Access for Guests

Has anyone here an opinion to express on privacy of content?

I opened up my site allowing Guests to browse everywhere except a Private Members Forum. I was later persuaded to exclude Guests from accessing the content of all posts without registering. At the same time, I made it very simple indeed to register (no confirmation of e-mail address).

Has this system been applied with success for others? If so, what was the experience thereafter? A serious fall in hits? A similar fall in guests, of course? A fall or a rise in registered members?

To explain further, my BB site is somewhat controversial. The posts contain some seriously heavy content on UK education issues. I took the view that a Guest can always see the title of threads and, if really interested, can register to comment. That seems fair.

What I really want to know is: do others think that's fair too?

Best wishes

SillyBoy :cool:

I think that is more than fair SB.

On my site, most forums are closed to guests, for the protection of minors, since it's an adult site and. Guests can see our site announcements, what's new and I have a special message for guests there as well. I left those open as an enticement to register. It works.
Not only has our new member count increased since implementing this, but they're active members. We found that the ones who read what is available and take the time to register are the ones who really want to participate.
It's been good for us

:wave: Yeah, babydoll, I love your site. It's certainly working for you because of the nature of your site.

I'm not sure it will work for me. Although we have only 30 members so far, a number PM'd me saying they felt inhibited in posting by the mere fact that guests could without registering read what they are saying. That seemed a fair point, to which I responded as advised.

I'm hoping that others with very different sites can tell me what to expect as a result.

I have not forgotten what you said about quality more than quantity. And that was, in my humble opinion, excellent advice for which I am very grateful.

At the end of the day, I don't care much whether these first sites are commercially successful. It is nice to see the hits zooming skywards, though. They have tapered off a little since I moved the BB to the US onto the same server as the static site. The BB is also operating a bit slower too since it is now on a virtual server rather than being on its own.

I've just gotta work out how to use CSS and how to set up a fluid header. Took your advice about custom avatars: found out what they are and eventually worked out how to customise them using Paint Shop Pro. Hopefully, they now match the site's colour scheme. How about taking a peek for me again and telling me what you think of my full night's work in recoloring the statusicons etcetera. http://www.education-issues.net

Best wishes (and respect!)

Mike :cool:

Mike

To set up a fluid header there you'd need to redesign your header images. There needs to be one that can be resized without distorting.

:wave: Thanks MM - but I think you meant to post this one on my other thread about fluid headers. I now understand what they are. But I am a long way from understanding how to set one up.

My logo of a silhouetted sad little boy against a stretched background of the sun is contextually important to the site. I would not have a clue how to do that as a fluid header but noppid has offered to help me out. Despite noppid's kindness, I am the type of guy who needs to understand what's important (comes from years at the sharp end of flying metal). :D

I'm gunna get the hang of it one day soon.

Meanwhile, do you have any comment on the subject of this thread, please? I would certainly value your opinion on the 'access for guests' issue.

Thanks again, MM

Regards

SB, or Mike if you prefer :)

I'm sure he commented on it here because you mentioned it above.

Oh good grief!. I am so sorry Music Man. My deepest apologies.

You are, as usual, quite right Oh Sweet One. You see, the post to you above, in which I have indeed mentioned fluid headers, was intended as a PM to you, Ohio, not as a post at all.

Then I came here to read MM's post and did not read above it.

As I said, what a Silly Boy I am.

I think I'd better stay off this board until I have had enough rest to at least appear as if I know what I am doing.

These days I'm gettin' so darned tired I don't have time ta clean me glasses so's I kin akkertually see what I be typin'!! :D

What an idiot ... fool ... daft twit ... mutter, mutter ... mutter, mutter ... mutter, mutter ... [as he fades into the distance to exit screen left]. :o

So solly

SillyBoy :(

Oh my goodness! Don't be that way... come back come back! Here... let me give you a http://www.exquisitelyerotic.net/forums/images/smilies/kfluffy.gif

does that help?

Well, heres my outlook on this, how are possible new members going to know what your site is about without being able to read some of the content? Why would you want to hide it? Unless you have a site that requires it?

98% of my site is viewable to guests, they just cannot post without registering. There are a couple sections that are private such as a moderators lounge, and a nudie bar, (for the boobs, man) and that's about it. Everything else is at least viewable if not useable for members.

like I was saying for my site... although it is not a porn site, there is still some content that minors should be protected from. Therefore, the Welcome Guests post, site announcements, and posts about hack features, new stories, and other things are open to the public but the rest of the site is hidden.
it hasn't hurt us in the least... since going this way, our registrations have increased as well a new member participation.

It definitely depends on the subject of the forum. On my forum guests can read everything and even post in about 50% of the sections. Once it gets a bit more active that is probably something I'll disable though, but as a way of enticing people to get involved I think it's a good way of doing things.

What I don't think is a good idea is to have absolutely zero guest access - like the boards you arrive at and are greeted with a big fat "login or get lost" message. Why would people sign up if they can't even see what the forum consists of, let alone the posts/posters on it?

I absolutely agree with that Dom.

I've set all my permission masks to allow guests to view the forum, but for some reason they can't.

Anyone got any suggestions?

admincp -> forums & moderators -> forum permissions

Check or verify Unregistered / Not Logged In setting for each forum you have set to 'can view forums'