[IMC-Boston-Editorial] IP logging/filtering

[Jonathan D. Proulx]

It would be easy to set up IP logging that would be purged on a periodic
basis.  I don't think it would be effective as a troll/spam block nor do I
think it would provide sufficient anonymity for posters.

The first point, effectiveness, is for reasons similar tho those pointed out
by the troll previously quoted, someone bent on bothering us can esily
switch IP's or use public IP's (from libraries, universities, anonymizing
proxy services, or proxies operated by major ISP's like AOL) this would get
us to block large populations from our site if we're not *very* careful.

If our site is put under surveillance rather than just having logs
supeonaed, then all those logs get fed to the Feds wether we purge them or
not.

If we need to get harder on spamming and trolling, I think the way to do it
is to require login accounts with a valid email address inorder to post.
Email accounts can be setup for free and relatively anonymously, but they do
take some small effort so when we ban a user they actually have to do
something.  We could put anonymous posts into a moderation queue so if
someone had something really hot they could drop it there completly
untracably...

Don't know how this fits with current software but the new software handles
this easily. 

-Jon