Registration now required to comment

I hated doing this, but it has become necessary. You now have to register with an off-site authentication service in order to leave a comment here. It's not hard; just follow the links at the Typekey page, and it should sail through and let you comment freely afterwards. (In theory, you should also be able to use OpenID authorization — I've toggled it on in the Pharyngula master control panel, let me know if it works).

In other news, you are a cruel bunch, and the overall response to my Pilate-like offer to turn the responsibility of banning Alan Clarke over to you was that most of you declined to shut him down, the reaction that he himself argued would be most civil. He has a temporary reprieve now, although if he keeps whining that goddidit I may smite him anyway. The argument most often given for sparing him is that he is a really good training dummy — he makes truly stupid arguments that inspire informative rebuttals — so I expect you to continue to abuse him in that tradition.

More like this

As many of you know, Alan Clarke is a fundamentalist/creationist kook who has been babbling in the comments for a while now. A reader alerted me to how Clarke found his way here: he was posting his silliness on a powerbasic support forum, and was warned that we would "kick his butt" if he came here…
If you're reading this, you obviously got the message from my old blog and followed the link. This is the permanent home of Dispatches from the Culture Wars. A lot more content is planned for the main page, but that will take some time to get going the way I want to. As you can see, I pasted the…
Here we are, into a new week, and the Disneyland measles outbreak continues to grow, the total number of cases now having topped 100 and the disease attributed to someone visiting Disneyland now having reached my state. More than ever, given the high proportion of victims who weren't vaccinated,…
It's a strange world after all, and I'll show you why. Last night, as I deposited myself on my couch with my laptop sitting on my lap, there to churn out yet another installment of the insolence most of you love and a few of you love to hate read, I had a Dug the Dog moment. The squirrel in this…

It's probably the best thing to do for now.

Testing.

Yes, nobody will blame you for a clearly necessary act of self-defense.

By Steve LaBonne (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

I certainly got a lot out of reading Josh's and Alan B's comments to Alan C. They were very lucid and informative.

Alan C is otherwise a waste of space, but it would have been a shame to miss those geological posts.

It would be a lot easier if stupid people just left the internet.

Trying out this new moniker+typepad account. not sure how I feel about either, though...

By BioloJason (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Although I understand why you had to do this PZ, I really hate having to leave yet more personal information in the hands of some foreign corporation, just to participate in a community I've come to really like.

*sigh* yet another password to try to not forget....

Testing.

If you outlaw anonymous posting, only outlaws will post anonymously. Or something.

Posts don't annoy people; people annoy people?

ok...ready to pharyngulate.

By bunnycatch3r (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

I got a key from mayor PZ now. SIWOTI onward!

If everyone does this, then this will easily be the longest, most boring and least controversial thread yet.

Testing. 1, 2, 3...

Totally sympathise with the registration issue, seems pretty painless.

And please don't ban Alan Clarke - his gibberings have produced some of the most fascinating, informative and educational rebuttals I've come across to date.

By Svetogorsk (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

This is a test, this is only a test. If I had anything worthwhile to say this would not be a test.

By Bill Ringo (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

If everyone does this…

I much prefer that, a handful of those, and the occasional otherwise. However, avoid them at all costs. Else you're FINISHED.

Testing . . . .

OK, on the rather cavalier assumption that I haven't mucked my registration and anyone can see this I'm sorry it's come to this but I can certainly understand why PZ felt he had no choice.

As for Alan Clark though - after he was inadvertently responsible for one of the most funny, informative and geneuinely entertaining threads I have read for quite some time how could we let him go?

I just hope the Geologists continue to have the patience/energy to continue to take down his near inexhaustible supply of drivel!

By Lilly de Lure (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Hihi

Testy test test

btw, has Pete Rooke been banned? I thought he deserved it after he asked "If gravitational theory is correct why are there clouds?" but perhaps his tongue was firmly embedded in his cheek when he asked that, it's hard to tell sometimes -.o

As for Alan Clarke he's said so little of interest I can't remember him at all so didn't vote in that one, lol

I wonder if The Kwok is still sending threats all over the place (and why he thought PZ owed him a camera...)

Just testing Typekey, like everyone else in this thread. Now that the lowest hanging fruit is out of reach, I guess those spammers will have to sign up for Typekey as well.

Does having Typekey enabled provide you with any additional moderation tools, e.g. some recourse toward finding out the interlopers' identities or preventing them from signing up for new Typekey accounts in the future using particular domains or IP blocks or somesuch? Though banning IP blocks is pretty nasty and a last resort, because for instance in the case of Mabus, nobody from Quebec would be able to comment all because of one bad apple.

Yep, it works fine. Shame that you had no option but to resort to this PZ. Trolls, woo merchants and quacks are such a pain.

It's too bad that ScienceBlogs doesn't use something like Slashcode (what Slashdot uses) for running its forums. It seems that model would work well here.
You could still allow AC posting, but the display threshold could be set low enough that they wouldn't display for most viewers unless you specifically looked for them, or they were moderated up.
Threaded discussions would be excellent too, especially when reading some of the 500+ comment topics.
I could see some of the moderation options being specifically customized to this group:
"+1: Tentacled"
"+1: Bacon"
"-1: Argument from ignorance"
"-1: Strawman"

In theory, you should also be able to use OpenID authorization

Here's why that still might not work.

It isn't that bad. It seems to work, and i don't have to enter all the info every time i comment ( that hasn't been very often though).

By DoctorOHM (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

It's only a tiny hurdle to be able to continue commenting. Well worth it.

