Registering vs. Anonymous

[Jason Dunn]

Those of you who have been with us a while will know the struggles we sometimes have with anonymous posters who feel insulting others is the best thing they can do with their time. Because of this, I feel that a true exchange of ideas will best be fostered by having a community of people who take the time to register to use it. There's something "fun" about anonymous comments, but the concept was abused too often. I hope you all agree that registration is a small inconvenience compared to the benefits involved for everyone. What do YOU think?

[entropy1980]

I agree registering is the only way to go, the only way to build a true community.

[Jason Dunn]

...of course, you'll notice that for some reason you DON'T have to register to post comments. Hmm. I could have sworn I had it set to force registration, but it looks like I still have a ways to go before I undertand phpBB fully. Oh well - enjoy it while it lasts! :roll:

(I do hope you all register though - it adds a lot of benefits for us both...)

[JohnnyFlash]

I am more than happy to register. It makes alot of sense, and I hope it cuts down on the garbage. Once again Jason, thank you for the great site.

[JohnnyFlash]

hey am i the first registered? sweet if i am..... yeah me!!! :P

[entropy1980]

oops that was me i forgot to log in....hmmm can't edit..... annonymous post.... doh!

[JohnnyFlash]

Of course, one man's joke is another man's obscenity. What makes one person laugh will make another weep in shock horror.

But registration is probably the best bet and since every other community I'm a part of requires registration, I don't see why this should be any different.

[JohnnyFlash]

It's not so bad... :twisted:

[JohnnyFlash]

Jason,

Actually I've never been confronted with unacceptable "thoughts" on your site, so I don't think this is an issue [although I don't read all threads].

PLease don't fall for overly political correctness of a swearwords-free community.

I've experienced several discussionboards where it certainly was necesserary to moderate the comments because the flaming disrupted the discussions.
However in the discussions on your site this isn't the issue [yet].
If this will happen in time you can always start with measures like obligatory registration. For now it's premature.

I think your community posters, all interested in PocketPC [why else visite this site ?], have too much in common concerning the subjects on this site. The only heated discussions [luke warm] are the ones concerning which hardware is better, with some true believers in certain brands.

So I think that unlike for instance Brighthand, with Palm and PocketPC "believers", the risk of disrupted discussions is very low and the few occurrances can be resolved with simply removing the unacceptable comments [which is your perogative because it is your site].


I think that in respect of the character of your site, a free exchange of thoughts concerning PocketPC related info, anonymous posting should be possible.

Actually most discussions on the internet [with or without registering] are anonymous. I can use each name I like to and register a many times I'd like if removed from the "acceptable posters" list.

[JohnnyFlash]

Well, as a nice boy I off course have registered.

:roll: Former thought was mine.

[JohnnyFlash]

Registration is okay as long as it is not an ardous process.

[JohnnyFlash]

While I like the idea of registration I am not sure it will achieve much as it only requires an easily obtainable generic email address like hotmail etc in order to register. Therefore if a user is banished from posting all they would need to do is obtain another easily obtainable hotmail address and re-register with a different username?

Should we not just do what I do with junk mail... ignore it?

[michael]

I don't see a problem with registering, it doesn't take any time to do and might make people stop long enough to think before posting some of the things we've seen before. Hopefully this new system will allow you to kill obscene/inappropriate messages that don't belong here.

[Mike P]

:wink:

[JohnnyFlash]

Having been in charge of a forum where two contributors started hurling legal threats at each other following a post by one which the other objected to (this is the United Kingdom, so no First Amendment protection) I strongly recommend forced registration which, assuming a valid email address, would at least have allowed me to talk to the people off-list and save the argument being played out in public to nobody's benefit.

[Andrew Duffy]

The profile page has a section for choosing an avatar image, but there is no file upload control. Am I missing something, or ar avatars disabled for traffic or another reason?

[Mr. Anonymous]

I whole-heartedly agree with registering to post and reply on these (and other) boards. It definately cuts down a bit on the random and abusive comments when a person has to put their name on what they wrote.

[fulltilt]

I think it is imperative to register, it binds the community together and enables better thought out exchanges/opinons/commentary.

But then that's only my 2cents.

