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I'm not sure if this is by design, as I haven't been reading the forums in a while, but golly, it sure would increase the userbase a whole load if non-registered members were allowed to view threads :)

It is by design.  From Mr. Nanto himself: "One change that I just made is that Guests are no longer welcome to browse the forum.  This will help in preventing spambots/robots/search engines to screw with my forum bandwidth."

Given the recent annoyances, I don't mind if folks have to register to browse.

I acknowledge, however, that we will lose MANY casual viewers.

At this point, however, I don't care about all the casual drive-bys...I'd rather have lurkers register.  :pcgs:

Mortis, comrade, we still love you.  :pcgs:

when you look at who's online it still has guests browsing the forum though and viewing specific threads so I'm a little confused by this

Quote from: PunkCryborg on 11/14/2013, 01:46 PMwhen you look at who's online it still has guests browsing the forum though and viewing specific threads so I'm a little confused by this

Word.

I saw the guests viewing as well...  can you maybe get to a thread from a Google search, but can't navigate in site?  If somehow that was true, that would be great.

The problem is that without giving people any ability to view the forum, there is not any motivation to get them to sign up.  When they get a taste of what is out here, then they may want to get involved in the forum discussions.

I suppose the counter-argument to that is that 85% of new users are awful.

I like the idea, but it's a terrible change.

As Clash said, there's no motivation to sign up. I've NEVER joined a forum without lurking for two weeks to two years first. A lot of noobs suck, but we have to give people a chance. Sometimes this place gets like an old coot's drinking club. Close the sale threads to non-registered users, but keep the main forums and repair section open.

Perhaps locking the sales thread like VestCunt stated, and maybe add "raffles" as a sub-section of "sales."

People joining up solely for raffles is pretty awful too.

Yeah, I suppose it would be nice for some new folks to join.

EXCEPT EVERYBODY SUX MY LEFT ONE.

Quote from: guest on 11/17/2013, 01:39 PMAs Clash said, there's no motivation to sign up. I've NEVER joined a forum without lurking for two weeks to two years first. A lot of noobs suck, but we have to give people a chance. Sometimes this place gets like an old coot's drinking club. Close the sale threads to non-registered users, but keep the main forums and repair section open.

Oh wow, that's a great idea to be honest! I think what would really entice folks to register would be access to the repair/mod forums. I just feel a little bad that folks aren't able to read those given that it's really hard to get your account validated these days :(

Oh and esteban, that's a big relief! :D Pooh.

Hell, I used to lurk here for years before Mathius and Beemer convinced me to sign up at MGC. I think there's value to have some of it accessible, not to mention the fact that it generates ad revenue (right?)

If the BB software allows it I like the idea of opening up certain parts of the forum to the public (general discussion, etc) but locking everything else down. Especially sales threads because non-believers don't deserve to benefit from the kindness of forum members.

Also, what other forums are entirely closed to non-members? Where's the precedent? WHO DOES THAT? Nobody. WTF.

Quote from: guest on 11/17/2013, 05:36 PMAlso, what other forums are entirely closed to non-members? Where's the precedent? WHO DOES THAT? Nobody. WTF.

Very few places do this.

It's completely unnecessary and it's the reason I only post like once a year.

Granted I'm no amazing poster, but it's a retarded policy.

Quote from: coryoon on 11/22/2015, 12:29 PM

Quote from: guest on 11/17/2013, 05:36 PMAlso, what other forums are entirely closed to non-members? Where's the precedent? WHO DOES THAT? Nobody. WTF.

Very few places do this.

It's completely unnecessary and it's the reason I only post like once a year.

Granted I'm no amazing poster, but it's a retarded policy.

Aaron did that as a result of high traffic and server/software problems... Saying it's "completely unnecessary" ignores all the problems he had from traffic overload. Granted, if somebody wants to help him pay for better service, step right up. He obviously loses some ad revenue by locking out guests, but he instead chose a functional site for registered members over it. What's so retarded about that ? Now maybe his web server has been upgraded by now and could better handle high traffic, I dunno, but that's why it was done...

Anyway, why NecroPhile this all of a sudden ?

Hi Cory!

The only reason that this annoys me is that I can't use Google to search the forums for something.  Most forum software has pretty crappy search functionality.

At least every noob doesn't claim to be a longtime lurker. :lol:

Quote from: coryoon on 11/22/2015, 12:29 PM

Quote from: guest on 11/17/2013, 05:36 PMAlso, what other forums are entirely closed to non-members? Where's the precedent? WHO DOES THAT? Nobody. WTF.

Very few places do this.

It's completely unnecessary and it's the reason I only post like once a year.

Granted I'm no amazing poster, but it's a retarded policy. 

...that makes no sense to me. How is banning non-registered browsers affecting the posting of you, a registered member?

The only way I can see that making sense is if you would be writing stuff here on the forum with the hope that the world at large would read it.

BTW, as long as somebody necroposted, I might as well comment on it. Closed forums were actually pretty common back when bandwidth was way more expensive than it is now. Few do this anymore, but some still do. Pinterest and Facebook, for example, you maybe have heard of them. However, I'm really glad it is this way since for the past several years the quality of new members has been extremely low. About %90 are fit for the shitcan with %9 being "okay" and %1 maybe being as good as an average shmuck like me. If someone were to remove the filter we have...it's hard to say what would happen. You might get some good guys or you might be totally overrun with noob scum.

