An explanation of the "New Scratcher" status

jvvg

When you joined the website, you may have noticed that your user profile says “New Scratcher”. If you haven't, it looks like this:

Anyway, you may find this annoying, because it has a few restrictions. Before making a topic asking how to get rid of it, please read this brief post about it. Check out the wiki article for more information.

Why it's here
The short answer is to prevent spam.
The longer answer is that this arose out of an actual situation that occurred. A while ago, a bunch of trolls created disposable accounts that posted inappropriate images all over the Scratch forums. In order to prevent that from happening again, the Scratch Team decided to create the “New Scratcher” status, so that in order to have the privileges that could lend themselves to trolling or spamming, users would actually have to show that they use the site for real and wait around a little bit. Unless a troll were extremely dedicated (which is exceedingly rare), he or she would get bored and move on before being able to cause any significant damage.
In addition to this, specifically for studios and cloud data, because of the potential for abuse of those features, the Scratch Team wants to make sure everyone using them has good intentions and is aware of how to use them properly.

Restrictions

Can't use cloud data
Have to wait longer between posts
Can't edit forum posts after leaving the page
Can't post links to any non-Scratch site on the forums
Have to wait 30 seconds between comments
Can't post images on the forums
Have a somewhat stricter censor applied their comments, which can result in being muted more easily
Cannot create studios

How to get rid of it
I knew the criteria on the old website, and it involved the amount of time you were registered, the number of projects you had, the number of comments you had, and the last time you visited the forums. In order to prevent this information from being abused, I am not going to list the exact numbers for each. On this website, the criteria are very similar, but may have a few changes.
Just be active, create some projects, post constructive comments on peoples' projects, and generally be helpful around the site, and you will eventually find a link on your profile that says “Become a Scratcher”. Click it, and you will be promoted.

Any questions? Just reply to this thread!

Please notify me on my profile of any incorrect/outdated information!

Last edited by jvvg (Aug. 20, 2021 00:45:03)

Professional web developer and lead engineer on the Scratch Wiki
Maybe the Scratch Team isn't so bad — Why the April Fools' Day forum didn't work last year

D_Coff

jvvg wrote:
Restrictions
Can't use cloud data
No signature (?)
Have to wait longer between posts
Can't edit/delete own posts

Ticks me off because I've been using the software for years, and just never got around to making a Scratch accountd, so when I do I get restrictions placed on my account??????

And if the problem is “bots” then how about solving that with an anti-bot mechanism (eg. CAPTCHA)?

jvvg

D_Coff wrote:
jvvg wrote:
Restrictions
Can't use cloud data
No signature (?)
Have to wait longer between posts
Can't edit/delete own posts

Ticks me off because I've been using the software for years, and just never got around to making a Scratch accountd, so when I do I get restrictions placed on my account??????

And if the problem is “bots” then how about solving that with an anti-bot mechanism (eg. CAPTCHA)?

From what I see, your account has only been registered for about 2 weeks.

Also, I have plenty of experience in trying to stop bots, and they have been able to get around CAPTCHAs and almost everything I put in their way. And even if there were a mechanism to stop every single bot, this wouldn't stop a real person from creating an account and trolling the website. While this system is kind of annoying, it has been extremely effective.

Ernali wrote:
Let me tell you - You cannot input the signature if the rank is New Scratcher.

Thank you for letting me know - the topic post has been updated accordingly.

Professional web developer and lead engineer on the Scratch Wiki
Maybe the Scratch Team isn't so bad — Why the April Fools' Day forum didn't work last year

Suspenders101

really? Im a new scratcher and I have a signature

jvvg

Suspenders101 wrote:
really? Im a new scratcher and I have a signature

Oh, I was just copying what the details were on the old website. I guess they've lightened up some. I'll update the post accordingly.

Professional web developer and lead engineer on the Scratch Wiki
Maybe the Scratch Team isn't so bad — Why the April Fools' Day forum didn't work last year

dsaztur

Suspenders101 wrote:
really? Im a new scratcher and I have a signature

I think it's some sort of bug. You should be a Scratcher by now, you're pretty active.

no

chocolatepenguin

dsaztur wrote:
Suspenders101 wrote:
really? Im a new scratcher and I have a signature
I think it's some sort of bug. You should be a Scratcher by now, you're pretty active.