[peterawest]

Jason, I've completed the registration. I'm glad you are leaning this way. By the way, do you plan to enable the use of Avatar's :?:

[JohnnyFlash]

Definitely a good idea. It will hopefully filter out some of the nameless cowards whose only purpose in life is to sling crap into online bulletin boards.

[JohnnyFlash]

I'm just waiting for MSN to get around to delivering the activation key...should get it about 3 months :( And yes, I know there are better email services out there :wink:

[James]

I think I'll die of shock...it was delivered in less than 10 minutes! A first! :o

[JohnnyFlash]

don't like it! posted many many times,,,you may have a person of great knowledge drop in for a quick look about, know some great insight, they'll want to impart is on all, but they don't do it cuz they dont want to hassel with the reg. then everyone misses out on a wonderful free exchange.

[JohnnyFlash]

Well, I registered just as a show of support. I am usually against forced anything, but I felt this site was of such high caliber and Jason is trying to keep it that way, that the best way I could support the community right now was by registering.

[JohnnyFlash]

Can you please confirm that you will preserve the confidentiality of our e-mail addresses so we don't end up being relentlessly spammed?? This is why I posted anonymously (and no, I was never disparaging of others).

[pocketmon]

Nuts. I registered my name but posted my first post and when i was done I realized it was posted as "guest". I figure i wasnt automatically logged in. My problem is that the "guest" name was still "pocketmon" but thats also my registered name.

I just dont like the idea that once you register a name that it doesnt lock that name out from ever being used by anyone else. So hopefully this becomes a "registered only" forum. Or at least you limit what "guests" can do. Oh well. :twisted:

[JohnnyFlash]

I really liked how the new thoughts were at the top and older thoughts were below. I hate the having to go to the next page or the dreaded last page to see the newest thoughts posted. Is this a limitation or choice. Just my two cents. Thank you for working so hard to get the site back up, I need this site everyday.

rod

[JohnnyFlash]

what about YOUR rude comments Jason???

[JohnnyFlash]

I would prefer not to register... but as long as my email address isn't available to be spamed even more than I get already.. I would do it.

I really love this site and missed you over the last week! I make sure I visit your site at least once a day to see what is new.

Congratulations on a great site!!!! :!:

[innersky]

I'd say go for it. Already a lot of people registered. That must mean something....

[JoeThielen]

I understand and agree with the argument that requiring registration would filter out some of the crap... but having to register on 20+ sites with usernames and passwords is something of a PAIN IN THE ARSE ;). Of course, that's what the PocketPC is for, isn't it!

Cartman: "But then, you have to have a password (for the PocketPC) to get to the password (CodeWallet Pro) to get to your passwords (PocketPCThoughts).

My voice is my password, veryify...me

[JohnnyFlash]

While at times i become annoyed w/ the number of web sites requiring a user to register before using the services a site provides, in this case i would not mind. However, I would encourage a specific and explicit privacy policy to be posted regarding how the information will be handled. I agreee that if another user wants to disrupt the message board and flame/send agrivating messaged to others a registration process isnt a full proof solution in terms of prevention, however, it is an added step which may deter some of this activity. As a regualr viewer of this site and a person who is knowledgeable about innapropriate/unwanted behavior on the internet, i would consider the extra secuity envolved with registering no to be a hassle.

[spg]

I would have to agree with you Jason. You can't have much of a community feeling if everyone has the name John Doe.

Congrats on getting the site back up as well! 8) My hat is off to you guys.

~Spencer Goad

[Hugh Nano]

Yes, registering seems like a good idea to me. Unfortunately, people sometimes need to be forced to be responsible. :cry: Nice board, and even nicer to see my favorite Pocket PC site back on-line! :D

[mmidgley]

Why are Guests allowed to post, and use the same poster name as a registered user? I only noticed this because I posted a couple times after clicking the enable link in the welcome email from registering and wanted to edit my messages...

m.

[Daniel]

Hi Jason,

I'm no expert on phpBB, but are you able to make some parts of the forum require registration and not others? You could then make it so that people could respond to your "daily news, views, rants and raves" without requireing registration but other parts of the forum could require registration.

I don't know of course, but it's just an idea.

Daniel

ps. I had the same problems with the avatar link in my profile. I entered a web address (thinking that's what was required) and nothing.