I'm totally fine with it, gives the members more control over who sees what information and weeds out the plebs.

At least one joined, made about a dozen posts, then deleted his account and fled back to Nintendo Age.

Forum working as intended.

Quote from: Gentlegamer on 11/22/2015, 07:29 PMI'm totally fine with it, gives the members more control over who sees what information.

I'm fine with that too.

And I registered under the assumption that my posts won't be open to the whole public too easily. I guess I'm not the only one who feels like that.

Pretty much every forum out there, not stuck in the past allows for guest browsing.

I can't be arsed to sign in on every occasion just because I want a quick look at the forums.

Yes I could save my password on each device that I use to browse the net, but is that really necessary?

Its not as if I want my voice broadcast across the net like some attention seeker, I don't care who does or does not read what I say.

The same goes for those that are not keen on their content filtering out into the ether - we are posting info about an 80/90's Japanese gaming system what on earth would you be saying that you would rather be kept quiet?

The way I see it, is that lots of specialist sites do a disservice to themselves by shutting down the doors, example I found out some really useful info on candy cabs from Arcade Otaku before I even signed up because most of its content was not locked away.  I then signed up straight away - not that I had too.  Lots of members there did the same thing, then joined up and added to the information and the site grew and grew - not so much in size, but in the depth of content.

On the other hand, I'm sure I got some great info about PC Engine power supplies from here - but only after I had signed up and searched.  Ok you might say you will then only get those that are really interested to follow through, but come on, who has the time to do that for every interest that you may have?

You can still have sections of the forum locked away for registered members only, and that I think is the best way, have sales and other such stuff in members only and have the rest available for anyone.

I have read what you lot who are pro-closed have had to say, but I just can't agree with it, all it really does  I suppose is keep the number of new spam posters down - people who stumble across stuff on a forum, join up and spam the place, but its not as if you can't manage that worse than other similar niche sites.

Suppose I'll have to agree to disagree, no offence like.

I'm not used to seeing you post without a gif.

Makes me think someone has hijacked your account or computer.

This isn't Bill's wife again is it?

Quote from: synbiosfan on 11/23/2015, 07:57 PMI'm not used to seeing you post without 40 gifs.

FTFY.

I don't understand why you're still arguing under the premise that it was done because of some elite-members-only rationale or policy, and/or wanting to be "stuck in the past..." Aaron wanted bandwidth reduction, he got it this way. Why is there still an argument here ?

Yes, it sucks, I hate it as I was linking to threads here in the past which the public can no longer see before Aaron had to do it, but if that's what it takes to keep the forum bandwidth within his web host plan and prevent server crashes, I accept it...

QuoteI hate it as I was linking to threads here in the past which the public can no longer see before Aaron had to do it, but if that's what it takes to keep the forum bandwidth within his web host plan and prevent server crashes, I accept it...

Agreed. And iirc, a lot of the problem was new people dumping huge images here of their collections (which still goes on, btw. See the discussion about re-sizing images before you post them), then linking them everywhere. I'm just glad Aaron decided to keep the site at all after he got that over-bandwidth bill...

Or would you prefer a ton of ads like most other 'open' sites?

I would gladly pay to use this site if it meant no ads. Advertising rates just under "child sized iron maiden" on my list of horrible ideas.

EDIT: I invented neither advertising nor the child sized iron maiden. After posting I noticed how it looks like I might be taking credit for things clearly invented by Satan himself. Sorry about that.

And now I'm picturing a group of ten year olds jamming out to Number of the Beast.

Quote from: NightWolve on 11/23/2015, 08:35 PMI don't understand why you're still arguing under the premise that it was done because of some elite members only rationale or policy, and/or wanting to be "stuck in the past..." Aaron wanted bandwidth reduction, he got it this way. Why is there still an argument here ?

It's a mystery.  I guess he needed to vent about something.

Fair enough guys, I won't keep on about it.

T'is a discussion forum mind, now't wrong with a bit of back and forth.

Discussion is fine, but unfounded accusations two years after being given a perfectly reasonable explanation is something else.

Just to chime in here - I had to close the forum from guests for two reasons:

1. Bandwidth
I'm barely under the bandwidth/server load from my webhost for the price point I'm paying per month to keep pcengine-fx.com open (and I am not paying any more per month).  Closing the forum from guest access helped this problem.

2. Creepers/stalkers causing me issues
Closing the forum from guest access helped this.  Not going to say any more about it.

Quote from: Pcenginefx on 12/02/2015, 04:31 PMJust to chime in here - I had to close the forum from guests for two reasons:

1. Bandwidth
I'm barely under the bandwidth/server load from my webhost for the price point I'm paying per month to keep pcengine-fx.com open (and I am not paying any more per month).  Closing the forum from guest access helped this problem.

2. Creepers/stalkers causing me issues
Closing the forum from guest access helped this.  Not going to say any more about it.

There, the man has spoken.  :)


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I can't speak for everyone, but I'm of the opinion: If you can't take the time to register (join the community), then the community owes you nothing back in return.