I'm quite active and one of the first scratchers to register on 2.0 and I'm a New Scratcher.

Last edited by chocolatepenguin (June 3, 2013 20:03:48)

Lightnin

The transition code hasn't been deployed yet - we've just finished the first pass. It will go out this Thursday when we deploy this week's updates and fixes. After that, everyone who is eligible will be invited. They'll see a link on their profile page that they can click to start the transition. (And later on, eligible New Scratchers will get a message alerting them to the invitation as well.)

Making the transition be a brief but hopefully significant ritual is something we've been thinking about for a while - and we may end up doing some refinements to what goes out on Thursday. So we'll be interested in hearing your thoughts on it.

datbronyproductions

i have another not new account, would it be possible for you to be able to enter your account user and password if you created an account so that people would not get annoyed by what you posted if you posted on your normal account? (i have a survey that i released on this one, but i will wait)

WE STRIVE FOR THE BEST!
And the pony related.

letmethink_test

Ahh, thanks for posting this by the way.

EDIT: what are the restrictions on editing?

EDIT2: However I can verify that the other three are correct. Post time is obvious, cloud data brings up something that says to wait and be active before cloud data edits are changed and here ([url=google.com]here[/url]) is a test to link to a non scratch site.

Last edited by letmethink_test (June 8, 2013 09:47:39)

chocolatepenguin

jvvg wrote:
Any questions? Just reply to this thread!

Please notify me of any incorrect/outdated information!

New Scratchers have to wait 30 seconds between comments.

jvvg

chocolatepenguin wrote:
jvvg wrote:
Any questions? Just reply to this thread!

Please notify me of any incorrect/outdated information!
New Scratchers have to wait 30 seconds between comments.

Thanks for letting me know. I updated the first post.

letmethink_test wrote:
Ahh, thanks for posting this by the way.

EDIT: what are the restrictions on editing?

EDIT2: However I can verify that the other three are correct. Post time is obvious, cloud data brings up something that says to wait and be active before cloud data edits are changed and here ([url=google.com]here[/url]) is a test to link to a non scratch site.

According to the bugtracker…
"NS cannot edit their posts (or titles of their posts) after initial page load of post"

Professional web developer and lead engineer on the Scratch Wiki
Maybe the Scratch Team isn't so bad — Why the April Fools' Day forum didn't work last year

letmethink

jvvg wrote:
chocolatepenguin wrote:
jvvg wrote:
Any questions? Just reply to this thread!

Please notify me of any incorrect/outdated information!
New Scratchers have to wait 30 seconds between comments.
Thanks for letting me know. I updated the first post.

letmethink_test wrote:
Ahh, thanks for posting this by the way.

EDIT: what are the restrictions on editing?

EDIT2: However I can verify that the other three are correct. Post time is obvious, cloud data brings up something that says to wait and be active before cloud data edits are changed and here ([url=google.com]here[/url]) is a test to link to a non scratch site.
According to the bugtracker…
"NS cannot edit their posts (or titles of their posts) after initial page load of post"

If you look, the new-scratcher there has actually edited their post, try to explain that.

I can't be bothered to make a signature. Seriously, who has time to write these things? I have stuff to do, games to make, and you expect me to write a big, long signature? I'm not your slave. You can't tell me what to do, so no, I WON'T write a signature.

Oh, wait…

letmethink_test

I realised what the bug was. You can edit your posts as long as you stay on the same page as when you posted it, don't leave the page.

Edit: Look below, I could edit it.

Edit, found a glitch with editing

Last edited by letmethink_test (June 9, 2013 18:58:01)

joshuaho

letmethink wrote:
jvvg wrote:
chocolatepenguin wrote:
jvvg wrote:
Any questions? Just reply to this thread!

Please notify me of any incorrect/outdated information!
New Scratchers have to wait 30 seconds between comments.
Thanks for letting me know. I updated the first post.

letmethink_test wrote:
Ahh, thanks for posting this by the way.

