New users can't post more than 2 links - URLs/links in logs

Support
1

Hello,

In some questions, users want to post log entries when they ask questions. These log entries can contain URLs. In a recent case, a user got a message “new users can’t post more than 2 links”. So this could turn people off from posting in our forums.

I understand the intent here is to reduce spam.

Is there any way to tighten/adjust the detection of links? Maybe to whitelist certain domains or protocols (for instance, URLs common in logs for us might be couchbase://something.something.something).

I’m open to other approaches as well, especially from people who have run into this same issue. Is there a way to change the “new users can’t post more than 2 links” message to provide more information and/or a suggestion of what to do?

2

Yes, you can customize any text in Admin > Customize > Text.

Maybe suggest users to format logs using the “Preformatted text” button ?

Also, if support for new users is the primary use you may want to increase the setting newuser max links. Since we have defense in depth for spam, people posting more than 2 weird links will probably be caught by akismet anyway.

And if spam becomes a problem, moving the setting back to default is just a click away.

3

Links in preformatted text are not supposed to count towards the 2 link limit?

4

Right. Since they aren’t clickable, they aren’t “links”.