By Epinephrine (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Yeah, I was unable to find a way to use OpenID. SEF's comment (#23) seems like a plausible explanation.

Every time I think I have a handle on the misconceptions bandied about by creationists, another one pops up. The thread in which Alan Clarke brought up giantism is an example. That was the first time I tasted that particular brand of crazy. I truly enjoyed seeing better-informed Pharyngulites debunk the behemoths and leviathans -- not to mention lots of other misapprehensions on the part of Mr. Clarke. "'Penis' is Latin for 'penis'."

For many posters and lurkers here, Alan Clarke repeats IDeas long since refuted. Since I'm still learning how deep the crazy can be, I appreciate the opportunity he provides for smackdowns. We do not need a Mabus, that's for sure, but please do keep at least one Alan Clarke around. Selfish of me, I know.

By Lynna Howard (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Okay, I went through the rigamarole. They ask a lot of pointless nosy questions, apparently to target advertising better. I lied, a little. It's a PITA, but WTF.

Yeah, registration was easy.

So, do you think this will actually work to prevent the super-fundie trolls?

Only time will tell I suppose - unless someone can find a relevant Nostradamian Quatrain?

*Dives for cover*

By Lilly de Lure (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

test

By Somnolent Aphid (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Hey, join the club. It's become old hat to have to register and sign in. At least you and Wil Wheaton are using the same service, so the login works in both places. :)

Just seeing if the registration works.

By Curiouser_Alice (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

I highly doubt this will work

[...]

Hey, it works!

Now to celebrate with some bacon.

By Vhyrrimyr (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Never! I will never register merely to comment here! I refuse to capitulate to...d'oh!

By Naked Bunny wi… (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

I'm sad that it has come to this. On the plus side, though, we should see less drive-by godbot snark. Frustrating those jerks is ample justification by itself.

Open ID didn't work for me, so I registered for Typepad. Ho hum, another boring comment.

Having "registered", does this mean I am an official Pharyngulite?

Oh joyous day!

@#22

Slashcode requires additional effort for moderation, plus it can be frustrating to new users who don't know that unless they're registered, they won't show up on the radar for most users. I also don't participate in many SlashDot conversations because I find Slashcode requires extra effort to follow conversations, and while not an excessive amount of extra effort, it takes more than I'm willing to give while I'm working.

Threaded conversations would be nice. Although, I like being able to say, "Oh, I left off at comment #22", and pick up again at #23.

By Tiki Idyll (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Will the NSA be using this list for bioterrorist genocide? If so, I want a dead bolt lock.

I can add Pharyngulite to my DNRC title of "The Man in Charge of all the She's Who Must Be Obeyed"

Your problem is success.

I read a lot of different stuff on the net. More focused or dedicated sites, from more "heavy-weight" and well-known people. But Pharyngula always goes first. And is also the last to get dropped.

For whatever the reason lots of people, friends and foes alike, are attracted towards Pharyngula. It acts like a magnet (or a flame for moths in case of the foes ;-)

Whether you like it or not, now you're the naturalism's velociraptor and your blog is much more than a blog. And you get the pests that come with all that :-(

By El Guerrero de… (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Testing, testing, 1 2 3 ... Hi folks. :)

By Katkinkate (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

I will subscribe to the "training dummy" metaphor: Creotards have their uses: We get to practice on them and critique their scientifically illiterate "arguments." As several folks have noted, "No man is completely useless; he can always serve as a bad example."

Typekey works.

I understand the need, I just hope that the wide variety of posters stays at it's current level. I am a long time lurker and while I love the posts, I see them as discussion starters for the readers here.
I find the level of posters here far out shines those of other blogs and I hope it stays that way.

How do I get the Gift Cheques?

By Gingerbaker (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

yet another test

By cmotdibbler (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

OpenID seems to work fine, since I managed to log in with my OpenID and post.

testing testing

By ihateaphids (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

It's easy enough for someone to setup a trolling or a throwaway account with typekey, so don't expect the hardcore crazies to go away. I am one of those types that likes a single login so that I don't have to login to a bunch of different blogs with different accounts simply to comment.

This registration thing seems to have been less of a pain than I expected. Of course, having said that, this comment will probably fail to appear.

I hope this keeps out the kwokers. I hope no poe's get caught in the crossfire, as i find fundy parody quite lol.

By EndUnknown (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Wow. I was already registered. Wonder how that happened?

By Annapolitan (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

#4 Jeff: That's a brilliant idea, but the intertubes would probably be a very lonely place with only a few dozen users...

By Carl Troein (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

hmm.... it gave me a 'timeout error' and apparently posted the comment.

By EndUnknown (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

#54 Ketsuban: It's not trivial, though. In case anyone else has problems, the trick is that after you've registered a TypePad account using OpenID, even though it says on your TypePad profile page that you are logged in, you're not really. You have to choose to log in again, and just give your email address (not your OpenID!) as login, with no password. After that, the "you can sign in" stuff on this page changes as a sign that you're *really* logged in.

By Carl Troein (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

This registration thing seems to have been less of a pain than I expected. Of course, having said that, this comment will probably fail to appear.

What was that? Did someone try to post something?…  ;-)

Let's see who I am today...

I was already registered.

Yeah, me too, which actually made it a bit harder since I spent some time trying old passwords. That's why my profile still shows the handle I haven't used in ages.

By Naked Bunny wi… (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

It would be a lot easier if stupid people just left the internet.

Although I long for the good old days too, realize that if stupid people left the internet, the internet would pretty much fold-up and die, with no commercial interest to support it.

testing testy pesky typekey...done!

