[Debate] Guests Must Log-In

[sansri88]

The forum that I am the admin at is a private forum that we use for a game. We don't want anyone from outside the gang using or viewing the forum, so I've made it mandatory that anyone logs in when they visit the main page. Also, on my forum, accounts have to be approved by either myself or the global moderators to prevent anyone outside of our gang using the forum.

On another forum that I've used the admin hides certain threads while a game that we play is in progress. You can only access the thread if you're logged in, have the exact link to the thread, and have permission to view/post in it.

[Remarque]

If you have need of a secure forum, or a forum where some information you have you want to remain as a reward for signing up, then perhaps you would opt for GMLI.

However, guests probably won't sign up to a forum if they don't know what they're getting into.

[Harpsiccord]

It's better to make it so that only registered users can post. That'll cut down on the spam more than "guests must log in"

[+mW.peaches]

Jun 17, 2008 18:02:19 GMT -8 Harpsiccord said:

It's better to make it so that only registered users can post. That'll cut down on the spam more than "guests must log in"

It should already be default that only registered members can post/create thread, vote polls etc. In the exception of some boards which guest can post in like advertisement board, the administrator is willing to take the risk for guest to post, sometimes there will be no spam others might so it's all on administrator.

In my opinion the Guest Must Login is both good and bad, the good thing is that of course privacy of the content like you all mostly said and spamming, but I have to disagree on spamming because mostly guest can't post besides cBox, and/or a board that guest can post in. The bad side is that the guest won't be able to see what kind of site it really is, the content, the effort and everything and once they register and they decide not to join anymore it will just be annoying.

[theislandlives]

I think it depends on the purpose of your board. If it's something that only relevent to a specific group of people, like sansri88 talks about, then it makse sense to require everyone to log in.

However, if it's something that meant to be a more public forum, such as a discussion or roleplay forum, requiring guests to log in doesn't make sense. If they can't see what's on your forum, they're not going to know what it's about. Then, they'll either leave right off the bat, of sign up just to see what it looks like. If this is the case, you more likely to have a whole lot of inactive members on your hands. People who just sign up to see it, decide they don't like it, and then leave without deleting their account. If you want just a few boards hidden from guests, you can always just make them invisible to guests.

[.Euphonium.]

My views on this are simple. If I was a guest and was viewing a site to possibly join, I would want to look around for a while and get the feel of things, maybe talk to a member or two. But how is that possible when the forum is where guests must log in.

Simple way to fix this:
Make everything In Character as members only, but leave the public and Out Of Characters guest friendly. :] At least that’s what I always do. It’s more appealing that way and at least they can look around a bit more freely.

[K-K-K-Kirsty]

Well I’m all for guests not having to log in to view the board, as I have found when I am scouring proboards for another role play site to join and I can’t see what some boards contain it makes me wonder why people wouldn’t want you to see it because there is no posts there? There members aren’t good role players? They really haven’t got that many members?………

It just generally makes sense to let people see the whole site the only restriction I have on my sites is that they can’t view the out of character board as sometimes people post there MSN or personal details that they don’t want people to view, so it seems fair to do that.

[Gylfie107]

Here's my opionion:

I find making guest log in useless. But I can base many ideas off of it. I like to enable geusts to see the forum, but guest posting in a definant no-no on all my forums. It helps to prevent spam, and makes guests want to register.
I've found forums that let guests roam around and act like members. And they don't have members, just guests that go there and act like members. I've seen that problem more then it should happen.
On the contrary, Sometimes its good. Get a nice header/footer that they can see in the must log in page, fill it witha juicy plot, and they'll join it.

[matrix934]

That's a hard one. It's both good and bad. It protects you from plagiarizing, yet it could prevent the growth of your members. Why would you join a forum if you don't know what it's about. Your only leads are the skin and the title. I remember I read this somewhere on Proboards "It's like buying a book that you don't even know what it's about."

[SKiTTLEZ]

I think its stupid. Seriously, if you don't want a guest viewing a board, make it so only registered members+ can. And if you don't want them posting in a board, make it so only registered members+ can. And one last thing, don't you want people to look at the forum before they join? Are you just going to make someone sign up to view the site? I don't like that code.
But, this is just all my opinion.

[:~:Sarapha:~:]

The only time I put my forum in "Guest must log in" form is when there are spammings from guests who are proxying. Easier to ban them/delete their posts that way.

Other than that, I don't. Who wants to join a site without first seeing what it offers?

[palebird]

With the forums I own I have never made Guests to log in to view the forum, I think it's pointless to have the function. Maybe it could work on some sections on the forum (like fan art, spoilers ect) but for the whole forum just seems worthless.

[therevolution]

They should see if they like the forum, and then if they like it they can register. I'd feel honoured if someone plagarized my forum; it shows that they think of my work in high esteem.

Or I'm just a loony.

[hat48]

I allow guests to see what they want, they do have to sign up before they can post or vote in polls, not sure about letting anyone post, who know's what might go up!

I never realised it was so hard to structure a board, I tried but it has ended up a little cluttered and it is so time consuming to fix

Oh well, will get there one day ;D

[Owl]

well putting every board only to members takes long than to just put it to members so its easier to have it so u must log in.

Plus in you get some sort of chat box they can talk to online members.