[JohnnyFlash]

Obviously, as I'm now registered, I don't mind. Actually, I think that if you can't stand behind your words, you probably shouldn't say them. (That's why I use my real name too.)

[Russ Smith]

Obviously, as I'm now registered, I don't mind. Actually, I think that if you can't stand behind your words, you probably shouldn't say them. (That's why I use my real name too.)


No, really. I am registered. See? :lol:

[Woodster]

If someone has anything constructive to say that we would all like to hear will take the time to register. It will keep out the "rift-raft".

[BadgerSoft]

I have to agree with restricting posting to registered users only. In this thread you already have an example of trolling which will be reduced. Not entirely eliminated, but reduced to more tolerant level.

You have enough to worry about with the new house. I'm about to go through the process myself (breaking ground on my new house this week I hope) and I'm not looking forward to it.

[Sven Johannsen]

Would have posted earlier, but had to go home where my registration e-mail awaited.

I always figured, that if I didn't want what I said attributed to me, maybe I shouldn't say it.

[Dave Conger]

I don't see the big deal with registering. It secures you the name you want, makes it so your messages can only come from you. I also think it is a great idea you allow people to post without registering. Often times I will just want to post one message on a board about a service, but don't plan to use their board much after that. For people that need help with a product, sometimes it isn't worth the hastle to register.

[DrtyBlvd]

Out of idle curiousity - is there a value of some form associated with the quantity of members proven by subscription/registration?

[JMountford]

Hey look I am a Drone!! hahaha
I think signing up should be a privilige I am happy to be number 101. :P

[Ketsugi]

Registration is a simple thing that hardly takes up a few seconds of your time, and I'm sure most of us who frequent PPCThoughts love this site so much that registration is something we'd do gladly (and indeed, for most of us, already have). And as an extension of that, I do hope you manage to restrict posting to registered users soon... unmoderated anything is rarely a good thing, even in the land of free speech. Of course, swinging toward the other end of the spectrum — over-moderation and authoritarianism — is not a good thing either. But I trust you (Jason) and the PPCThoughts team to do a good job of this.

[CoffeeKid]

Make 'em all register Jason. Even to view :wink:

Seriously, make everyone who wants to post, register. Then ban the idjits who just troll. Eventually they'll

a) get tired of always having to find a new email addie to use
b) get tired of the reg process even if they use unlimited hotmail accounts
c) continually prove the lack of a real social life they have :)

[Ketsugi]

I have sufficient faith in the plain stupidity and idiocy of humankind in general that I am sure we will see a lot of that third option. :o

[Kevin Tea]

Jason

Registration should be willingly accepted by the people who enjoy the site. However, as someone who ran forums on CompuServe, be prepared for the cretinous morons who like nothing more than juvenile attempts at beating the system to log in with easily available free accounts. This will probably mean even more work for you, but hey, for someone who can run this forum, have a job, get married, move into a new house and keep the wife happy, that should be dead easy!

PS, good to have you back up and running.

[Rob Alexander]

Hi Jason,

Good to have you guys back! I didn't mind registering here because I visit the site all the time. But I do think you lose a certain amount of legitimate discussion when you require registration. I can think of lots of times I've read something elsewhere and had a comment to offer, but decided it was just too much trouble to go through the whole registration thing. But it really all depends on what you want the board to be. If you like having comments from casual visitors (including the less appealing sort), then you probably don't want registrations. If you want more of a regular visitor community, then registration is a good idea.

Cheers,

Rob :)

[bbarker]

I support the idea of registering in order to post comments or vote in polls.

[JoeThielen]

Cool, they're enabled! Woo hoo!

...Sorry all... just got momentarily excited... :twisted:

[Paragon]

I like the idea of registering, if for no other reason it provides consistancy.
I posted something to this effect on BH a while back. When someone posts using the same name you get to have a feel for who they are and some idea of what their qualifications are to answer a question you may have posted.

Anyone who has been posting on boards on the internet has likely made friends along the way. That is why I like discussion boards over news groups, boards tend to be a little more social. When someone posts as guest I'm never quite sure which of the few thousand guests it is.

Of all the people I have gotten to know over the internet none are called "guest"

Just my humble opinion.

Dave