Well Steve_C has become stevie_nyc... unless I can change that in Typekey.

That must be possible because everyone seems to have hung onto their names.

By stevie_nyc (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

I hope no poe's get caught in the crossfire

Uh-oh. I suppose we won't be hearing from God and Satan anymore. :(

By aratina cage (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Congratulations. You've let the terrorists win.

By Bueller_007 (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Jeff, #4:

It would be a lot easier if stupid people just left the internet.

But if they just left the internet, they'd still be living next door and voting and breeding and stuff...

By fenderplayer96 (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Was spam getting that bad? Eesh. I was already typekeying anyways, but I'm surprised that it became fully adopted.

Dr. Myers, have you undertaken any of those suggestions for David Markuze, like notifying his ISP? I agree that the man is mental, but it's tough to actually get someone committed for spamming. But still, it might be a good idea to get something on record with law enforcement, either yours or his.

Testing.........

There'll be a lot of these.

Check, check, check one...sibilance, sibilance. Works.

By mikecbraun (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Hmmm. Changed. But it didn't stick. Might have to sign out and back in.

By stevie_nyc (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Simply another test

It's too bad that ScienceBlogs doesn't use something like Slashcode (what Slashdot uses) for running its forums.

I loathe the Slashdot system. I find their comments to be unreadable.

Having the long no-thread blog format is somewhat self-limiting in that people won't read all the way through every single comment past a certain threshhold. Thus, discussions are usually limited to a few hundred comments.

(sigh) I hardly ever comment, but I'm disappointed it has come to this. Now the gummint will be able to find me more easily...

Well that was pretty easy. Too bad it had to come to this, but at least it's a snap to do.

Testing, testing, one-two-three-eeny-meeny.

sorry it's come to this, but i'm in

you are a cruel bunch

You've known us for how long and you've just figure that out? Tsk tsk, Sirrah. I am shocked and amazed that a seemingly intelligent, supposedly educated person such as yourself didn't realize this fact a long time ago.

By 'Tis Himself (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Been too busy to comment here for quite some time, but I've been reading and following along daily. Tis a shame it has come to this, and I have mixed feelings about it...

But alas, it is what it is... howdy everyone!

By Celtic_Evolution (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

My only complaint is that it's damned confusing how you use OpenID. Instead of "registering", you have to "sign in" using your OpenID first. Then you can register.

When you want to comment, you "sign in" using the email address you provided at registration AND NO PASSWORD -- which is how it works in precisely zero other places in the world. Cripes.

This is incredibly confusing on SixApart's, uh, part. They really ought to make it clearer how to use OpenID. But I'm glad PZ turned it on for Pharyngula!

everyone seems to have hung onto their names.

Weeeell, I had to strangle three cave trolls, fight off a vampire cat, and hide from a ravenous thing with leathery wings, but yea, it is possible to keep your name. Changing it, however, presents difficulties…

<Serious> I've no idea if it's difficult or not. The above feeble attempt at a, ah, something—joke?—should not be construed as comment on the difficulty (or not) of changing, or of registering (or not), or of signing-in (or not). </Serious> (Or not.)

I'd say "faithfully registered", but that'd be a bit inappropriate in places like this.

Hopefully this will keep most of the thick-skinned, small-brained mythological creatures out. But they are known for perseverance as well, so some of them might even register to be able to continue bashing you. Oh well, the drawbacks of being famous...

Not a snap to do. Trick seem to be that screen name.ne.username and email.eq.username.

Oh - and password reset sends you to a non-existent page.

Baa Humbug.

Just testing the typekey thing.

But as long as we're on the subject: as blogs go, is typepad better than blogger?

By Chiroptera (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

For those of you seeking to use OpenID, #54's instructions worked for me. It might have something to do with using VeriSign's SeatBelt, but it seems to work just fine.

I guess this typekey thing works.

The privilege of commenting is worth the extra trouble. However, yet another password to remember! Oh well, "Life is like a baby's shirt ......", as my German friend used to say!

By Sceptical Chymist (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Herr Prof.,
Look at my commitment to your blog, I took the time sign up for this goddamn thing so that I can retain my fanatical devotion to your blog.

Thought it was something I said when the message came up that there was a problem of kind.
Ususally is, but not this time, thankfully.

Typekey never seems to log me out, even after closing my browser. Funny cookie setting if you ask me, but as long as it works...

@ Alex #93

My only complaint is that it's damned confusing how you use OpenID. Instead of "registering", you have to "sign in" using your OpenID first.

Sign in where? Here, TypeKey, some OpenID page or ...?

Then you can register.

Register where? With TypeKey? Here? If with TypeKey then isn't it really a TypeKey account and not an OpenID one you are using to post on pharyngula? That's certainly what it looks like from your URL. The OpenID part of it would seem to be irrelevant (ie non-functional).

When you want to comment, you "sign in" using the email address you provided at registration AND NO PASSWORD

Again, sign in where? Here, TypeKey, OpenID or ...?

Semi-computer literates can make it in, I see. (Meaning me.)

Open ID tells me I already have an account, although I have no idea how to use it. So, typepad it is! I don't know if I even post enough to do this, though.

By NixNoctua (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

"Life is like a baby's shirt ......"

... equal parts bunnies and throwup?

... it snaps under the crotch?

... you don't generally want a used one?

what is it? I'm dying to know what the germans say about life and babies' shirts.

Testing, one, two three.

That was not easy. I was almost afeared I would be unable to post here.

I appreciate the need to do this, but I have to say that the extra step of registering sucks brontosaur.

