Opening up the site to guests

1416 Views 15 Replies 8 Participants Last post by WebSlave, Oct 18, 2003

WebSlave

Discussion Starter · Sep 22, 2003

After due reflection, I have removed the requirement for visitors and guests to have to register first before being able to post messages on this site. I am seeing a LOT of people visiting here, but may be reluctant to register in order to participate. This requirement has now been lifted.

This will be a trial period to see what happens.

Please feel free to join in. Let me know if you need anything from me.

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

Rich Z

· #2 · Sep 24, 2003

You know, on second thought, I don't think this is such a hot idea. I just had a clash with a troll on a couple of the usenet forums, and I would just as soon keep that sort of stuff left on the front doorstep.

So no, if someone can't be bothered to register here, then to hell with them. Eventually the trolls will come here, and I want to be able to put the brakes on them as needed, when needed.

Oh well.

USENET hasn't changed much, it appears.

Bolo

· #3 · Oct 1, 2003

Rich, I think a Troll followed you back here

Mr "Unregisterd" is posting a whole lot of opinionated unsubstantiated crap in the last few days... his posting style reminds me of a couple of different Trolls encounterd on various forums. = Confrontive, negative, can't tell yet if he's simply an ignorent "armchair" bookballastition or or just constipated.
Invite him to Join up, if he continues to 'snipe' this forum, :flamethr: :bomb: :kill: :uzi:

Just my personal take on the developing situation, but $*it draws flies.

Darin Chappell

· #4 · Oct 1, 2003

I enjoy the actual arms talk. I appreciate all of the various perspectives, experiences, and knowledge. I am not terribly impressed with all of the chest thumping that has transpired here for the last couple of days.

Some of it reminds me of those guys who sit at the bar at the EM club on post and tell you how tough they are. It's usually right after they had their eighth beer with a JD chaser, because their wife henpecks them at home. Sooner or later, they get loaded enough to actually begin to believe their own brand of bull, and they pick on someone who isn't impressed with their "hand to hand ranger training." Immediately thereafter, the MPs show up and the loud mouth is making his slurred complaint through a couple of broken teeth.

I could do without all of that ridiculous behavior here. This site ought to be about the fun and joy of shooting/weapons ownership and the expression of our civil rights, IMHO. So whatever it takes to keep that garbage off, is fine by me.

Rich Z

· #5 · Oct 1, 2003

It could be MUCH worse, so for now I am not concerned about it. Everyone is free to read or not read what someone else posts in here.

I have been seeing a LOT of people visiting this site since I started the AltaVista advertising, but few sticking around to register. I thought perhaps the registration process might be too burdensome, and since we have only been online for less than 2 weeks, I don't want to chase away someone whom might have something of value to offer here.

I am paying a fair chunk of change to get people to this site, so I want the atmosphere to be non-confrontational as much as possible, hoping more people will think this site is worth coming back to. So far I think Mr. Unregistered is just voicing his opinions and has strong points of view, but nothing I see to become concerned over. He is probably no less opinionated than I am, and I certainly don't want to hold that against anyone.

Tolerance, please. We have a long way to go before we have a strong nucleus of "regulars" in here.

Thanks.

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G-lock

· #6 · Oct 1, 2003

I don't really care for "Unregistered's" posts myself, but that is the kind of stuff that you will get on an internet gun board.

The concern I have about guests posting as "unregistered" is that we don't know who is doing the posting. There could be 4 or 5 guests posting and we have no way of knowing who is who.

CAV

· #7 · Oct 1, 2003

Chest thumper....guilty as charged

Some of it reminds me of those guys who sit at the bar at the EM club on post and tell you how tough they are. It's usually right after they had their eighth beer with a JD chaser, because their wife henpecks them at home. Sooner or later, they get loaded enough to actually begin to believe their own brand of bull, and they pick on someone who isn't impressed with their "hand to hand ranger training." Immediately thereafter, the MPs show up and the loud mouth is making his slurred complaint through a couple of broken teeth.

Come on Darin, you know that every Taxi driver in every military town is a retired "special forces SGM"! (You don't even have to ask 'em, they are more than happy to tell you all about it)

The concern I have about guests posting as "unregistered" is that we don't know who is doing the posting. There could be 4 or 5 guests posting and we have no way of knowing who is who.

I agree completely. There have been a couple of "unreggies" that have been thoughtful and knowledgeable and a couple of real [email protected] One and the same? Don't know.....

Rich Z

· #8 · Oct 1, 2003

So far it hasn't been too bad. I have only had to delete one message from some troll. I will make changes as necessary if I see things getting out of hand.

Thanks.

WebSlave

Discussion Starter · #9 · Oct 2, 2003

Well, after deleting a handful of troll-like messages here, I have decided to make this a registered members only site. Sorry about this, but I can see where I will have significant problems here otherwise.

Although I would like to have built up traffic more first, I think the trolling will chase away more people then completely free and open posting will attract.

I don't have the time to patrol each and every thread looking for problems beginning to flare up. At least with the registered user approach, I can quickly weed these out by simply deleting the problem user.

Hope you all understand and concur with my decision.

Thanks.

G-lock

· #10 · Oct 2, 2003

I'm glad you did it. One of those guys was really irritating. At least now I can use the "ignore" feature if he registers.

CAV

· #11 · Oct 2, 2003

It did provide some comic relief for a couple of days but it is really starting to become aggravating. I think this is the best course of action, Rich.

anodes

· #12 · Oct 2, 2003

Webslave, I concur and was in fact expecting it after detecting the first post.
anodes.

WebSlave

Discussion Starter · #13 · Oct 17, 2003

Well, since implementing the registration requirement it appears that posting has dropped off considerably.

What to do?

I want this site to generate enough traffic to reach critical mass, yet want to have some sort of control over just plain abuse.

I guess I'm not sure what the best course of action is.

Controlling abuse is easy if there is no traffic, but what would be the point then ......

Texas Atrox

· #14 · Oct 17, 2003

Rich,

I believe you should stick to making folks register if they want to post. I can see where it is kind of a double edged sword but having to register sure cuts out a lot of the bs spewing some see so eager to do when afforded anonymity.

Dave

Rich Z

· #15 · Oct 17, 2003

I'm still debating this issue with myself. I did not enable the email verification for registrations here, so using a false name is no problem for someone to use during signup. I must admit that it is real confusing seeing an argument among several people all named "Unregistered", so even the minimal registration I am requiring isn't all that burdensome, I would think.

Maybe we just need to liven up the conversations a little bit to get people involved. I've got a few topics I want to bring up myself, so maybe I need to just do that real soon.

WebSlave

Discussion Starter · #16 · Oct 18, 2003

I have decided to just open this site to unregistered guests and let the chips fly. I've been spending too much money bringing people to this site and very few are sticking around. So I'm opening the doors and just let whatever happens, happen.

It doesn't appear that the small core of people here now are going to be enough to get this site up to critical mass any other way.

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

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