I’ve been here for 25 days (made 32 posts, started one thread - two now! - and had posts “thanked”/“liked” 54 times).
Every time I try to post a link to a Babypips lesson, or to another thread, in a post, I get an error message telling me that “new members aren’t allowed to post links” and my post isn’t accepted.
About a week ago, I asked (in another thread) for how long this would be so. A couple of other members tried to give helpful answers but didn’t actually know the answer. @Pipstradamus and @Penelopip were both kindly tagged there, by SovoS, but didn’t respond. (I can’t give a link to that, for obvious reasons.)
I see at least one other member repeatedly making similar comments.
Sorry if I sound like a “complainer” but I’ll be honest: it’s beginning to feel both unwelcoming and slightly irritating. Just a simple answer to a simple question, giving some clarity on this point, would really be most welcome. Thank you in advance, for a reply.
I have (long since) done everything listed there to be allowed to post a link (“trust level 1”) but still can’t.
Hence my question above (which at least one other member is also asking).
Thank you, John. I was actually thinking something similar. But even a simple, apparently rather elusive, answer to my question above, perhaps from @Pipstradamus or @Penelopip , would be really welcome.
My apologies for an untimely reply and for your current situation. You should have absolutely been promoted already based on your activity, which happens automatically through our platform. There isn’t a human reviewing member stats, so the issue is programmatic in nature.
May I ask what browser you’re using? Our platform is JavaScript heavy, so certain browser plugins and even certain browser might not be playing nice with our website.
We also recently released some platform software updates which could be causing some unforeseen issues, which we’re investigating as well.
Per our Trust Level guidelines, which Sufshiken kindy linked above, new users aren’t allowed to post any kind of links. It’s a barrier meant to keep scammers and spammers at bay, while giving new users just a little bit of work to open up additional features in the Forums.
As a reminder, new users are limited to the following:
*Users at Trust Level 0 (TL0) cannot:
Send private messages to other users
Reply as new topic in the right gutter (UI removed)
Flag posts
Post any images
Post any attachments
Post any hyperlinks in a post
Have actual links in the ‘about me’ field of their profile (will be silently and temporarily converted to plain text)
Mention more than 2 users in a post
More info on Trust Levels here if you’re interested.
pink_hat_trader, thanks for your patience while we get to the bottom of the issue!
Thanks for your reply, @Pipstradamus. Now that you’re here, please could you do that manually, in my case?
I understand and respect the principle, of course, but it’s honestly galling to see very new members posting links to their own Youtube channels with very clear commercial intent, while I can’t even post a link to a Babypips lesson to try to answer someone’s question!
While you’re doing that, can you please at least enable me to post links? I’m a child psychologist, not an internet marketer: I have absolutely no commercial interest to represent, here!
Now, if you’re referring to members that have been promoted to TL1, then that is possible. If you feel the users you mention are violating our Forums Policy, you can report them to us and we will review their information. Posting Youtube channels is allowed. Posting external links is allowed. Posting links to destinations that are overly promotional or soliciting our members in various capacities can be a violation, but unfortunately, that’s not always black and white.
Excellent. That’s what we like to hear. Sadly, not all users come here with the same intentions. And so we need to treat all new users the way we do.
Also, you didn’t mention the browser you’re using. That information will help us troubleshoot the issue with your account.
The information you just posted above says that users at Level 0 can’t “flag” posts (not that I had actually tried: I mentioned it only out of surprise that your system allows someone brand new to post links to their own commercial interests, but prevents someone not-so-new from linking to one of your own lessons to try to help another member!).
I don’t always use the same one. It depends where I am.
Right now, I’m posting from work, which means I’m using the Tor browser here (which I understand is updated almost daily, so it won’t be an out-of-date one).
Thanks for this info. The issue here is not that a browser is not continuously updated (although it’s important that it is), the issue is whether a browser is supported at all.
Tor is not a supported browser by the Discourse platform developers, so there are some issues we may not be able to fix if they relate to an unsupported browser.
I’m not stating that’s the issue here, but just making you aware of the potential conflicts that might arise out of using an unsupported browser like Tor.
This is not accurate. New users can’t post any links in a topic or reply. Once they’re promoted to TL1 (and no longer a new user), you can post appropriate links. Bio links, if included in a new user’s (TL0) bio, will also be converted to plain text.
In the mean time, your account has been promoted to TL1. Congrats!
I don’t, myself (as I mentioned above). I use Chrome and like it, but when I’m at work, I have to use the one on the system, here, and am not allowed to download stuff onto the computer.
They don’t “ask me” to use the web at all, when I’m at work, but as I mentioned above, if I do, I have to use the browser on the system, here, and am not allowed to download stuff onto the computer.
Pipstradamus certainly didn’t suggest that that presented any problem for the forum, and has already kindly fixed the specific problem I had.
What’s your role in the forum, please, and is this going to continue to be a problem for you, for some reason?
We can only speak to the developers of our specific platform, not anywhere else. They’ve (Discourse) never supported it. So while you’re not having issues currently, it doesn’t mean issues couldn’t arise.
We suggest you use supported web browser to minimize the chance of issues in the future.
I’m wondering whether mine is, also? I keep getting notifications of “badges” I’ve been awarded but still apparently can’t post a link. Mostly Chrome user, here.
