[Debate] Password Protected Boards: Good or Bad?

[(0h 0h its magic)]

I also agree with the password protected boards. If some boards arent kept away from members and are made only for staff then how would you be able to keep your board in order? Members would know alot of things that the staff is doing. This is a great Idea!

[1fanofcharmed]

Yea I think that at least one board should be protected too, because it could be one place where only admins, or the staff could go and that would be cool I haven't made one for my board yet though.

[poeland]

I think It's a great idea. But if you forget passord and request a forgotten password like I have and never get it it can cause problems. Has for me.

[Lucky. C]

Yeah, I think password protected boards are needed. But I think besides it's a board for staffs only, the password is needed for a board who contains violence, sex, etc. Members who'd like to enter that board and do some stuffs like that have to PM the admin for the password. What do you guys think? Just thinking about it because I've seen that kind of password protected board like that before.

[Lord of Fire]

luckyc said:

Yeah, I think password protected boards are needed. But I think besides it's a board for staffs only, the password is needed for a board who contains violence, sex, etc. Members who'd like to enter that board and do some stuffs like that have to PM the admin for the password. What do you guys think? Just thinking about it because I've seen that kind of password protected board like that before.

Stuff like violence and sex aren't allowed on PB, not even when the content isn't immediately visible for regular members. If that is what the password-only feature is being used for, it only takes one member with access to it to put said forum at risk for deletion. If you know a forum that does this, you should report it to the TOS department.

[Lucky. C]

I'm a member of that RPG forum, but I don't enter the password protected board. It's only for character (member) who has lovers. All I know that lovers who go to that board will have some sort of...I don't know...maybe sex scene. After going there, the female lover will get pregnant. But honestly I don't know about the limit of the sex scene. In another forum, I also saw the same password protected board, but the admin tells in the rules about the limit of the sex scene, which means the lovers can only kiss, caress, not beyond that. But in the previous forum, it doesn't even have rules, so maybe lovers can do sex scene as they want to.

[Aussie]

In my honest opinion I think pasword protected boards are bad unless used as like enchant said for a common room. Not even as a prize, I simply wouldnt use them full stop. In my opinion it creates a sence of i'm better than you amongst forum members and then a divide, this is not good! A forum should be a place where everyone is equal even the staff.

So therefore I would not use password protected boards its a bad idea!

[drewen]

I run a Star Wars RPG. In it, I have created several different password protected boards for the individual alliances. I think that this feature is only appropriate for such. I do believe that you have the option as an administrator to hide boards from non- staff, but show them to staff. There is also the option to create categories specifically for the member groups.

[unistar]

I have a HP web site. I removed all the passwords for all the boards but two. I put in a code that allowes the members to go in without them but I have to update the code each time someone is sorted. I thought it would be a pain to do that, but once the code was done and everyone added it is simple and easy to add someone and it only takes a minute. The members love it. I left it on two of the hidden boards because the DE is suppose to try to find the Order and same goes the other way around. So the code wouldn't work for spys and that sort of thing. If a member tries to get into a house that is not theirs they are sent to a page where they are sent to detention in the Trophy room or off on some adventure. It is a big hit! I still believe in password protected boards but it is better when they can't be seen or found easily. lol

[WilburyMania!]

My friends forum, she has a Staff board... and theres a password subboard for "Admins". We have 2 admins and 1 moderator, so if me and her are discussing....stuff the mod doesn't need to know, we go in there.

[~»tobi«~]

I have many passworded boards . 2 staff boards , a planning board and my own staff info board . My regular member have no clue of their existance so have no interest in them .

[HoudiniDerek]

tobi said:

I have many passworded boards . 2 staff boards , a planning board and my own staff info board . My regular member have no clue of their existance so have no interest in them .

I am on one forum that has two password protected boards. One deals with contests and the like which has copyright material from each member. Then, there is one for threads that might be considered spam, against the TOS, etc. where we store them and look them over.

On another site where I am staff, there is an Elite RP section where you can RP outside the forum theme. Plus, there is a staff board there as well.

For the most part, I prefer all boards open to members as they are the reason the site is there to some degree. They should see what happens and have a say. I think that most things between staff can be digested in PM, but I can see the need for a staff board from time to time.

[~»tobi«~]

houdiniderek said:

tobi said:

I have many passworded boards . 2 staff boards , a planning board and my own staff info board . My regular member have no clue of their existance so have no interest in them .

I am on one forum that has two password protected boards. One deals with contests and the like which has copyright material from each member. Then, there is one for threads that might be considered spam, against the TOS, etc. where we store them and look them over.

On another site where I am staff, there is an Elite RP section where you can RP outside the forum theme. Plus, there is a staff board there as well.

For the most part, I prefer all boards open to members as they are the reason the site is there to some degree. They should see what happens and have a say. I think that most things between staff can be digested in PM, but I can see the need for a staff board from time to time.

I agree and my boards are totally open all except the staff boards and those are kept secret from members , only for the reason that I do not want them feeling " excluded " I also have an adon chat that is used just for staff meetings and mod training . That is in a passworded board .

[Ram-El Caluviel Luper]

I haven't really had a problem with this, but one thing that can become a problem is if one person gets a password for a board, but then shares it with un-approved people, then a bunch of people that shouldn't be in the passworded board get in there and then it is no longer like a pasworded board.

another problem is that in the place where is says the last ten posts a member made or whatever, even if the board is passworded and hidden, people (even guests) can still get in and bypass it altogether.

I wish that proboards would have it so that if a board is passworded, any recent posts made would not show up ANYWHERE cept for in the board itself.

[JenF]

I find it off putting at forums if I have to reach a certain amount of posts before giving the password. I'm less likely to post and actually reach it.

On my own forum it is only used, as mentioned before, for "common rooms" but no members are ever left out as they are automatically sent the password for one of the rooms.

I think if you use the password protect appropriately then you are less likely to offend