You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

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pilonv1
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by pilonv1 »

Transvestite Wasp wrote:
Twiztid Elf wrote:I suspect we have non-members who read here still, or even old, old ODWF/playnow members who are casual observers.
At least one. I've been observing you fine folk since the ODWF days.
Yet we're not fine enough to engage with? :talezcry:
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by Transvestite Wasp »

pilonv1 wrote:Yet we're not fine enough to engage with? :talezcry:
I wouldn't dare sully the discussion.
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by pilonv1 »

p. sure it can't get much worse
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by Cletus »

I think the lesson here is anyone who wants to can still read and participate in the forum. :up: Actually more can since registrations were opened again.

You can still hide your online status via your profile. It's still pretty much lurking for the lurkers.
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by K.T.Shoe[BMs] »

So we're not allowed to lurk anymore...
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by Ambrose Burnside »

It's annoying.
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by Gamma »

Cletus wrote:Not sure why anyone would be concerned over non posting, unsigned people being unable to lurk and read the content. If they want to read the forums they can sign up or sign in or they don't read the forums. We've closed public viewing and opened registrations. I like the idea of those "members" who no longer participate having to sign in now. I also think there's an increased incentive to sign up now. Time will tell.

Personally I think not having everything public is a better option.

Anyway, sometimes things change.
What do you find better about the forums not being public? Anyone can make an account, it's not like this makes forum conversation private. All that's really changed from the perspective of existing users is the extra login step, which is difficult to see as a benefit.

I'm not advocating lurker rights or anything, I just figure we'd be more likely to get new members on board if they could have a bit of a read first. Long time lurkers may create an account to continue doing so, but why would a potential member who happened across the site today bother to join? Usually if I run into a page that asks me to create an account before I can see what's on offer, I just close the window and move along. If the aim is to gain members, we'd do well to remove as many barriers to entry as possible.

Reopening registrations is great and I hope we get some new members (that aren't gag accounts, though I'm looking forward to them too). I just don't see any positives to requiring a login to view the forums and would be interested in knowing what prompted the change.
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by pilonv1 »

K.T.Shoe[BMs] wrote:So we're not allowed to lurk anymore...
p. sure you can, just log in and set your profile to invisible
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by General Chaos »

Gamma wrote:
Cletus wrote:Not sure why anyone would be concerned over non posting, unsigned people being unable to lurk and read the content. If they want to read the forums they can sign up or sign in or they don't read the forums. We've closed public viewing and opened registrations. I like the idea of those "members" who no longer participate having to sign in now. I also think there's an increased incentive to sign up now. Time will tell.

Personally I think not having everything public is a better option.

Anyway, sometimes things change.
What do you find better about the forums not being public? Anyone can make an account, it's not like this makes forum conversation private. All that's really changed from the perspective of existing users is the extra login step, which is difficult to see as a benefit.

I'm not advocating lurker rights or anything, I just figure we'd be more likely to get new members on board if they could have a bit of a read first. Long time lurkers may create an account to continue doing so, but why would a potential member who happened across the site today bother to join? Usually if I run into a page that asks me to create an account before I can see what's on offer, I just close the window and move along. If the aim is to gain members, we'd do well to remove as many barriers to entry as possible.

Reopening registrations is great and I hope we get some new members (that aren't gag accounts, though I'm looking forward to them too). I just don't see any positives to requiring a login to view the forums and would be interested in knowing what prompted the change.
Ideally I would like randoms to be able to see the forums and topics but registration required to read certain stuff. Lestat made a bit of a change shortly after lockdown so non users can at least see what forms we have but I think our forum software is a bit limited in what we can do.
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by emptyvessel »

Vince wrote:What/where is Freemasons?
Seconded. (although I'm a serious lurker, but I've been around since the PN days)
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by K.T.Shoe[BMs] »

pilonv1 wrote:
K.T.Shoe[BMs] wrote:So we're not allowed to lurk anymore...
p. sure you can, just log in and set your profile to invisible
Hmmm... prefer to be able to look at the forum as a guess, and if I want to post something then I log on. Anyway, that's my preference 8)
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by t0mby »

K.T.Shoe[BMs] wrote:
Hmmm... prefer to be able to look at the forum as a guess
You can guess as much as you like, no one is stopping you.

However, don't get all smarmy with your "I told you so's" unless you predict more Nintendo failures, at which point proceed!
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by Cletus »

Freemasons access granted to
Mavy
Vince
Edgecrusher
Emptyvessel

Freemasons access revoked for
t0mby
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by t0mby »

So I can only see the fake one now? Hmmmph, fine.
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by Twiztid Elf »

There is of course Freemasons, but then there is the next level deep. Isn't there another uber secret-handshake forum? ;)
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by lestat »

Elf first rule of fight club...
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by t0mby »

Twiztid Elf wrote:There is of course Freemasons, but then there is the next level deep. Isn't there another uber secret-handshake forum? ;)
Is that the 'Snide Personal Attack Support & Cuddles' forum? Yeah, Nah. :P
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by Ambrose Burnside »

OK, so there is one benefit of having to be logged in to view the forums.

I'll never see another GameHED post again! :D
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by Brown Hornet »

Yep, certainly worked to get this long time lurker (ODWF/PN era) to sign in.
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by Deef »

Isn't there the obvious issue with the new system: After a few weeks, any previous lurker who hasn't registered isn't going to, while any future lurker who might register is no longer able to exist. Show of hands who has ever signed up for a forum they couldn't even check out first.
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Re: You gotta be logged in to see the threads now?

Post by General Chaos »

That is the obvious problem.

Ideally you would lock it down but show thread titles at a minumum so people who trip over the site would be able to get a feel for what it offers. Maybe even leave the Games section open for lurking access.

This is something that the current software doesn't allow for.

Leave it with me I'll contact Elliot.
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