TOPIC: Forums are accessible only to registered users

All,

As many of you had requested, I have made most of the forums accessible only to registered users.

I prefered the approach of leaving it open but aggressively monitoring it. Many of you didnt like that approach. So, I am going with what you like.

Forums that require registration are
Kids & Parenting
General
Timepass
Indian Culture
Birthday Parties
Music & Dance
Events
Travel Corner

Forums that does not require registration
Website Feedback
Homes/Sub divisions
Apartments
New to Triangle
Games(including cricket)

Do you like me to create a new forum which will not be moderated, but open to all?

Please continue to provide your feedback to make this website better.

Thanks
Satish

let me see if it works....

Mr Satish, it's a good step that will help a lot in keeping undesirable elements at bay. 'Hi' in the earlier reply was me but I think except New to Triangle all other forums are not accessible to non registered users. I tried it but it didn't work. Once again thanks for implementing what was long over due.

Ashok ji,

You are welcome.

This will probably reduce Kubi's anxiety. I am sure I will get fewer calls at my office asking me remove a thread

Thanks
Satish

good job Satish....

one more question, is there any time limit or verification process before a newly registered user starts posting in the forums? I am raising this point since we might end up in the same situation again if a user is allowed to register and start posting without any validation..so it might be a good idea to have some kind of verification process...maybe ip verification or something...

Suggestion - Please do not create a forum that is not moderated or open for non registered users as experience has shown that few amongst us are quite irresponsible and take freedom of expression too far. We can re-visit this issue after few months. Registeration on AT implies that a user is responsible for the content posted in a forum as new thread or in reply to ongoing discussions and the user alone is liable for any legal consequences as a result of his posting.

DM, a good point. After registeration, a user should recieve an email intimating that his membership is approved ( that is the norm every where else). As far as I know IP verification is an easy process and if done it will authenticate a user beyond doubt.

It takes just few minutes to register and start posting...When person has to do some mischief he will pass any verification and still can do the mess.

May be Idli-Sambar was local person who was visiting Canada and out of state situation gave him total freedom to post offensive comment.

We have few regular serious members posting without signing in...Will they continue posting after this change? Also few others just come and contribute when subject interest them..We need to see their views on this change.

Good Morning Lady,

Very valid observations.
Registeration will act as a good filter. The ideal way would be that in the registeration process a new user enters his phone number and email ID. The admins should make a call at the phone number as part of verification process and follow it up with a formal email notification. So now you have a verified phone number,email ID and IP address. If you apply for membership at any club say golf club these are the required formalities. Let the process take 2-3 days but if you really wish to keep AT as a forum for civilized conversations then I can't think of any other better alternatives/options.

Sorry LFC, I missed the point about 'A'. I am sure he will come up with a solution.

Solution is simple...Login and post....Senior and active members should take lead in implementing the changes and set an example for other users to follow..Any good forum makes you register and login before posting and i dont think AT shud be any different...


ashok wrote:

Sorry LFC, I missed the point about 'A'. I am sure he will come up with a solution.

ashok wrote:

Good Morning Lady,

Very valid observations.
Registeration will act as a good filter. The ideal way would be that in the registeration process a new user enters his phone number and email ID. The admins should make a call at the phone number as part of verification process and follow it up with a formal email notification. So now you have a verified phone number,email ID and IP address. If you apply for membership at any club say golf club these are the required formalities. Let the process take 2-3 days but if you really wish to keep AT as a forum for civilized conversations then I can't think of any other better alternatives/options.

Ashok....that will be lot of work for admins/mods...people have very short attention span when they are on net..They do stop by when something attracts them but if they have to go with above process just to start participation they will simply hop on to other area.

Even though this was purely local forum...I myself took quite a long time to reveal myself to Satish and Kubi and to few other members..If such registration was in the place when I first time hit this site I don't think I would have turned into regular member.

Sorry LFC, I missed the point about 'A'. I am sure he will come up with a solution.

There are more members...XYZ,B and few others who regularly jump in when things interest them..in music thread few new people jumped in...We will wait for their views.

As far as civilized conversation moderation/more rules is the only way but it should not be stress on mods/admins...There are many simple ways and in no way it should turn 24X7 vigilance duty for mods/admins.

I agree that asking for phone number is going a bit too far, i would never give my phone number while registering to a online forum or something...

I was thinking of having a IP Verification to:
1) Make sure that the user is registering from a area under the US laws, and
2) The delay in verification will make the user wait for some time before making the 1st post...This 'might' prevent users from registering just to make a stupid comment and leave...

