Anyone know if it is possible to dump a large amount of posts into a forum to make it appear it's active. Is it possible to somewhere download a bulletin board's database from a third party?

It's a quagmire most forums usually get into, where people don't post if it's not an active board.

it might be possible,but I would not recommend....

Like everything you do in life, please consider the ethical ramifications of this decision, especially if you plan on advertising on said forum. :)

I understand it's not too kosher, just want to see if it's possible.

Originally posted by jimtomas
I understand it's not too kosher, just want to see if it's possible.

It is possible.

Originally posted by blue27
It is possible.

Care to elaborate?

Well, a blank database can be populated with information, otherwise you could never restore a database. Technically, it's like asking, "Could I copy and paste words into a blank Word document, so that there's words on the page?" Of course.

Originally posted by jimtomas
Care to elaborate?

Care to say what you will be using the information for?

Originally posted by blue27
Care to say what you will be using the information for?

U posted here, r u a cop or somthing?

It's all in good fun...

Originally posted by Chicken
Well, a blank database can be populated with information, otherwise you could never restore a database. Technically, it's like asking, "Could I copy and paste words into a blank Word document, so that there's words on the page?" Of course.

So now maybe the better questions isn't how, but who or where could I get the information from. Assuming from the responses, this is not a common thing.

You might have to edit the forums that are installed, ie. the categories and have to have the same as those from the database you get the backup from

Let's say I find someone who has a forum with around 2,000+ posts. I offer him/her $25 for the forum's database.

Then setup my forum using the purchased database. Viola, I have a (pseudo) active and popular forum.

Easy as that?

You will have to create a database with the exact same name as the one you are going to take the backup from.

Also you would have to make sure its the same forum ie. phpbb, vBulletin etc. or else convert it but im not sure if thats possible if you havent already got the posts on the forum to convert.

I doubt anyone would just have some backups available for download from their site, maybe you could ask someone you know with a large forum for a backup file?

Some owners may not want to give out a backup incase it has some information they dont want to let anyone see or think you have another reason for wanting the db info.

What would be the point in importing a load of posts if your forum is a different genre?

I dont understand why you would want to do this but anyway....

No its not as easy as that,
You may have the posts but you dont have the popular forum.
Just because you have a load of posts it doesnt mean its popular and I doubt it will bring many more users to your forum.
Another problem is that I THINK if you import the database, all posts by the users will now be guest accounts, they wont be actually registered on your forum.

So it could show one reg user, you, and 2000+ posts...

if you convert the member db also you have gotten personel info from the other db fo the users,email,etc.. which isnt accepted by many ppl.....

[QUOTE]Originally posted by jimtomas
[B]edit

Originally posted by parmeet
if you convert the member db also you have gotten personel info from the other db fo the users,email,etc.. which isnt accepted by many ppl.....

I totally understand that. It would be preferable to have made up user names anyways. I imagine it would be relativley easy for someone to "jumble up" usernames and email addresses with a short SQL command. As long as users are still associated with posts then the forum database would be unaffected.

I think its far too much work just to do that,
Would be a lot easier if you promoted your forum and spent your money on some targeted advertising.
You will have very bad press if you import data from another forum anyway and users wont like you doing that to trick them into thinking people are actively using your forum...

Why dont you just do some work on the forum and make it an actual good site that you will get 2000+ posts on if thats what you really want...

that's good advice

Originally posted by jimtomas
I understand it's not too kosher, just want to see if it's possible.

wow all i said that it is offending to the religion of judiasm

Originally posted by vibesolutions
thats not really funny at all your stupid comment.

You'll have to elaborate on that one friend. I'm puzzled if you are offended.

I would suggest you think before you post. It reflects poorly on your Ping! Zine

Perhaps you are trying to bait me into an argument?

Now now children let's not get into an argument.

jimtomas?? I just said it was offending

jimtomas, let's assume for a moment that you manage to pull off the importing/populating part. And let's assume that your forum has a target audience, be it car enthusiasts or webmasters or whatever.

Many people surf numerous forums on the same topic. The odds are that sooner or later someone who's a regular from that forum whose database you "borrowed" will find your forum and recognize some of the threads and expose your forum as a sham. You may get quite a bit of attention over the matter, but I can almost guarantee you it won't be positive.

As stated by Custom-Hosting, seems like an awful lot of work to put into doing something underhanded and deceptive. Instead, channel your energy into building your community in an honest and ethical way.

Always be proud of what you do. Somehow, this type of scheme does not / should not elicit any feelings of pride, success or accomplishment...

Vito

ko·sher

2. Slang.
-Legitimate; permissible: “consolidating noneditorial functions of the papers, which is kosher”
-Genuine; authentic.

I am Jewish, it is not offensive to me. My co-worker is Jewish, he is not offended by it.

I do apologize if YOU found it offensive, but using the word kosher as I have is hardly disparaging.

I am offended by you calling my comments stupid.

Originally posted by Virago
jimtomas, let's assume for a moment that you manage to pull off the importing/populating part. And let's assume that your forum has a target audience, be it car enthusiasts or webmasters or whatever.

Many people surf numerous forums on the same topic. The odds are that sooner or later someone who's a regular from that forum whose database you "borrowed" will find your forum and recognize some of the threads and expose your forum as a sham. You may get quite a bit of attention over the matter, but I can almost guarantee you it won't be positive.

That would be a problem. If the forum were to become popular quickly it would be wise to expire off or trim out the "shilled" postings.

Sorry Jim I took it the wrong way. Check your PM

Originally posted by vito
As stated by Custom-Hosting, seems like an awful lot of work to put into doing something underhanded and deceptive. Instead, channel your energy into building your community in an honest and ethical way.

Always be proud of what you do. Somehow, this type of scheme does not / should not elicit any feelings of pride, success or accomplishment...

Vito

I totally agree, and I'm not trying to argue the ethics involved. This is only an academic thread. I have no plans to implement it at this moment, mostly just curiosity on how it could be done.

Originally posted by jimtomas
Let's say I find someone who has a forum with around 2,000+ posts. I offer him/her $25 for the forum's database.

Then setup my forum using the purchased database. Viola, I have a (pseudo) active and popular forum.

Easy as that?
The things is, your forum would seem popular the second you upload the db. But none of the users (whose posts appear on your forum) would be on-line. Not only that, but they'd never be there (odd eh?), and they wouldn't be making any more posts. It'd be like everyone suddenly stopped going to your forum.

A few stray actual users of yours who do come to the site wouldn't be enough to keep it going, and eventually, every forum would simply contain old threads that no one is discussing. Users who post threads will get the same level of responses they get now.

So yes, your forum would seem popular the second you upload the db. Emphasis on the second as any minute after that will be leading to the forum's death and a ghost-town.

sorry about before jimtomas. anyways... the importing shouldn't be that hard. Just go to your bulletin board's support board and ask for the correct way to get it done. I use vbulletin and when i changed servers the database got corrupted so I had to do something similar with a backup db

(not saying you would do this jimtomas, but some idiot will try it)...

Coming soon to the advertising section on WHT:

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Established forum for sale...must sell quick.
20,000 members, asking 25 cents per member.
First one to paypal me $5,000 wins.