I've looked all around and can't seem to find any information and thought I would ask here (especially since this is the website that initially put me on to Simple Machines).

Does anyone know how this forum set up the Newbie settings?  (post a certain number of posts, etc, etc, then get out of Newbie mode)

I thought at first it was connected to the Stop Spammer mod but the more I read the more it isn't.

Any thoughts from other forum admins?

.. my latest forum is a smashing success.. for spammers.  In two weeks I have 2 legit accounts and 756 spam accounts (and that's with blocking numerous IP addresses, ie 128.*.*.*).