Thnx


Lady_from_cary wrote:

ashok wrote:

Good Morning Lady,

Very valid observations.
Registeration will act as a good filter. The ideal way would be that in the registeration process a new user enters his phone number and email ID. The admins should make a call at the phone number as part of verification process and follow it up with a formal email notification. So now you have a verified phone number,email ID and IP address. If you apply for membership at any club say golf club these are the required formalities. Let the process take 2-3 days but if you really wish to keep AT as a forum for civilized conversations then I can't think of any other better alternatives/options.

Ashok....that will be lot of work for admins/mods...people have very short attention span when they are on net..They do stop by when something attracts them but if they have to go with above process just to start participation they will simply hop on to other area.

Even though this was purely local forum...I myself took quite a long time to reveal myself to Satish and Kubi and to few other members..If such registration was in the place when I first time hit this site I don't think I would have turned into regular member.

Sorry LFC, I missed the point about 'A'. I am sure he will come up with a solution.

There are more members...XYZ,B and few others who regularly jump in when things interest them..in music thread few new people jumped in...We will wait for their views.

As far as civilized conversation moderation/more rules is the only way but it should not be stress on mods/admins...There are many simple ways and in no way it should turn 24X7 vigilance duty for mods/admins.

Morning everyone

Its a nice way to stop people from posting messages that are opposing. Can we have a filter which will not allow any user (non registered and registered) to post the thread if it contains any bad word? I think that must help rather than restricting forums to members or monitoring it 24X7 or confirming the phone number. This will distract users from registering or using the website. When we are sharing information here, why do we have to be registered?

When i registered on AT, I recieved a mail in which i had to click on a link to confirm my registration. If any user is prompted for more strict rules, they will not come back. This is my opinion. What do you all say?

Guys,

This makes my life difficult. Personally I never posted anything offensive and I am too old to post unacceptable material. Also it does not take too long to login. But principally I am against it. Internet is meant for relatively free forum so that people can share without fear and inhibition. I am not sure what triggered this move but restriction of access does not seem right. This is narrow minded approach. Even US government did not pass the bill for this kind of restriction on internet.

This is like a bunch of 'Like Minded people' discssing on a web site rather than at home. You guys can get together at home and have these discussions.

A

Gud morning R,

Ok phone number may be cumbersome but IP verfication to confirm that a user is in a area governed by U.S. laws should be acceptable. Now if I have to quote a statement by some political personality that contains a bad word then the filter that you are talking about will not let it happen. The filter acts with out a mind of its own. If I make a statement that is not in good taste and in case it offends someone in particular then that person should be able to contact the admin and obtain my IP address and proceed forward to sue me in a court of law. That is the purpose of registeration. Sharing of information doesnot excuse some one from registration. You may wish to hide your identity from all readers but the admin of the site has a right to know about you or else the admins become liable for any consequences. Yesterday this guy idli sambar made communally derogrative remarks about a section of the commmunity and what best we could do was to edit the post. Poetic justice would have been if the guy would have received a legal notice for his actions.In the past too there have been many instances of such nature. Either we have some checks and balances in place or we don't have any and let it continue the way it has been. If it is the latter option then we all will always continue to feel vulnerable.

Ashok,

AT Forum has been full of Sardar jokes. Inernet is full of blonde jokes. If someone made a joke abotu a particular community, I don't see that a reason for restricting forums. That make no sense to me. Let me guess - that community was admin's community - right?

A

ashok wrote:

Gud morning R,

Ok phone number may be cumbersome but IP verfication to confirm that a user is in a area governed by U.S. laws should be acceptable. Now if I have to quote a statement by some political personality that contains a bad word then the filter that you are talking about will not let it happen. The filter acts with out a mind of its own. If I make a statement that is not in good taste and in case it offends someone in particular then that person should be able to contact the admin and obtain my IP address and proceed forward to sue me in a court of law. That is the purpose of registeration. Sharing of information doesnot excuse some one from registration. You may wish to hide your identity from all readers but the admin of the site has a right to know about you or else the admins become liable for any consequences. Yesterday this guy idli sambar made communally derogrative remarks about a section of the commmunity and what best we could do was to edit the post. Poetic justice would have been if the guy would have received a legal notice for his actions.In the past too there have been many instances of such nature. Either we have some checks and balances in place or we don't have any and let it continue the way it has been. If it is the latter option then we all will always continue to feel vulnerable.

Satish ji,

There must be some exceptions to established members like A,XYZ and B. They really do not need to register themselves because of their long and sincere contributions. On the issue of registeration itself I have nothing more to add. In the end, if some kind of curbs are imposed, it's fine and if not it's still ok with me. I value LFC,R,Roopa,A and many other more than the formalities and really do not wish to expand my circle more than that I can handle.

A,

Yes your guess is correct.