By Lee Brimmicombe-Wood (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

I'm in. That was easy.

OT: PZ, we voted for Mollies over a week ago...any decision yet?

Re bannings: Except for the most odious knaves and knavettes, who should be forever banished, I would like to see a Troll-of-the-Week allowed in for comic relief. It saves the trouble of going to a fundie site for laughs.

Add this to the list of test posts.

Well, that beats the hell out of Disqus. Login was easy and it asked me if I wanted to show the whole world everything I'd ever written. Didn't have any trouble using capitalization and spaces in my username, either - nifty!

"Life is like a baby's shirt ......"

... equal parts bunnies and throwup?

FTW!

By 'Tis Himself (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Another test here.

Tasting, tasting..Everything seems OK here.

By azportsider (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Testing, 123.

Sorry to hear about needing to register, PZ, but maybe that'll help us get a higher class of troll in here. You know, ones that can follow directions at least a teensy bit!

Testy McTest

By Carpworld (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Yipeee!!

I think it's gonna work! It remembers me!!!

Did someone say kicked-ass troll soup? I'll haves me a bowl.

By Your Name's No… (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

This will really suck if we can't have a changing Janine. I looked forward to seeing who she was every morning.

By Patricia, OM (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

This is only a test...

By LightningRose (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

"Life is like a baby's shirt ......"

It means "short and dirty" I suppose.

Testing...

By RedEdison (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Testing, testing, bacon, testing....

By Sparkomatic (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Hopefully Typepad works better here than it does on my local newspaper's Letters to the Editor blog. They use Typepad itself for their threads and it constantly loses replys, takes forever for comments to go through, double posts common, etc.

Bah. Pain in the neck, says I.

By Owlmirror (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Could you make it so that it doesn't look like you can just comment in the normal thing at the bottom? I think when you had registration before, the normal comment box vanished for those not signed in.

Registered. Much easier than most. Good (if unfortunately necessary) site to use.

This is a test.

@130:

Nutjobs don't use reason, they use magic.

Painful as it was, I read Alan Clarke's delusional posts because the responses kept me learning and laughing.

I wonder how Alan would respond if we trolled his favourite site insisting on the litteral truth of Bulfinch's Mythology?

"You simply can't reason with a sufficiently motivated nutjob"

ha!

test

So far not a single successful poster here has really been using anything other than TypeKey (although on previous entries there have of course been the Sb blog-holder logins). Even the ones claiming to have used OpenID seem only to have done so as a redundant part of creating a TypeKey account. It's typekeys all the way down.

This will really suck if we can't have a changing Janine.

She can still change her screen name easily, but I think it'll change all older instances now as well.

By Naked Bunny wi… (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

I much prefer lurking but I do believe in being prepared.

So... test, test, test.

By English Muffin (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Okay, I've joined the collective. I just hope we don't lose SC, OM as a result of the switch.

this is one more test.

Patricia, Janine can have as many monickers as she has e-mail accounts. She just needs to set up a type-pad account with a different monicker for each e-mail account. Otherwise, if she just changes her monicker in her present account, it changes all past posts to the new monicker.

By Nerd of Redhead, OM (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

I can sign in to typekey OK, but only with my email details, not my user name.

Still, at least I'm in.

Hi, everybody.

By Cosmic Teapot (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Ha! Do you know what this means? I'll be able to buy that cabin down by the lake and run around naked! Ha! Ha! Ha! Dangely parts!

Oh, this is just a test....

By firemancarl (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

It doesn't seem to be doing anything doing anything with the URL I gave with my previous comment; my name links to my typepad profile. Is it not letting anyone link blogs to their names? If so, that's a bit sucky. People here often had their names link to things worth reading.

Okay, seems to work.

David Mabus changes ISP's and has many sockpuppets. I am also on his email list. Sigh...

With any luck, some of the trolls here will rightly recognise TypeKey/Pad registration as the Number of the Beast and will run screaming into the night to pray for salvation, or whatever it is they do when they're not beholdesting the mote that is in thine brother's eye, but consideresting not the beam that is in thine own eye.

Ooga-booga, morons.

YAT (Yet Another Test)

By Margaret's Cat (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Check, check...1, 2, 1, 2

By Cliff Hendroval (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

This will really suck if we can't have a changing Janine.

Wait, wait, you mean they were all the same person. Nnnnnoooooooooooooooooooooooo! Say it ain't so…

JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Hey, is there a way I (or Janine, Chameleonym) can change our noms d'écran for Pharyngula only? I'd like to wear my OM here but take it off when I visit Wil Wheaton's blog.

Do I need to register at TypeKey/Pad with a new email just for here?

Brownian, set up two TypeKey/Pad accounts with the desired monickers using different e-mail accounts. Then sign in with the one you want to use a that blog.

By Nerd of Redhead, OM (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Test. Can you read me now?

By Electric Monk'… (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

This annoying guy that forced the registration. He works for Typepad doesn't he. Think of all the extra sign ups they are getting for this. And I bet PZ is in on it, its all a conspiracy. Umm, probably big pharma, don't we normally blame them? :)

By Citizensmith (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

testing OpenID and TypeKey...

this is one more test.

Posted by: Ack!! | April 13, 2009 11:46 AM

Why, hello there, Cathy.

Brownian, you will also need to sign out to remove the cookie. Otherwise, the first sign in carries over.

By Nerd of Redhead, OM (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Awesome. Now I can sockpuppet.

By Brownian, OM (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Testing my commenting ability!

It's working, just a bit inconvenient.
Anyway, I guess I can see the need for it.
Cheers,
Axel

Thanks Nerd. :)

Humm, I only have one account, so I guess I'll be Patricia, OM where ever I go. I'll pretend elsewhere that it means Order of Muggles, those that don't believe in magic. (except sock fairies & underwear gnomes) ;)

By Patricia, OM (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Registered for TypePad with my Gmail account...

Testing, testing, 1-2-3...

Okay, seems to be working! It's too bad there's so many numbnuts out there that this to be regulated but I completely understand. PZ, I hope this mellows things out for you a bit!

Awesome. Now I can sockpuppet.

Why the need, completely unrelated chap? Your comments are witty, insightful, and likely capable of impregnating ovulating females with the fecund weight of their import.

Why, if I weren't a heterosexual man who has had hundreds of girlfriends, I would offer my body for you to use as you see fit just for the privilege of your proximity.

meh I still hate how TypePad asks for my email. That is already handled by the OpenID.

Why, if I weren't a heterosexual man who has had hundreds of girlfriends, I would offer my body for you to use as you see fit just for the privilege of your proximity.

Awkward.

By Brownian, OM (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Well, instead of testing, I'd like to thank Dr. Myers for all of the time and effort he puts into making Pharyngula one of the best blogs in the universe...and let's hope that the new registration policy keeps some of the PHARYNGULINGS away!

...hello?

Oh good.

Hello.

Typekey ate my OM. :(

TypePad = mark of the beast = PZ now has your souls to render up as he will. However, as my soul was definitely sub-prime I think we can expect to see a collapse in soul-futures and a general re-evaluation of the market.

This could be Black Monday on so many levels.

Test. Snark. Test. Snark. Bacon. Vagitarians. Test.
Please disregard with your usual alacrity.

Big brother gets a little bigger.

Tax Religion.
Tark

Blake Stacey @#172:

No, that's Master Control Program, which is also the name of the Unisys operating system I support at work.

βPer

Testing?! ::Barks at screen::

By Ahnald Brownsh… (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

/testing

Looks like this actually worked - except that my e-mail address that I have associated with my OpenID is from another domain; oh well - it's really Hockey Bob, the formerly recovering catholic.

/testing completed

By Hockey Bob (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Guilty of adding to the string of test messages.

By Lynn Fancher (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Yet another goofball who’s just testing.

TypeKey ate my OM. :(

Better put it back on quick, or I'll peek!

By Patricia, OM (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Check, one, two. Check. Check. Is this thing on?

you do need a testing post. second try for a comment here.

I am glad Clarke has a reprieve, we eagerly await seeing what he has to say when he completes his assignments.

By Britomart (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Didn't see any option for OpenID... But I signed up long ago at the last anti-troll tightening of security, so...

Yes, it's just another bloody test.

“The USA is so enormous, and so numerous are its schools, colleges and religious seminaries, many devoted to special religious beliefs ranging from the unorthodox to the dotty, that we can hardly wonder at its yielding a more bounteous harvest of gobb”
----Peter B. Medawar

By devnulljp (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Testing?

By wolfpurplemoon (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

test.

By James Lawrence (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

test . . . test . . . test

If I forget to sign out, and then fall down, will I make a sound?

By RobWriting (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Testing, testing... Does TypeKey work? I couldn't login with my OpenId, so I guess that doesn't work.

By Citizen of the… (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

This is a test. This is just a test. If this had been a real comment, it would have been witty/sarcastic/informative. This is only a test.

Actually testing the name thing...

By LanceR, JSG (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

More testiness. Testosity?

Hmmm...a little bit of stickiness in comment typing, and abrupt change in the "Post a Comment" set-up. Hopefully all is well.

This is only a test.

Squeezing out a test...

By Sphinctor (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Testing.... Wait, what's thaaaaaaaaaarrrgh *tentacle gently sways*

By siddharth (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Did you ever notice that you are not allowed to go into their church and speak freely? Even members of their church are not allowed to do that. And yet they all brag about religious freedom. What a giant pack of lies and propaganda!

Just testing

By Platytude (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Since everybody agrees that this process was relatively easy, can we not get back Sven di Milo and the other gentleman who bowed out because of Typepad-challenges?

By Kausik Datta (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Testin, testin, testin the nite awayyy

By The Count (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Long time first time .,.

All righty, then. I think.

and, by the way, Clarke, The Flying Noodliness is not, I repeat, NOT, a Flying Spaghetti Meatball.

Well i signed here!

A little "sacrifice" for keep Pharyngula free of idiotic people!

Keep your good job Professor Myers! :)

testing...

By highlycaffeinated (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

It's so easy, even a kitten can do it!

By Indus The Scie… (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

...hoop jumped through....back to the show.

By Faith's A Sin … (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

This is a test.

Turns out I actually had a typekey identity; wonder when I did that?

I don't mind having to register, but the metal detector and strip search were a little bit unsettling.

By CatBallou (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

“Watson, come here; I want you.”

By rickflick (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Who ever said cats couldn't be herded?

sheesh.

By SaintPaddy (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Hm...actually, I like this. Should have registered with TypeKey before.

This isn't so bad, but I wonder what that stupid squiggledy thing next to the IDs to access profiles. They're ugly.

Since everybody agrees that this process was relatively easy, can we not get back Sven di Milo and the other gentleman who bowed out because of Typepad-challenges?

logic fail

test the first

Praise Jesus! I made it through! Oh, wait, it was kind of easy. Praise Jesus for making it easy then! :P

So, will I have to sign in every time I leave this site and return?

Oh, I am remembered! Special, special me!

Oh, it's not so bad.

I did have to dig out this 3-year-old and never-used typekey account, though.

PZ tolerated the nutjobs far longer than most would have... how did he have time to keep cleaning up after the idiots all that time? Amazing.

By Will Von Wizzlepig (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

if this will save me from typing in my email for every comment I'm quite happy about it

By Agi Hammerthief (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Just testing.

Sorry to bother you with this.

Test the second

Breaker, Breaker, one-nine-zero. Do you copy?

Roger that good Buddy.

By Treespeed (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

This seems to work.

By Michael B (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Test the third

Bah, it doesn't change all the names as soon as you change it, it does however change the name on every one of your posts as soon as you post another message here (or possibly anywhere that uses typekey, I couldn't say)

Ah well, that's that then, lol, no morphing userids -.o

The security would have been intact even if different userids had been permitted as the emails would still remain the same

Using Chrome here, which occasionally still has issues with services like this, so I hope you pardon the additional test post.

In case this works, I issue a general "hello!" to everyone else and offer my condolences to PZ.

I'm part of the team that moderates the boards and submissions at FSTDT and have wanted to personally break the knucklebones of more than a few spamtrolls and spambots both on the old site and since we set up the new one. We were also forced to disable guest posting, which made many forumites very sad but ended up pretty much eliminating the spammers and a few trolls (though one guest poster did pop up recently, and we're not sure how... searching for the entry point is not a fun process by any stretch), so we consider the effort to be worth it. I'm sorry your hand was so forced, but hopefully this will make things a lot easier on you. You have enough stupid to deal with without having to worry about copypasta hoards on top of it all.

Testing....

I wonder what that stupid squiggledy thing next to the IDs to access profiles.

The filename it links to is named typekey_logo.png so presumably it's Type{Key,Pad}'s logo. Under intense magnification it looks like a headphone on the left and a microphone(?) on the right.

so presumably it's Type{Key,Pad}'s logo. Under intense magnification it looks like a headphone on the left and a microphone(?) on the right.

I think it's supposed to look like a key with the bittings on the right and the bow on the left with the silhouette of a "head and shoulders" cut out of it.

By Emmet, OM (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Picard, authorization Alpha-Alpha-3-0-5

Agree with Tom Morris @ 242; Typekey worked great for me (thanks to commenters in other threads for the FAQ of course) and OpenID is a bit wonky for me as well; I pass this on in our 'testing' thread so others considering which to use can get a sense of our experience

@ Lady Renae #239: You are being modest; you rule FSTDT wisely and well - the spammers and creotards fear you (not that they should muck about with other mods/admin and certainly not distind either; some make PZ look like a milquetoast - and that ain't easy to do)

Shame it had to happen but nothing is static.

so presumably it's Type{Key,Pad}'s logo. Under intense magnification it looks like a headphone on the left and a microphone(?) on the right.

I think it's supposed to look like a key with the bittings on the right and the bow on the left with the silhouette of a "head and shoulders" cut out of it.

I just took another look, using a different tool, and I basically agree: It now does look like a skeleton-type key's bittings on the right. On the left it looks to me like the top of a warded lock's keyhole (albeit it could also be the key's bow?). Which would make more sense as a logo, especially given that that sort of key-and-lock is instantly recognizable and easy to draw. But it's also not very secure—seems somehow appropriate as Type{Key,Pad}'s logo?

*taps microphone*
Is this thing on? Can you hear me in the back? No? Yes? Who can hear me? Bobby, we're getting a little feedback here. Can you..? No, I'm not standing too close to the speaker.

By Dustin, OM (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

So I need to allow Javascript for TypePad. You know, I've been on the island of Java, and it was nothing like Javascript.

By Menyambal (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Testing.

ZOMG I R TEH REGISTERD

By Dead Guy Kai (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

testing, is this thing on?

By Ray Mills (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Ssssssibiliance, ssssssibiliance.

By Heaventree (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Testing, testing

Just testing my sign on.. :)

By ElectricBarbarella (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Sorry, also testing....

Teh a-holes making life more difficult for the rest of us, or as my Dad used to say: People are no damn good!

By Die Anyway (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Wahoo! I'm in. I'm also taking this opportunity to ditch my pseudonym forevermore.

The commenter formerly known as "Danio".

By Jennifer B. Phillips (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Yet another rare commenter making a boring test message. Nothing to see here....

By Taxorgian (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Hey, that *was* easy! (just testing)

Testing my sign in skills.

All your sign-ins are belong to us.

Ignore me...just another tester crawling out of the woodwork.

By Aunt Benjy (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Dustin!

Danio!

It seems like all your commenters are here PZ! even the ones that comment once in a blue moon (most of the times people have just already said everything I wanted to).

Oh boy, it worked and I can still make my once-a-week or so comment. Hi everyone.

By Faithful reader (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

So here I am delurking (Hi, everyone!) … to test my new TypeKey account. I found this blog almost two years ago and I never felt like commenting but that might change at any moment (like now...)

Just testing :)

What's with all these tests?!!!!

Was there an announcement about testing today that I missed?

Or are these all unannounced tests? I hate unannounced tests!

I don't think I finished all the assigned reading. And I know I missed a couple of days of Pharyngula so I could sleep in. I'm not prepared for a test today!! I don't remember anyone mentioning that unannounced tests would be given when I entered Pharynguland!!! So this isn't fair!!!

How much will this affect my final grade? Can I do an additional assignment for extra credit?

By bastion of sass (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Well, it seems everybody else is doing it. Testing their TypeThingyWhatsit login.

Meanwhile, I'll add my name to those asking here for the possibility of threaded comments. Even just a single bifurcation per thread would make a big difference in Pharyngula reading time. I might even get around to some productive work on the 'puter.

Guess this is going to limit my commenting to when I get home since I can't get to a sign in at work (blocked by our wonderful IT people). Oh well. Sucks, but I'm sure it is worth it to PZ to not have to clean up spam though.

Testes, Testes 1..2..3 ?!?

Any bets on which troll will be the first to sign up an account?

Any bets on which troll will be the first to sign up an account?

Facilis got an account during our first go at registration, and has kept it. I'm not sure about the silver faux.

By Nerd of Redhead, OM (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Just to throw the betting off I wanted to say I was the first troll. Unfortunately that rules me out since I can't come up with anything trollish except "you damned kids get off my bridge".

Not enough funny nor enough troll, but the sign-up was painless.

By Kinzua Kid (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Testing. . .Man, registration on the same day that my employer blocks scienceblogs.com.

By The Other Elwood (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Well, hit a couple glitches on the way, but I think I'm here now.

By Physicalist (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

RE: OpenID

Unless all those people claiming to use OpenID are getting a completely different page than me, they are not actually using OpenID *on Pharyngula*.

My guess from the sound of most of their comments is that they used OpenID to create and sign into a typepad account. That is not remotely the same thing, and much more complicated than using OpenID directly.

I don't understand how this is a deterrent.

Testing... Is this thing on?

By Ignignockt (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Will this work? Who will I be?? Did I accidentally capitalize anything. Another reason I FUCKING HATE computers.

By teammarty (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

I don't understand how this is a deterrent.

I think it's more to make cleanup of determined (and already banned) trolls easier, not necessarily to act as a gatekeeper. That said, typekey didn't attempt to verify my email address when I signed up, so a really persistent asshole could set up a new account for each comment.

It won't let me sign in on my name, but it will let me under my e-mail. Hope the part about the e-mail doesn't mean that it's public. Just what I need. Spam from christers.

By teammarty (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Tasting, tasting, tasting...

Well, if you're reading this, it works from home. Tomorrow I'll get to figure out whether I can successfully sign in to TypeKey from work, or if there's some filter that hashes it from there.

Well, theoretically, that went well (assuming that this post can be seen).

By spinetingler (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

testing....1,2,3...testing.

Still working?

By recovering catholic (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

I tell my students and student employees that I will never impinge upon their right to make foolish decisions--unless their foolish decisions affect me.

I think PZ has shown a greater tolerance for the inane than the inane deserve.

By aginghippie (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

I tried OpenID with no success.

By uknesvuinng (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Hey, I'm back! Remember me?

By Null_Hypothesis (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

I don't but apparently TypeKey remembers me.

Hm,
playing with your nickname causes funny things to happen.
And a new account,even with cookies cleared and sign-out,sign-in,still changes all old posts to the new nick.
I wonder if thats IP addy based??

Tried OpenID. Had to create a TypePad account to be able to sign in.

Hatstand....Bibble,...Geeeeb!

clinteas here,just playing with nicknames....test,test...

By Rorschach (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

'Ello mother, can ya 'ear me?

By bassmanpete (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Test ? you didn't tell me there was a test today!
Damn it I didn't study!

I wonder if thats IP addy based??

Doubtful unless you have a static ip the database they'd have to keep on users would be much larger. I'm sure it's all account based.

Check, mates.

By baryogenesis (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

I had to wait until after work to use TypePad, because it is BLOCKED where I worked. How FRUSTRATING!!

Are you SURE there isn't some other solution? OpenID is NOT blocked from work, but I couldn't get it to work either.

By speedwell (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Test, Test, Testing 1, 2, 3.

Is this thing on?

Tap tap tap - is this thing on?

By Charlie Foxtrot (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Dontcha hate it when you post the same thing as someone else, thinking its ~fairly~ original, but its not.
(Must remember to refresh more before posting)

Anyhoop - login works, so off to be a CyberBullet again, somewhere there is a pointless poll needing my attention...

By Charlie Foxtrot (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Testing. I think it worked.

By Eyeoffaith (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

"Can you hear me now?"

By Nightshadequeen (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

I almost put in 'enjoys long walks on the beach' in the About Me Box, but decided to save that for my online personal ad. ;)

By Krystalline Apostate (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

tttttttTess3sstingggg... arrr4weupyet??????.. Tessting...Weupp yettt? Howw about now? Are we good now? You're sure? OK, lets rock & roll.

I almost put in 'enjoys long walks on the beach' in the About Me Box

"If you like pina coladas
And getting caught in the rain
If you're not into yoga
If you have half a brain
If you'd like making love at midnight
In the dunes on the Cape
Then I'm the love that you've looked for
Write to me and escape."

By 'Tis Himself (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Seven. Seven.

OK - I guess it works.

JC

What? 319 comments of shit all? This isn't Pharyngula is it?

By Alex Deam (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

What happens if I don't sign out? Will I break the internet?

We're just trying to make sure we can still comment, Alex! For many of us, this is our only means of creative expression.

(How fucking depressing is that?)

By Scott Simmons (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Hmm, logging in didn't work for me on Firefox (I got the same old comment form on scienceblogs no matter what I did), but it does work on IE7.

It could be a FF-specific thing (though that seems doubtful); it's more likely to be related to AdBlockPlus or some other extension. I'll test later and report back, in case anyone else has teh same problem.

Well, signed in, now for a test to see if it works.

The reason for registration has something to do with spamtrollers? What's that?

By Silver Fox (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

Oh shut up Silver Fucks! I'm fed up with you dumbass trolls tonight. Three threads are full of you jerk offs.

By Patricia, OM (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

This is easy!

By Teddydeedodu (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

This has GOT to be the more boring thread I have ever lurked upon....

Although I shall offer that I DO start with the threads that have the MOST comments first because they tend to generate the most interest amongst all the fine folks who hang out here...

By DethB4DCaf (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

I'm sure it's all account based.

Yeah,Nerd was right,it has to do with the cookies,and if you have multiple tabs open,somehow signing out in one does not translate over to the others,so you have to sign out from all tabs seperately,then delete cookies seperately,then it works.

By Rorschach (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

I have to say that if given the choice between mandatory registration for prospective commenters and Clarke getting kicked off the site for good, I would have chosen a permanent boot imprint (preferably of the permanently scarring kind) on dear Alan's sit-upon in a heartbeat, no matter how good a training dummy he may be.

Sorry you had to take these measures. It sucks, I know.

By askewmind (not verified) on 13 Apr 2009 #permalink

@Criswell #247: Don't be so silly. The only parts of FSTDT I actually "rule" are the mainpage and the IRC I created after You Know Who abandoned us. (We get abandoned a lot, it seems... all the more reason to keep Distind from getting burnt out.) I will agree with you, however, on the ability of Certain Mods to make PZ look like a great big teddy bear. I don't have that superpower. Mine has more to do with Powers of Quote Hammer, Powers of Chat Founder, and Powers of Linguistic Manipulation (when I actually feel like exercising them). I [i]did[/i] attempt to emulate PZ when Distind finally got a piece of Christian Love mail, but I really don't think I was successful.

Then again, the letter-writer in question [i]did[/i] disappear from the forums completely right after saying my post was next on his list of things to read and rebut... hmmm...

Demi-PZ In Training, mayhap? O.o

By Lady Renae (not verified) on 14 Apr 2009 #permalink

Great... my post has hanging tags... grr on not being able to edit (or at least not having figured that out yet).

By Lady Renae (not verified) on 14 Apr 2009 #permalink

@ Lady Renae:

You can't edit comments here - not even your own. Only PZ (or anyone else with blog control powers) can. However, your tag problem was actually the result of using the bulletin board square-bracket style of enclosure instead of the proper HTML angle-bracket ones (ie the less than and greater than symbols).

¿Estoy aquí?

By dead santa (not verified) on 14 Apr 2009 #permalink

Mmm...tasty registration

Mmm...tasty registration

Couldn't get OpenID working. Typepad works fine.

(That's one of those statements, like, "We survived," which is always true if it is uttered.)

By Eric the Half-Bee (not verified) on 14 Apr 2009 #permalink

Testing, as everyone else. Had to use TypePad to use my Open ID, but guess that's good, as I suspect OpenID might point you to my old livejournal (and that would be embarassing).

TypePad didn't seem to have me make up a password tho. Has that happened to anyone else? Color me confused.

By sublunary (not verified) on 14 Apr 2009 #permalink

*crosses fingers*

I did it.

Oh the testing.

By Cotton Nero (not verified) on 14 Apr 2009 #permalink

Woohoo!

Can you believe that my drain is 1-1/4" but my trap is 1-1/2"? Damn damn damn. Off to the hardware store to battle the creationist horde4s (and ABS gods).

By blackjackshellac (not verified) on 14 Apr 2009 #permalink

To Kagato at #323: Spent an hour trying to make Firefox realize I was logged into Typekey; then turned AdBlockPlus off and, well, here I am.

Also, since this is scary technology and all, if this appears in the comments of the blog of the Finnish Society for the Sexual Uses of Liverwurst, disregard this.

De-lurk.

Test!

re-lurk.

If you think I am going to register for yet another account just to make comments here you have another thing coming!

oh

wait....

How tedious.

By «bønez_brigade» (not verified) on 14 Apr 2009 #permalink

@SEF #346

Yeah, I figured that out by my next comment. I haven't used HTML in a very very long while.

By Lady Renae (not verified) on 14 Apr 2009 #permalink

I'm pretty sure I've signed up with this thing before, for something, but, whatever. That mail accounts been dead for a while anyway...

Silver Fox,

You itching to get banned? Would that impress your friends? Make you the big man at the 'People With The Most Piss-Poor Arguments For Christianity' club we assume you belong to?

By Wowbagger, OM (not verified) on 14 Apr 2009 #permalink

I kept telling people we needed to get rid of Stupid Fuck during Survivor...

belatedly ... testing

Lame.

testing.

By Terry Small (not verified) on 15 Apr 2009 #permalink

testing

Cheers & Happy Monkey

Ray

CQ CQ
works.

Late, SERIOUSLY cranky pants, registration. Pout. I don't even comment that often, and I can't at work at all, since the sign up sites are blocked. Double pout. A giant fuck you to the commenters who have added difficulty to my busy life. I had to buy a freakin' wireless laptop so I could attempt to keep up here. Grrrrrrr.

I will note that having to buy a system that I can use wireless-ly at home and work will likely have great, and unexpected, benefits. And I love SB and Pharyngula in particular, but still. Bloody type key - if we have to register, can't our super cool pics at least show up???? I had a great ctenophore cleavage (hello!! ctenophores rock!) pic many moons ago, pre-SB, and can't use it now. Poutx3. Cranky pants signing out . . .

By Ctenotrish (not verified) on 17 Apr 2009 #permalink

test

By Sphere Coupler (not verified) on 19 Apr 2009 #permalink