I notice one ‘ZZZ Datetopia Dating Software ZZZ’.

While, of course, we extend a hearty welcome to all newcomers to the board I wonder if this particular member has any real interest in etymology.

I wonder if this is discrimination, as this particular member’s intentions and interests were assumed before making a single post and the account was deleted.

~The word discrimination comes from the Latin “discriminare”, which means to “distinguish between”. However, discrimination, as used here, is more than distinction or differentiation; it refers to action based on prejudice resulting in unfair treatment of people.

I review the pending memberships a couple of times a week and the new members who list websites about every week.

To explain, a “pending” member is one who has signed up, but not yet responded to the activation email. Most of the spam sites, never respond. I delete any pending membership over a few days old. I’m the only one who sees the pending members. They do not appear when ordinary mortals look at the member list.

Once a member has completed the activation, they have the option to add a web site to their profile. I take a look at these and delete the memberships of obvious spammers or those who post objectionable sites. Objectionable includes porn, cheap pharmaceuticals, cheap cigarettes, etc. I don’t delete web listings that are merely commercial. Lots of members list the web sites for their legitimate businesses in their profile and that’s fine. (Posting spam about those businesses in the discussion forum itself would merit banning, but simply listing them in one’s profile is fine.)

The dating service fell into this category. A bit unusual as most such sites never respond to the activation email. This was borderline as it wasn’t actually a porn site, but I deleted them anyway--so they won’t appear if you look now. If you own the dating software site and think you’ve been unfairly deleted, email me. If there’s a human at the other end, I’ll probably let you stay.

Okay, ZZZ Datetopia Dating Software signed up again. Since there appears to be a real person here, I’m going to assume honorable intentions. Sorry for the deletion.

For your reference, the things that pushed it over the edge were

--the “ZZZ” in the name. The members list normally appears in reverse alphabetical order (unless one changes the defaults or sorts by another factor). This looked too much like someone who was simply creating a membership to drive traffic to their site and wanted the site to appear at the top of the list.

--the nonpersonal email address. If it had been a personal name, instead of a replyto address, I probably wouldn’t have deleted it.

These plus the sketchy nature of the dating software “industry” pushed it over the edge. If you look like a spam site, you’re going to treated as a spam site. It may be unfair, but that’s the way life is.

The URL is submitted from registration as it’s part of the registration form.

The Datetopia website is about dating, matchmaking, chat and community software - it’s not a dating service website with members. It’s about web scripts for webmasters.

“Datetopia” comes from date + utopia (An ideally perfect place, especially in its social, political, and moral aspects. In other words, an impossible place. Utopian thinkers like Karl Marx envision a society that cannot exist because it depends on people acting in ways that people are not inclined to act.) .

PS: Good news: I’ve been finally recognized as a living human. :)

My apologies, ZZZ. You must confess that you have a handle which might give the wrong impression. Welcome to the board!

“Datetopia” comes from date + utopia (An ideally perfect place, especially in its social, political, and moral aspects. In other words, an impossible place. Utopian thinkers like Karl Marx envision a society that cannot exist because it depends on people acting in ways that people are not inclined to act.) .

Actually, Datetopia would mean a place to date (a topographical area to connect, if the verb is at issue here).  When you leave off the “U” you change the meaning altogether.  Utopia could mean “Noplace” (Thomas More) or “Good place” if the Greek prefix “Eu” is intended. 

Welcome, but it still looks like you’re advertising your site or software.

But speaking of newest members, ohdan is back as of about an hour or two ago!  Welcome back!

Welcome, but it still looks like you’re advertising your site or software.

So?  My moniker, languagehat, could be taken as advertising my blog, languagehat.com.  I don’t think we should pay attention to anything other than contributions to the site.

languagehat - 07 December 2007 01:48 PM

So?  My moniker, languagehat, could be taken as advertising my blog, languagehat.com.  I don’t think we should pay attention to anything other than contributions to the site.

Really?  Then I guess you could assume that my moniker is advertising my blog, oecolampadius.com

Oecolampadius - 07 December 2007 07:10 PM

languagehat - 07 December 2007 01:48 PM

So?  My moniker, languagehat, could be taken as advertising my blog, languagehat.com.  I don’t think we should pay attention to anything other than contributions to the site.

Really?  Then I guess you could assume that my moniker is advertising my blog, oecolampadius.com

Really.  If there were an oecolampadius.com then maybe you could assume that.