The way the cookie thing works is to hide an identifier on every member's computer, one that will recognise them, and can assist them by telling them if they have PMs, by keeping them logged in, etc... Almost every website out there uses these already.

When someone is marked by a moderator as a spammer, this same identifier will tell the SRP site to redirect them elsewhere so that they can't visit SRP anymore.
Instead of blocking by IP addresses, the Spammer's computer will jump up and tell us that it's been blocked. The moderators won't have to deal with the spamer, because he won't even be able to see the SRP web site.

For all of the regular members who aren't causing trouble, this identifier will serve to make their browsing of the site more convenient.

And by the way, these hidden identifiers are already on all of our computers.

The only change I'm suggesting is to use a better cookie, and to redirect them away from SRP so that they can't log off.
We can all erase the identifier, and log on as a different user, look at Spike and Silver, they share a computer, so their identifier changes between them.
This would stay the same, unless they couldn't get to the log off button.
So normal members like spike could still share their computer.
Spammers would be redirected before they could log off, so they would be stuck with the id that they were banned on.
With the current system you can get around this by clearing your cookies, if we use Java cookies, they would have a much harder time removing it, and first they would need to know what was causing the redirect, and then they would have to find the cookie and remove it manually. A very difficult prospect.

In essence what I am proposing is to turn the spammer's computer against them.
It is a precision block, and it's a self-enforcing restraining order.
It's an electronic cruise missile.

If SRP banned me today, I could easily log off, make a new identity, and be posting again within an hour.

If SRP were to switch over to the Java cookies, and redirect all banned members to an outside link, A bann ceases being a "sorry, you can't post thing", and becomes an iron clad, "you can't come in, you can't even see us thing".
Depending on how high up in the code the cookie identifier is placed, and how fast it works, they may see the SRP logo pop up at the top of the page before being sent elsewhere, or they may never see SRP at all ever again.

If they can't get on the sight to activate the log out command, they are left searching through thousands of files to try to figure out which one belongs to SRP, so they can hopefully delete the right one, and get back on the site.
Were talking hours or weeks of searching to find the right file, and if the admins are smart, they can actually have a redundant system that uses 2 cookies. You delete one, try to get on, and the second one restores the first, and still sends you packing.

This won't stop spammers, but it will prevent Mods from having to bann the same spammer more than once. And I highly doubt the spammers are going to put the time in to try to get back on after the first block. It's too much work when they can just move on.

Even with the knowledge I have, if this Java cookie and redirect policy was implemented, and SRP banned me, I would not be able to get back on. It would take me hours or possibly days to find and remove the cookie. And that's with me knowing exactly how they were blocking me.

Not only would this bann mean I couldn't post or spam, but if I was banned, I wouldn't even be able to read, or watch BST... There wouldn't be a work around, you couldn't link me to a post, because the second I tried to open it, I would be sent packing. For the banned person SRP would cease to exist on the net.
This type of ban is more than a slap on the wrist, it literally says don't ever come back. You can't mess around, and harrass anyone, or retaliate, you're out. The only way back in is to E-mail the admin and begg for forgiveness.



Old School, You were asking how this is different than an IP block... Think of an Ip address as a street address... Except, instead of using just one house, if you rent you can use whatever house is vacant on that street. By blocking one address, the spammer just moves to a new one. If a member moves into this address later, he is blocked.

The cookie block is like putting the block on the spammer's house key. He can go to any address, but as soon as he tries to access the site, his key activates the trap.
It would be the real world equivalent of tattooing spammer on his forehead. He can change his name, but the tattoo remains.

Using the Java cookie to block the spammer, is literally putting a red flag on the computer he is using. Regardless of where he moves it to, he can change networks, addresses, anything, that specific computer will not be able to gain access to SRP. If he has a second computer, he can gain access as long as he doesn't make the mistake of logging on under the banned id. If he spams from his second computer, and is banned, he now has 2 computers that can't see SRP.

How many computers can this guy own?