can we quit the personal crap and discuss what the hell this program really is and can do :confused:

PS: Noppid I am coming back to all your forums man!!

If there is any moderation of my comments me and you are history man :eek: :) :wave:

Man I love you guys, I think you are both going to be big stars on the forum circuit, no doubt about it, it is a sure thing :)

But can we quit the personal crap and discuss what the hell this program really is and can do :confused:

PS: Noppid I am coming back to all your forums man!!

If there is any moderation of my comments me and you are history man :eek: :) :wave:

"We" will be be watching for ya! :wave:

bye guys. for now at least.
noppid, maybe you'll learn some manners in the meantime and at least sometimes you'll think twice before saying anything.

That's just Noppid man, he does not really mean any harm, I have been working with him :o

One day I will heal him, just don't give up on vBwebmaster, I am working on Joey too Paul :)

Come on back now, ya hear :)

bye guys. for now at least.
noppid, maybe you'll learn some manners in the meantime and at least sometimes you'll think twice before saying anything.



What about me? Dont I need to learn manners too?

Yeah Joey, you will be getting a PM from the "Forum Posters Union", Anthony Cea, President and Chairman of the Board, real soon man :eek: :eek:

Bet on it :eek: