@Buck, do you know how that forum software handles people that randomize their IP address?
I do not, sorry.
That's why I specifically added this part..
VPN's, Proxies and alternate username issues are one thing, but they've let people back in under the same accounts after being banned.
The Stopits type of persistence is definitely a separate problem, no question.
I just don't see why previously banned people are let back in with the same user names (there have been several - the behavior doesn't change much upon the return)
We even have a current user who has come back from being banned, has told Mike who he is, and he's still here.
On most forums, knowingly returning under a different name is grounds for an immediate ban of the new account also. The same should go for making multiple user accounts (if it's known of course)
It's just a shame that this forums "ignore/hide" doesn't do as complete of a "hide" as some other forums do.
I think if it did, more people would be perfectly content letting trolls yell into the ether as you'd never see it or be reminded they even exist (in terms of most recent post, or seeing their name still inline in the flow of the posts, etc).