ReCaptcha

Every time a (non logged in) user posts a new topic or reply, they must fill out an anti-spam filter. Here's some info about CAPTCHAs.

A CAPTCHA is a program that can tell whether its user is a human or a computer. You've probably seen them — colorful images with distorted text at the bottom of Web registration forms. CAPTCHAs are used by many websites to prevent abuse from "bots," or automated programs usually written to generate spam. No computer program can read distorted text as well as humans can, so bots cannot navigate sites protected by CAPTCHAs.

reCAPTCHA is digitizing old NYTimes, and every time a user fills out a CAPTCHA you are helping. Logged in users do not need to fill out a CAPTCHA, but the vast majority of posts are made from users who are not logged in. Combining the total number of replies and topics, we can estimate the total number of successful CAPTCHAs at 799,087.

That's quite a number. If we figure an average of 10 seconds per CAPTCHA, that equals out to:

2,219.68 Hours
92.48 Days
55.5 Work Weeks (40 Hour)

It would have taken a human being, working 40 hours a week, over a year to do the same amount of reCAPTCHAs. That's kind of cool to think about. I wonder how many days/weeks of NYTimes we've helped digitize.

Take care,
Peter

Source:
http://recaptcha.net/learnmore.html

Common E-mail Themes

Addressing some common themes from e-mails:

We get e-mails every day asking us to remove posts. We almost always comply, and our system allows us to delete objectionable material very quickly while letting people check the status of their request. Often the e-mails are well written and courteous, but usually we see some combination of the following:

"You have 24 hours before I contact my attorney."
You don't have a lawyer. Roughly half the people who e-mail us claim to be "contacting their attorney." Sorry, but both of us know you don't have a lawyer, please quit pretending. And the fact that your uncle's friend is a lawyer doesn't count.

"I'm going to sue you."
No you're not... well, you're not going to win anyways. Feel free to try though, I guess. Actually, just kidding, please don't sue me.

"You're clearly a horrible person."
I certainly don't think so, but everyone is entitled to their opinions. Our site doesn't call for salacious gossip, we let students dictate discussion. While I concede that the level of discourse is nowhere I'd like it to be, I'm passionate about giving an open forum for discussion where people can share without fear of retribution.

"These sites are illegal, that's why JuicyCampus got shut down."
First of all, there's nothing illegal about running a site like this. Second of all, JuicyCampus was not shut down, they voluntarily closed due to lack of revenue. It had nothing to do with any legal pressure.

"Awesome site brah!"
Thanks, Joebin.

"Take off XYZ University, no one likes it here."
I don't think you speak for everyone; perhaps you and your friends don't like it.

Anyways, thought I'd address some common e-mail themes in a public space.

Take care,
Peter Frank

ACB Blog

I'll be updating this blog much more frequently. I will also be allowing comments, and will try to respond to as many as possible.

Take care,
Peter Frank

New Server + Better Code

We're now on a dedicated server which will offer better stability and speed.

Our code was also optimized by Dewey Gaedcke, founder of www.Minggl.com. Any lag during peak hours should be gone.

New Server

CollegeACB.com is now on a much stronger server which will offer better security and stability.

Juicy Campus Closing

www.CollegeACB.com
Juicy Campus Replacement

It's an exciting day for the ACB. (Anonymous Confession Board)

In the wake of Juicy Campus' closing, we find ourselves in a unique position to establish ourselves as the new standard in anonymous college posting. The ACB is much like Juicy Campus, but there are several key differences. For one, we wish to promote deep and thoughtful discussion -- as well as the occasional "gossipy" post. We rely on user moderation, to help us flag any posts that may be threatening, racist, or otherwise illegal. Additionally, each college has it's own board, providing a more personally relevant atmosphere. Below is our mission statement:

The CollegeACB or College Anonymous Confession Board seeks to give students a place to vent, rant, and talk to college peers in an environment free from social constraints and about subjects that might otherwise be taboo.

Topics vary from sex and sexuality, to politics, to classes and campus life. There is of course controversy over these discussions, as they sometimes tend to devolve into people talking trash about each other. But while JuicyCampus encourages their users to make salacious posts, the ACB encourages actual discussion. Sexuality, for example, is a topic that can be easier to talk about under anonymity, and does not have turn into a discussion about specific people in a highly negative manner. By simply adding a report button, a very small amount of moderation, and setting a few loose rules about libel, CollegeACB has been able to avoid the large number of libelous posts seen on a “gossip” style website. Login is not required to post, however you have the option of logging in to use some of the additional features of the site, such as private messaging, identity swapping, and marking your favorite threads to find them later.

Please bear with us as we continue to add features, and update individual-school pages. Some features may not be online for some schools. What are you waiting for!? Head on over to www.CollegeACB.com

Peter Frank
collegeacb@gmail.com

PS: Media inquiries via e-mail will get first priority. Put "Media" somewhere in the subject line and I will get back to you ASAP. This includes college newspapers.

CollegeACB Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Peter Frank
CollegeACB.com
Phone: (424) 222-9781
http://www.CollegeACB.com
collegeacb@gmail.com

CollegeACB.com to Offer Free Anonymous College Discussion

With the recent closing of Juicy Campus, students nationwide were left scouring the internet, in search of an honest, and engaging, web-based community. They have found the Anonymous Confession Board.

The Anonymous Confession Board, or the ACB, is quickly becoming the central hub of college campuses around the country, giving students the freedom to voice their opinions and ask questions about any facet of college life. It is the campus center, the dorm room, the cafeteria, and the lecture hall, all combined into a single, easily accessible forum where everyone is invited to converse openly, without fear of reprisal or reprimand. From sexuality to politics, from keg parties to concerns about course selections, the ACB is a website that helps build community and engenders the open exchange of information.

A relative newcomer, the ACB was originally developed by recent college graduates Andrew Mann of JHU and Aaron Larner of Wesleyan University. It is now owned and operated by Peter Frank. The site is devoted to promoting actual discussion, not provoking salacious posts or personal attacks. Its mission statement reads: “The College ACB or College Anonymous Confession Board seeks to give students a place to vent, rant, and talk to college peers in an environment free from social constraints and about subjects that might otherwise be taboo."

Such a philosophy sets the ACB apart from Juicy Campus, a website that fostered superficial interactions, often derogatory and needlessly crude. By contrast, the ACB consistently hosts a higher level of discourse—while still making room for the occasional gossip post.

Other differences between the ACB and the now-defunct Juicy prove more than superficial. The ACB employs an innovative user-moderation button, which allows for easy yet unobtrusive regulation. Any post that might be threatening, libelous, or otherwise illegal, is immediately brought to the webmaster’s attention. In addition, the ACB provides a more personal experience for the user, as it is organized into individual college boards. And unlike other college boards, the web space is not overcrowded with ads. Lastly, it is worth noting that the ACB has embarked upon an expansion phase—several new features will be unveiled in the coming months.


Contact info: For now, all e-mail should be diverted to collegeacb@gmail.com. Anyone can feel free to post, but only users who register (for free) will be able to take advantage of the special features (private messaging, etc). If you are curious, please head on over to CollegeACB.com, find your own ACB, and enjoy the discussions.

Note: Not all functionality is working, as we are in the process of accommodating the influx of new campus users.

For information: http://www.CollegeACB.com or
Contact: collegeacb@gmail.com
Phone: (888) 823-9457
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