EDIT: what are the restrictions on editing?

EDIT2: However I can verify that the other three are correct. Post time is obvious, cloud data brings up something that says to wait and be active before cloud data edits are changed and here ([url=google.com]here[/url]) is a test to link to a non scratch site.
According to the bugtracker…
"NS cannot edit their posts (or titles of their posts) after initial page load of post"
If you look, the new-scratcher there has actually edited their post, try to explain that.

New scratchers can edit posts at this point…

College student studying Communication and Fire Technology, communication lab tutor, guitar and piano player, perfectionist, and just some guy who regularly eats and trains physically to stay healthy.

jvvg

joshuaho wrote:
letmethink wrote:
jvvg wrote:
chocolatepenguin wrote:
jvvg wrote:
Any questions? Just reply to this thread!

Please notify me of any incorrect/outdated information!
New Scratchers have to wait 30 seconds between comments.
Thanks for letting me know. I updated the first post.

letmethink_test wrote:
Ahh, thanks for posting this by the way.

EDIT: what are the restrictions on editing?

EDIT2: However I can verify that the other three are correct. Post time is obvious, cloud data brings up something that says to wait and be active before cloud data edits are changed and here ([url=google.com]here[/url]) is a test to link to a non scratch site.
According to the bugtracker…
"NS cannot edit their posts (or titles of their posts) after initial page load of post"
If you look, the new-scratcher there has actually edited their post, try to explain that.
New scratchers can edit posts at this point…

What at least should be the rule (i.e. what the Scratch Team tried to implement, not my personal opinion) is that once you leave the page after posting something, you can't edit it. The code may not work completely, but that is the rule that is supposed to be in place.

Professional web developer and lead engineer on the Scratch Wiki
Maybe the Scratch Team isn't so bad — Why the April Fools' Day forum didn't work last year

gdpr29d59c4578b8c11b8198b49f

The new scratcher promotion system is in now. I have only been on two weeks but have been very active with making projects, comments on other people's projects, etc. So if you want to be an official scratcher, just be very active with love-its, favorites, comments, and posting projects.

joshuaho

jvvg wrote:
joshuaho wrote:
letmethink wrote:
jvvg wrote:
chocolatepenguin wrote:
jvvg wrote:
Any questions? Just reply to this thread!

Please notify me of any incorrect/outdated information!
New Scratchers have to wait 30 seconds between comments.
Thanks for letting me know. I updated the first post.

letmethink_test wrote:
Ahh, thanks for posting this by the way.

EDIT: what are the restrictions on editing?

EDIT2: However I can verify that the other three are correct. Post time is obvious, cloud data brings up something that says to wait and be active before cloud data edits are changed and here ([url=google.com]here[/url]) is a test to link to a non scratch site.
According to the bugtracker…
"NS cannot edit their posts (or titles of their posts) after initial page load of post"
If you look, the new-scratcher there has actually edited their post, try to explain that.
New scratchers can edit posts at this point…
What at least should be the rule (i.e. what the Scratch Team tried to implement, not my personal opinion) is that once you leave the page after posting something, you can't edit it. The code may not work completely, but that is the rule that is supposed to be in place.

Yeah.

College student studying Communication and Fire Technology, communication lab tutor, guitar and piano player, perfectionist, and just some guy who regularly eats and trains physically to stay healthy.

chocolatepenguin

jvvg wrote:
What at least should be the rule (i.e. what the Scratch Team tried to implement, not my personal opinion) is that once you leave the page after posting something, you can't edit it. The code may not work completely, but that is the rule that is supposed to be in place.

Is that just for New Scratchers?

joshuaho

chocolatepenguin wrote:
jvvg wrote:
What at least should be the rule (i.e. what the Scratch Team tried to implement, not my personal opinion) is that once you leave the page after posting something, you can't edit it. The code may not work completely, but that is the rule that is supposed to be in place.
Is that just for New Scratchers?

Yes.

College student studying Communication and Fire Technology, communication lab tutor, guitar and piano player, perfectionist, and just some guy who regularly eats and trains physically to stay healthy.

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