Guest Posts

[Whitney]

It is possible to set up the section of the board where we can allow guests to post.  Please vote in the poll.  If we get mostly yes votes I'll enable guest posting in a special guest section of the forum on a trial basis.  You may change your vote if your opinion changes.  

Right now I am undecided so I created the poll instead of just trying out the guest idea.

Pros:  A guest section might be a good way to get lurkers to start posting and then we can invite them to join as members.  

Cons:  Spam may make the guest area too annoying to be worth any of the benefits so guests would have to pass CAPTCHA for every post (i'll have to make sure that is an option).

[Asmodean]

I don't think that's a good idea unless you are prepared to de-spam that section heavily. Such sections can attract advertisers, google-rank hunters, spammers, trolls and who knows what.  :cool:

[MariaEvri]

agreed with mr asmodean. I can see many people coming and trolling over as guests.

[joeactor]

Put me in the "No" column... for reasons stated by the others...

[Asmodean]

agreed with mr asmodean. I can see many people coming and trolling over as guests.

mr Asmodean?  

[Whitney]

ok...so I think we are going with no on guest posting.  I could make it so guests have to pass captcha but that doesn't always fix spam issue (especially spam by real people).

[crocofish]

With CAPTCHA, I'm not so concerned about spam.  Trolls would probably be a bigger problem.  Since guest trolls would not need to register an account, they could easily post all kinds of annoying messages.  More anonymity and lower barrier to posting attracts more troll behaviors.

I could be wrong; maybe there aren't many lurking trolls out there.  You could try putting the guest section up, and if it becomes a problem, you could take it down.

[MariaEvri]

agreed with mr asmodean. I can see many people coming and trolling over as guests.

mr Asmodean?  

XD hoops ignore me

[Smallville]

I had to vote no as well.

I "lurked" around on the fringes, reading posts, getting to know people, until I felt it was the right place I wanted to join.

I felt it was and joined.

I feel too many problems could arise from guest postings.

Unnamed/unregistered guests tend to get nasty if they don't have to identify themselves to the group or an individual poster. This has happened on a local board. The political section became so disgusting that I do not bother visiting there anymore.

Trolls are kept in abeyance until they register and then the moderators/administrators can rid us of them once they out themselves.

[McQ]

Yay! I voted first!

(it's the little things that keep me going)

I voted no for the reasons already stated by others.

[MommaSquid]

Yay! I voted first!

(it's the little things that keep me going)

I voted no for the reasons already stated by others.

Yay!  I voted last!

(I was away from my computer yesterday, so I'm late joining in this thread.)

I also voted no for the reassons already stated.

And now, we dance.