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View Full Version : sounds stupid, but I think it will work

BOLT
12-16-2006, 11:02 PM
Well I'm going to start a weightlifting forum in a little while. I'm thinking about making a bunch of fake user names and posting from them, making the forum look relatively popular, making people want to join. I will also hide the time posts were made so I could just spend a little while each day making posts without them all coming from the same time each day.

What do you all think?
SurelyJones
12-17-2006, 12:47 AM
I don't think it sounds stupid at all. Probably most forums start that way.
Jan
12-17-2006, 04:33 AM
Indeed, many forums get started this way or allow a couple of select friends to create a couple of accounts. One thing to note is to try to make your writing style different with each username, that way it won't be so obvious that you are talking to yourself ;)

I'm not sure I would hide the post times though. Just reply to yourself an hour or so later :)
Scott
12-17-2006, 07:16 AM
I wouldn't worry about hiding the times. In any new forum there will be periods of high and low activity.

Good luck with the forum, and welcome to FU! :welcome:
BOLT
12-17-2006, 11:55 AM
I wouldn't worry about hiding the times. In any new forum there will be periods of high and low activity.

Good luck with the forum, and welcome to FU! :welcome:

I want to hide the times because I can only spend about an hour a day on the computer. And during this time, I want to make a bunch of posts.

So I'm guessing it will lookng really retarted if I have 100 posts each day all at the same time of each day, haha.
SoftWareRevue
12-17-2006, 12:59 PM
What forum software are you using? Some have easy ways to edit the post time. ;)
BOLT
12-17-2006, 02:47 PM
What forum software are you using? Some have easy ways to edit the post time. ;)

VBulletin probably. They said I could do it... :skull:
Scott
12-17-2006, 03:14 PM
Maybe this (http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=98737) would do the trick?
BOLT
12-17-2006, 03:59 PM
Maybe this (http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=98737) would do the trick?

thanks. Yes, I do not think deleting the post time will be an issue.

I am actually designing my forum right now on demo.

Are there a lot of a-holes on this site? I was thinking of posting my demo password and username so others can critique it but I'm afraid there might be one jackass who decides to start changing things....
Scott
12-17-2006, 04:02 PM
Humm, us members are pretty harmless :D Do remember though that everything you post will be visible by anyone, so you might not want to be posting that kind of stuff.
BOLT
12-17-2006, 04:25 PM
Humm, us members are pretty harmless :D Do remember though that everything you post will be visible by anyone, so you might not want to be posting that kind of stuff.

A better idea may be for me to post screenshots once I get a little further in my progress...
Webmaster7
12-21-2006, 10:13 AM
If I could I would really avoid that tactic. Try to spread the word about your forum. And don't worry.
I started my forum just by myself. Told a couple of friends. Soon later, with no advertising, I had 1000 users. Then 3000. But getting them to participate is harder.