Should You Be Registered To Post?

Repeat after me: This is PHIL's site. This is PHIL's site. This is PHIL's site.

Casey:

You haven't been around all that long. On the old forum, there was a feature that allowed all users to see the IP address of the poster. This allowed those of us who were annoyed by some trolls who would bait us with fake questions or anonymously posted snide remarks to do a little detective work and figure out who they were.

There was one particularly annoying one, whom I dubbed "Pimpernel" (after the Scarlet Pimpernel). At some point, Phil felt the need to intervene, and posts from him stopped.

Registration is not going to stop someone like that. I've done some anonymous posting, as have others (and I know who some of you are). If I had to register to do what I wanted to do, I would have. I also would have made sure that my email address, PM, user profile, etc., were all turned off. It's not that hard.

Phil has set things up the way that he feels is best. It's his site. And while I appreciate that he DOES listen to our opinions, I don't think that this is a place where he will, nor should, let the majority rule.

I voted yes, but I'll explain why. I read the responses and using the responder's name or login, make a determination on what kind of trust I can put into the response. There are several members on this forum who you simply KNOW are steering you in the right direction. Others, although seldom, leave the impression that they may not really know the solution. Time and experience will often show which responders you should use to gather help or information.

Example: If I have an Omron question, I feel better seeing a response from Arik or Jay Anthony than I would from others. In depth answers about a process are accurately answered by Ron Beaufort, Allen Nelson, and Terry Woods, but what about "Guest"? Should I pursue Guest's course of action?

Seeing who is answering your question can be a handy way to start working out a problem.

Eric Nelson said:

I voted no, though I see YES is winning.

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Not anymore, it isn't, NO is the way to go!

I am with Allen on this one!

If a post is on a subject that doesn't interest me, I don't read it. It's as simple as that!

Paul

My vote was Yes

In reading many of the posts, I can understand the reasoning.

However, this is a forum. A forum is a public meeting for open discussion made up of individuals.

If you choose just to remain in the background and obtain information, then you shouldn't have to register. By not registering, you are not restricting access to the information that is already available.

If you are going to post a question or opinion, then I strongly support registration. You now become part of the forum...part of the discussion. You are now a contributor. Would you really want anonymous contributors that may offer an opinion but are not willing to stand behind what they say?

Also, when you register with valid, verifiable information, you increase you credibility.

Remember the reason for this season.

God Bless,

I vote for no registration necessary. I arrived at that conclusion by a rather perverse logic.

This is a public forum. I've said on a few occasions in the past that the information you get here is free and worth every penny. I don't say that to disparage any of the the information posted nor to malign the intelligence or motives of the people who post it. I say it to remind you that you are responsible for what you do with what you learn here. If you misinterpret or misapply anything you pick up here, the consequences are on your shoulders.

What does that have to do with whether or not you need to register before being allowed to post? Well, the unregistered guests, the trolls, and the pimpernels post often enough to remind us all that we need to examine anything we read here critically, that we need independently verify if the advice we get is applicable to our particular situation.

So, in a roundabout way the bogus posts serve a purpose. IMHO, there aren't so many of them posts that they're a problem, but there are enough to be a frequent reminder to be careful, and to not blindly trust everything you hear. Because even the people you've learned to trust can misinterpret your question and steer you in the wrong direction.

I vote no

I also voted no.

I have no particular reason, I just think registration is a nuisance. I'll register for the perks if I like a site well enough, but just to browse, no.

What the heck is a "snert"? Weren't those the evil green smurfs?

TM

Snert - A definition

Taken directly from Dictionary.com:

SNERT

"<abuse> A derogatory term commonly used on the Internet
ECHO BBS, echonyc.com, meaning to "make overtures of a
sexual nature". It implies terminal cluelessness."

Steve

PS. Sorry, no reference to Smurfs.

I Agree! unregistered posters are a PAIN!

I vote for a blood test and drug screening.

Since I don't see it as an option, I guess I'll vote "no."

I've worked as an administrator for a large gaming site called www.starlance.com. From my experiences there I found that no matter what lengths you go through to control a forum or chat group you will always have childish postings. This site has one main advantage in that most of the personel that visit here are typically mature intelligent people that merely wish to learn and share ideas. Every website that has registered access via email is easily bypassed by simply creating a free email account then removing that account after registeration. Simply put it accomplishes nothing. Therefore my vote would have to be NO its never worked as a deterrent in any of my experiences.

Snert is Hägar the Horrible's dog.

Anyone notice that Casey likes polls?

Rick Densing said:

Anyone notice that Casey likes polls?

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We could take a poll to see who noticed.

I do mean it as a good-natured ribbing.

Considering what I think went on last night, I rest my case.

REGISTERED with verifiable e-mail may have still let the troll in last night, but it might have deterred him.

Perhaps a poll is in order???

Would the troll have been deterred?

I'll let that one pass, go ahead Rick!

Anonymus99:

I Agree! unregistered posters are a PAIN!

Click to expand...

Right you are, LOL!

As I stated up front: QUOTE]Anyway...it is just a poll to get YOUR opinion, and to see if the majority once again disagrees with me.[/QUOTE]

And once again, they disagree with me, at least right now.

regards all.....casey

NOTICE: Open season on trolls!

If we had a real troll problem, I think different. Until that happens, I say let them in.