I don't exactly believe the off topic forums to be chalk full of educational content and would agree that the main boards should not be limited to subscribers only for the few who end up here as a result of google/dogpile/or yahoo searches.
Eric mentioned there "are usually 2-3 x times outside viewers using the forum than members". I'd be curious to know how many are here as a result of search engines as opposed to those who have this site bookmarked who come here regularly to lurk.
I'm going to toss out something that came to mind which I mention only because I found it incredibly interesting there is a human being out there maintaining a forum who appears to exercise a considerable amount of control over people whom I believe to be extremely knowledgeable and intelligent. I know of at least two vendors who appear to be afraid to register at our forum because of this individual. When I suggested they register here and utilize the free vendor area, they all but started manufacturing reasons for why they didn't join. One even began stuttering. Eesh, didn't realize I touched upon such a "touchy" subject. The gist I get is that they are afraid of alienating some guy who runs the Slipper Orchid Forum. I kid you not, neither one will register over here and one of the reasons cited by both of them was that they didn't have time for two forums yet get this... both appear to lurk over here all the time reading almost everything in the threads. When I ran into the first one, I thought it incredibly odd that a mature adult was evidently intimidated by some cyber webmaster from another site. It wasn't until I ran into the second mature adult who was evidently intimidated by this same cyber webmaster that I started wondering what the real reasons were particularly when both added there were quite a few people who they knew who were registered at both sites but using different user names insinuating their fears were not irrational or unfounded as others were afraid of this guy's wrath to the extent they were registering under different names to post. Anyway, I do believe both of these vendors are here daily and have never registered or posted in favor of lurking based on their own representations. I have no reason to disbelieve either of them because when I have posted questions and concerns here by us regarding plants I purchased from them, I received instantaneous e-mails (not private messages mind you because they're evidently really not registered here) answering my questions. And we're talking the turn around time was quick, real quick. Bizarre. That being said, I think the vast majority of the non-registered people using these forums are from this other forum and they've probably got us bookmarked. If there are two out there who seem to be sitting with a screen up to this site monitoring posts to be in a position to respond to me so quickly, there have got to be a heck of a lot more from that site doing the same thing.
Here's an added kicker. I registered over at that other site to be able to take advantage of a sale which was was billed as only being for Slipper Orchid Forum members. Mustn't lose an opportunity to save money! Haven't gone back because I really don't have time for more than this forum but I did want to qualify for the discount. Not one, not two, not three, but four of their members recognized my user name over there and welcomed me and were able to communicate productively with me about my Slippertalk posts and I can't find where any of them are registered by us. There are some really nice people over at that site but I really have to wonder how many of these "outside viewers" aren't Slipper Orchid Forum members who are too afraid for what ever reason to register and participate openly over here.