That's the way I tend to do it. Known users with consistent names are accountable to their beefing etc and it can be put in the context - or just make up - a bigger picture. Anon stuff can't. 

The overwhelming majority of anon posts are flame bait. The argument for anon posting always was to have a low entry barrier. But it appears to me that new people almost always create an account on their first post anyway.

Plus we should take a look at fixing accounts (https for security, working email password reset). 

https://check.torproject.org/cgi-bin/TorBulkExitList.py

They were used en masse when IPs were still visible, it's possible the anons have stopped using it when the addresses were taken out but there's a good chance they didn't.

(There's the counterargument that legitimate users are using it and it's not a "troll tool". Sure. In the same way everybody in the 2000's used BitTorrent for legal downloads.) 

Maybe either of these measures is already enough to deter these posters. 

Thanks for doing this btw. 

nothing is decided, this is all up to metlslime 

My first few entries were posted without an account. (I did sign all of them, though.) I might have started posting here without anon posting, regardless, but it probably helped me to take the step to create an account. 

When it's not blatant trolling, there is often some worthy posting from various anons. Be a shame to just shut the door on even a few decent people. I admit I have done some trolling myself, though I don't feel guilty since it was hardly malicious. 

Well, I have nothing against stuff like the anon trolls attacking me in the prefabs thread. I see it as people wanting to be emotionally sincere without risking their reputation, and to some extent it can be fun.

What I draw the line at is when people's feelings get hurt, and when the trolling is systematically carried on to put people down. Heated discussions can be interesting, but only when communication is preserved. Anger can be dealt with, but sadness can easily result in irreversible damages — like people leaving the community. Angry people only leaves when they're also saddened.

So far the case-by-case judgment of the moderators seems fair. 

The discourse here has gotten worse lately. If people have a beef they have a thread for it. Why give the mods more to do just because someone wants to be an asshole? 

Worthy posting from anon posters? I'd like to see examples.

We have one anon poster with Trinca-levels of grammar who tries to be offensive and mock people here but instead is obviously an idiot with the IQ of a clam.
We have one or two anon posters who are highly likely to be registered members here who don't post with their accounts anymore so they can flame a few select people with impunity.
And then we have tons of worthless anon posts.

These worthy anons can register if they want. So can the few anon assholes, so we know who they are before they're banned. 

dumptruck: Good point about the beef thread. Maybe it would be a good idea to limit anon posting to the Site Help & Beef threads only. Maybe also to General Abuse. 

There are worthy posts from anons in higher profile releases: Arcane Dimensions, TrenchBroom, etc.

I personally would strongly prefer anon posting to be allowed .. when I need beta testing on something like QuakeDroid or Mark V ...

... the ease of getting feedback from anons that don't have to jump through hoops really helps.

Why not ask for a few extra moderators to hide crap like new post #349?

I think you could get 6-7 moderators easy to hide/delete pure garbage posts. otp, spud, shamblernaut? probably plenty of others 

Needing an account is hardly a barrier on func_. The account system is so basic that not only would it be trivially easy for interested new users to make one and start posting, but it would also be just as easy for the anon trolls to make junk accounts and flame using those until they get banned.
The best solution is more moderation, sadly. If trolls don't get a chance to be seen, they'll get bored and stop eventually. 

It might stop some of the spam at least? 

The problem with filling this place up with a load of busybody moderators is that you very quickly go from "just ban obvious spam/troll posts" to "ban opinions I don't like".

One person's "troll post" is another person's "terrible opinion but still an opinion".

Happens on every shitty forum with a lot of mods. We're better than that. 

At what point exactly did we all turn into such a bunch of pussies?

Back in the day, the quake community was a pretty fun, unfiltered place. You could say whatever, jerk about with each other, and it was all fine.

Some time in the last few years, everyone started getting offended by everyone else and rage-quitting, and setting up their own little safe quake spaces elsewhere.

Fucking millennials, I tell ya.

I imagine this post will get deleted for "spam", so whatever. 

You don't get to say "we" about "the quake community" without using your own name, you fucking moron. 

He should hurry up and create a login called "anonymous user" before its taken. 

I can't log in anonymouse, so I can't spam.
I'm trumpilized. 

Beef is fine, there's plenty of that that goes on with known people slagging each other off.

Repeated off-topic unaccountable sniping is less fine, and considerably less entertaining. 

Come on Shambler, don't be a fucking millenial pussy. Anon is the real deal. 

The idea that stopping anon trolls with registration is a totally and absolute folly. Trolls will create junk accounts if they have to, using gmx.net or create new gmail accounts or new Microsoft live accounts.

They did at QuakeOne when it was a, uh, fully operational site all the time.