NJDavid, very valid points, but my main objection is that the problem seems to be mainly on the DL board as I don't hear anyone mentioning major problems in the other boards. If DL is suffering a lot from this troll then perhaps it's time that the DL board is changed so it requires some kind of authorization to post to. I honestly don't think that a full blown verification system for FT is needed just because of one board.

What I personally think is that some people are just simply not used to the idea that Flyertalk has grown, the "good old days" are gone and we will soon be reaching 2 million posts. The days when Flyertalk was just 50 people being happy and merry are long gone, with growth comes many things we don't like and sadly large boards attract trolls. I host and maintain over 4 boards that are in size and traffic twice the size of Flyertalk and can assure you that the situation here is pretty amazing, the DL troll seems to be just one person if I am not mistaken, many boards have 100's of these people, rendering the board completely useless.

Have you considered that this thread is exactly what the troll wants? To be honest, I've read all current 3 pages on the DL board and actually fail to see the real problem, I see one poster who attracts a lot of attention and lot's of hassle given to the moderators who's every action is questioned and ridiculed. If you folks at the DL board didn't give this guy so much attention the problem wouldn't be there in the first place, trolls don't do well when they don't get attention.

The technical part of the verification is portrayed to be "easy", well UBB 5.47 doesn't have any system in place for user verification so it would either be a manual issue or would require a major rewrite of the membership code, people want to post NOW, not tomorrow when the payment is processed.

Flyertalk has become so big simply because anyone can post, shutting that down would be the end of the growth. I am pretty sure I never would have registered if I had to pass on my CC information.

So, IMHO let's not blow this out of proportion, it's ONE or maybe two people annoying you and I feel that does not warrant a verification system for everyone on Flyertalk. This troll is so persistent that a simple CC transaction isn't going to stop him. What if FT implements this and the troll simply pulls one of his cards to troll on again? Even then the legality of calling or writing him to stop is pretty vague. Would your system be required for ALL new members or ALL current members too? FT's membership numbers would drop like a brick.