Your Comments Please

admin · Post by **admin** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:07 am

In an effort to keep members names from being picked up by the "net bots" I am giving strong consideration to require membership for viewing of all topic areas on the RickResource Forum.

I would be grateful for your comments with regard to this idea.

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:17 am

Mmmm, not sure. Cause in that case, how would the new members find out it's a nice place & decide to join in? Imho, of course.
Peter, could you please explain what does it mean - "members names being picked up by the "net bots""? Do you mean private messages to members from, say, "John Smith" who is supposedly also a member but in fact is "Sam Green" who's not a member? Or, is it possible to make private email addresses seen to logged-in members only, to avoid spam? (Not that i get any spam into my mail box, mind you, just a thought.)

admin · Post by **admin** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:27 am

Sheena, what I meant is that search engines scan the forum data such that members emails they can be "googled" by others. It is a concern to some who would rather not have their email any more public than it is already. Your point, however, is a good one. I also have liked the idea of a public forum.

leftyguitars · Post by **leftyguitars** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:32 am

I think that it is a good idea. We often leave ourselves open for outsiders to 'steal' private and personal information about ourselves.

Incidently, I get approx. 200 spams a day!!!

Just as an exercise Sheena, Google your own name and see how often it comes up for others to see.

dswp · Post by **dswp** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:51 am

Mixed feelings on that one.

I am here because of a Google search. However the extra privacy could prevent future problems.

phlemmy · Post by **phlemmy** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:53 am

I've mentioned this before, but I would like it if our names weren't posted, only our nicknames. More privacy here, the better.

8mileshigh · Post by **8mileshigh** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:02 am

"Just as an exercise Sheena, Google your own name and see how often it comes up for others to see."

I just did this quickly and apparently Sheena is .............a punk rocker

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:14 am

I don't have a problem with it at all, Peter. It would make the forum less 'public' but there may be ways around that - limited topics available for non-members to see and perhaps suppression of author display and no ability to view profiles.

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:20 am

Oh yeah, Peter... (that's not me, btw

and that's not me either: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheena,_Queen_of_the_Jungle).
Graham, we've recently discovered that Sheena is not a punk rocker. Back to the topic - i can understand your concern, Pete, but as i said, i didn't experience such problems, so i may not be the best person to judge about that.
My point is, a closed community (unseen by potential new members), no matter how big it is, may sooner or later come to a stage when there's nothing to discuss. Personally, i wouldn't have registered here if i hadn't seen what this place is about and what kind of people come here to discuss topics they're interested in. It's like, you know... "the door is closed - i'm not welcome".
Interesting topic, but i guess, a few more minutes and i'll be using the keyboard as a pillow...

But no matter what decision you'd take, Peter (MC), i'll approve it (i guess i would have no other choice, in fact).

Just expressing my point of view.

mgrendel2 · Post by **mgrendel2** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:55 am

Maybe we need just the usernames to view. Not all the info that is in the box to the left of the post, Maybe like the RIC site. I think this site is very good and Have never worried about my personal name. peace

86kubicki · Post by **86kubicki** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:58 am

Peter - I like the idea of going "private". It may mean more work for you as former lurkers are forced to apply for entry, but that should level off quickly.

winston · Post by **winston** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:06 pm

Peter,

You have my vote for private. I have received a number of unsolicited weird email messages from people who are not members and who are in possession of far too much information about gear that I own or have owned. That sort of thing can be a bit spooky.

simer4001 · Post by **simer4001** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:10 pm

Either way is fine with me.

lennon211 · Post by **lennon211** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:10 pm

I like the idea of going private as well. I did the Google search and there was all of my member profile info about 6 entries down. I don't mind anyone from here or other forums I belong to contacting me, but I don't see a need to have it all out there for random people.

lyle_from_minneapolis · Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:11 pm

We have the ability to keep our email addresses hidden, I believe, so that part is a matter of individual choice. Can a bot still find the email address?

Using our true names has potential to compromise our privacy--however, it is also what keeps us "real" and prevents the proliferation of posers who are not who they pretend to be. Another matter of individual choice.

If only members could read the forum posts, I reckon most of us would never have bothered to join. I definitely would not have. I vote to keep it open for view. If not, I would expect new members (say Mitch Easter for example) to become fewer and further between.