@taz
I'm not trying to criticize but just say that if things like that happened it would result in less members and not more.
I don't have any suggestions and think its fine just the way it is.
Pics only visible upon registration? That is a horrible idea... this is how CPFism starts. We want to convince members to register through good content and the benefit of being "one of us". You would also keep me as a registered member to look at BLF pics at work, because I can't/won't log in there most of the time.
Leave it as is, please. Most forums have far more viewers than members. That's the way life is - most people don't want to speak up and join in, staying in the background is just fine. I've done it many times on sites where I was just looking for specific info, not interested in becoming a member just to answer a question. If we want to encourage new membership, let's do it with a positive method, not a negative one.
The restrictiveness of CPF towards new members almost turned me off completely to researching flashlights. Thankfully I kept searching and found BLF - the most open and friendly forum I've ever been on. Let me repeat:
Leave it as is, please.
IMO those who are really interested will join sooner or later. I'm no fan of boards that force you to register. When I started lurking here, I felt like being a member already. Not really a difference.
Also dont forget that a lot of these guests are crawlers.
@Nightcrawl. I totally agree the friendly community is what should encourage people to join not being forced into it.
This .
I have to say, the only reason - as a non-flashaholic - that I actually joined BLF was because of the complete absence of all the elitist red tape that was such a turn-off over at that DX sponsored place. I'd have to vote 'no' to anything that takes the smallest step in that direction.
The message, however tactfully it might be phrased, that "Sorry you are not authorised/ do not have enough priviledges to access this page/area/information.." will instantly put me off.
Also, as some of the others have said, I'd question the value of increased membership that's the result of people joining just to access information, or worse, to participate in a giveaway. Do we really need extra members like that? People who want to join in and contribute will usually do so anyway sooner or later, surely?
+1 and +1 to between rides above.
That too. Wish I knew how to quote multiple posts.
pretty much agree
if you build it (and post it), they will come
I agree with everything from Fishmaniac down. Why would we want to take hostages? The vibe of this community will keep bringing new members in that really want to be here. Coercion only leads to resentment.
So actually Chicago X's suggestion about getting more members is not a good idea, since guests and members should have the same access to content...
Thus why shouldn't guests be allowed to post without being members? This also happens in blogs and forums with the use of captcha to avoid spam and bots of course. Or now maybe guests being able to post is not a good idea? :P
I think that all of the generous BLF users who do giveaways and organize group buys are already doing us a huge favor in this regard. Many of the giveaways are open to anybody, and all the group buys are open to everyone. So a lurker only has to register here to benefit from them. And invariably many new ones do register in order to participate in giveaways and group buys. I would also prefer to keep BLF as open as possible.
New and active members would be great, but the ones that want to be here will eventually join. For instance, I lurked for about a year before you guys won me over; a decision some of you regret. :p
If it were members only I would have assumed that it was like the elitist snobs with the same B.S. at CPF. Being rather new, from my perspective but at the same time as a professional sale man, people can not lust after or want something they can not see. To create the want and the need is visual. If there are lurkers out there, they will come in when they see the content if they are truly interested. If they are only curious they would come in and clog up the member list with dead accounts. I can understand the desire for new members but at the same time, it is happening, new BLF members are coming simply because of the "Cluster F" that perpetuates at CPF. I believe that BLF will be much more successful than CPF as a Forum and not an Online Catalog for a select few vendors who all must bow to, bought from and worshiped. I like this place because its not about the money, its about sharing our passion for lights.
I personally do not want this to become too much "members only" -place.
I think part of strength and advantage in BFL is easy access and easy start of membership (no mandatory 3 posts to test area for example).
People will come by the time.
Giveaways is one thing that draws attention and people but also items for Sale.
Both the membership AND Mr.Admin have spoken !
Thanks for helping me see both sides of the coin. One of the many reasons I love this place...
I'm chiming in late on this one (not much new there) but I'm with Dave. All sites have more guests than members. The only reason for membership is to post and most are just looking to receive info, not contribute info.
We are already doing the one thing that will entice guests into joining as members and that is by doing all the free raffles we do for each other. Even with that I'm not too thrilled as people are joining only for the freebies and that just dilutes the prize pool for the dedicated users. Things are good as they are and the site will grow at a natural rate that it can support. Accelerating memberships will only create more issues than can be easily resolved. By continuing to do what we already do by being the true friendliest flashlight forum on the web is what will slowly turn the tide to swell our membership ranks. Even the looky lou's will eventually want to get in on the family spirit we engender here whether or not they feel they can contribute by simply being BLF (Best Little Forum!!).
Johnny
I like that, JohnnyMac!
Great discussion and a good topic, Chicago X. It's a testament to the Best Little Forum that we can have have a free exchange of opinions without a lot of mud slinging and argument...
:love:
We should all be happy that we get so many guests.
It is not the number of illusive members that gets a website fame and fortune. It is its "hits" via search engines and "traffic" via people clicking the links.
Why should it be such a good thing to have many members? There is no reason.
A company who wants to negotiate an agreement about advertising will look at traffic and hits.
Not members.
So the lurkers are helping the forum even if they never sign up or post anything.