Buy, Sell or Trade access via log-in only?

[Eric R.]

I would say the option with smaller pics and no access to buy/sell/trade for non-members is best now that the registration is fixed.

[Bob Carriere]

I agree with Eric.

Cheers

[Marc van Aalderen]

I agree with Eric and Bob C.

Originally Posted by Eric R.

I would say the option with smaller pics and no access to buy/sell/trade for non-members is best now that the registration is fixed.

Cheers,

[Private_collector]

Same goes for me, too!

I don't really mind non members seeing what is written, or the thumbnails. I took a good long look at WHAT was in the content before I joined. I do not want this site to be access all areas with regards to ability to post, regardless of membership or not. We will, I fear, be easy prey for the one hit wonders to post something stupid or fraudulent then disappear back into anonymity. This is the issue with many of the no-membership places on the internet. Those of us who took the time to register and remain, would very quickly get discouraged from staying in touch with each other.

Too many things have been amended in the name of progress, only to discover at later date that it was a really dumb idea. Very difficult to reverse something, more often than not! Is it really such a big ask for someone to take the few minutes to join, before they expect to be able to contribute themselves? Not a problem now that membership is now easy to do, is it? Do we expect to receive access to any associations, clubs, professional bodies, etc, without joining that group officially? Try getting the discounts from a store without joining their 'loyalty' system. Try getting a road breakdown service provider to come fix your car for free without becoming a member.

Leave things be, I say. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. In my opinion, it ain't broke!

[gordon]

Originally Posted by Marc van Aalderen

I agree with Eric and Bob C.

Cheers,

Gets my vote too.

Gordon

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Thanks for your input, will get back on this later as I have just spent most of the evening banning spammers - they sign up in far greater numbers than real enthusiasts!

Hanno

[rob love]

Make a subforum for them, and they can sell each other viagra, and get rich helping Jamican bureaucrats get their millions out of Jamica, or sending each other fake invoices.

Another option is to allow new members only upon reference of an existing member. Applicant would list who his reference is. Mod would have to PM the existing member to confirm and upon favorable response would then grant the applicant membership, at which time the applicant would head on over to the "introductions" section to tell a bit about himself and his interests. Actually, all that sounds kind of complicated. Must be all those years of military training that has made me acceptable of BS.

[Private_collector]

I think the exact scenario Hanno just wrote about, is the reason why this forum should NOT be made any easier to gain unapproved access. The spammers and scammers are a pain in the sphincter, and must be constant frustration to Hanno.

If only people used the internet for good,.....instead of evil

Remember in the good ole days, when the only ones who could cause you grief were just down the road, and you could walk there and offer em a good clip around the ear? Ah, the carefree days of youth....detention!

[Ryan]

During my recent endeavour to sell some trucks/parts around 50% of people had never heard of Mlu. I always told them to head on over and join up, they would find a wealth of info and friendly help.
To a non member the way the forum is set now is as a resource centre. Allowing near total access without any effort. You just aren't allowed in the staff room( the pics up close and who's selling what) If option two was brought in a non member would still see a resource centre but the table would have just black and white pamphlets with no pics.
That's not a problem as all we are saying is sign up, became a member of the COMMUNITY, and you'll get the benefits.
Ryan

[David Dunlop]

Option 2 and keep up with real names for joining.

Not sure you can ever solve the 'Not aware MLU exists...' issue. That's just an extension of the 'I can't find the milk!' Statement parents always hear when somebody is standing in front of the open fridge with a full 4 litre jug of the white stuff front and centre!

Hope you are not staying up late worrying about it all, Hanno.

David

[Alex van de Wetering]

Hanno,

Option 1 or 2 would work for me. And as others have mentioned....definately real names...preferably first and last.

When it comes to self-registration or registration and than manual activation by a moderator...I would say, go with what takes the least amount of time of the group of moderators.

p.s. I don't think MLU is outdated or limited....I still think it's one of the best forums around and I still think a forum is the best way to share MV or history related info with others ....................and still being able to find it later on!

Alex

[Hanno Spoelstra]

The sub forum BUY, TRADE or SELL is now reset as follows: visible for non-members so they can see the thread listing but not the threads themselves.

Compare it to being able to read the headlines of a newspaper, but not the content of each article.

I may re-set other sub forums along the same settings.

Hanno

[rob love]

Would we be able to securely list our emails in plain text on the Buy/trade/sell forum ad text, or do the google and spambots still access those listings?

[rob love]

Stuart

Great points. But in the end, the band width isn't free, and opening up everything to everyone will be costly. As well, there are those fraudsters who love trolling and harvesting the interent, and count on the distance and different jurisdictions to keep them safe from retribution. It is kind of nice that we have a forum with no diet pill or viagra scammers popping up (although with the advanced age of most of us, the latter might be welcome eventually, and I know I could use the diet pills).

I believe option 2 is best, as a happy medium to both sides. Current google searches bring up the photos from the forum, which will draw those with interest to the site. Since sign-up is now working again, those that want in can get in with reasonable effort.

[hrpearce]

Option 1 works for me.

[Lynn Eades]

Rob has about summed up my views.