Off-topic forums

[TheLorax]

Is there any way to make this area of the forums only viewable to registered subscribers?

 

[goldenrose]

I would suppose, but why?

 

[TheLorax]

That way I personally would feel more free to type what ever I wanted knowing only those who are subscribers who post who I am familiar with would be reading what I type. Additionally, the content of posts wouldn't show up in google searches. I had no idea my husband could log on and read that area until I offered him my password to get on and he mentioned to me that he could read without it and that if he could, everybody else who wasn't registered could read that area too. I think many of us forget that most of the regulars all know who we are, where we live, and lots of other personal things because we send plants to each other buy products from each other but that doesn't mean I want the whole big www reading everything. Just my thoughts.

 

[Heather]

Lauren, if you want to, set up a poll and ask the membership.

 

[Mark]

Anyone could still register and read. Unless they post, you wouldn't even necessarily know they exist.

It's the way of the Internet.

 

[goldenrose]

Hmmm .... I can see your point but this forum was created to allow more freedom. I'm feeling like some of the free would be going...... ?

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

I don't mind anyone seeing my posts. Anything I write on the internet is done with the assumption that anyone can read what I write if they want to, and I only write what I am willing to have seen by the outside world....and I use my real name also. Keeps me well behaved, for one thing...................Once I got a call from someone I hadn't spoken to in decades, yet she knew that I was into growing orchids, from what she had seen on the internet. I really don't mind what I write being viewed by anyone...anything else can be done through email or pm....and even there, I don't trust that they cannot be viewed by just about anyone who really wants to. In that respect, the freedom of the internet, and this group, is illusory....what we post is always visible to someone, if they care....so the best alternative that I see is not to post anything that you will regret someday...whether on this list, or any other. Take care, Eric

 

[SlipperFan]

I'm with Eric.

 

[Ron-NY]

we don't post our addresses and other info into these threads and the PM stand for Personal Message. They are personal and not accessible to the general public. The moderators might have access to that but I feel fairly confident that they don't go there.

 

[Heather]

Yeah, in my opinion, it's the internet. If you don't want someone to see it you should not be posting it publicly.

 

[Candace]

The only "invisible" forum to unregistered members is the Outback area that is currently reserved for *loud* discussions. So, it is possible to make any of the forums accessible to registered members only. I agree that a poll to members would be needed before any changes were made, though.

And as private messages go, we are unable to access them or read them. Even if we wanted to. So stop talking about me behind my back!:fight:

 

[Ron-NY]

:fight::fight:

Good, now I can comfortably say all the things about you that I have holding off on, Candace. :rollhappy:

 

[Persephone]

One of the reasons I don't use my real name. Sure some members on forums I visit know who I am and I see no issue with anyone who posts here. But I usually use an alias just in case....there are reasons.

And no, I am NOT a wanted person, my photo is not posted in any post office.

OH, BTW - I vote keep it open and public, and cover your tushy if you think you need to.

 

[Ernie]

I don't mind anyone seeing my posts. Anything I write on the internet is done with the assumption that anyone can read what I write if they want to, and I only write what I am willing to have seen by the outside world....and I use my real name also. Keeps me well behaved, for one thing...................Once I got a call from someone I hadn't spoken to in decades, yet she knew that I was into growing orchids, from what she had seen on the internet. I really don't mind what I write being viewed by anyone...anything else can be done through email or pm....and even there, I don't trust that they cannot be viewed by just about anyone who really wants to. In that respect, the freedom of the internet, and this group, is illusory....what we post is always visible to someone, if they care....so the best alternative that I see is not to post anything that you will regret someday...whether on this list, or any other. Take care, Eric

I don't regret my earlier "pants-optional" watering remark for one second. I agree with Eric here. Anything we put up can be accessed by anyone if they really want it. The spirit of this forum is freedom and openness. If it's personal, this probably isn't the place for it. Now I'm curious what Lorax wants to post that's so secret???

-Ernie

 

[TheLorax]

I already posted it and I already edited it out. It was a statement that was benign for all practical purposes but my husband shared a few thoughts from the perspective of others reading it that I hadn't considered. It's not that we withhold but generally we only share when there is a need to know or if we don't feel threatened. I wasn't feeling threatened back there in off topics thinking it was only open to us subscribers so was free with my faucet mouth but must admit I wasn't making the connection that everyone and their brother from the big www other than just us was able to read it.

I already learned my lesson about keeping my faucet mouth shut about certain species of plants in the main stream boards and now I will keep it shut in the off topic boards as well. One of those classic situations of- I should have been paying attention. I'm sort of with Persephone on this one other than that I would vote to make the off topic forums accessible to only those who subscribe. It's not that they wouldn't be open and public, it's just that those interested in reading what's in that area would have to register. Semantics.

 

[NYEric]

I always look at the box at the bottom, "currently active viewers", and regularly check the forum "who's online". There are usually 2-3 x times outside viewers using the forum than members. I don't think we want to shut this down as a learning tool.

 

[TheLorax]

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.

 

[Heather]

Lauren, I pm'd you a link to some of the historic activities that went along with starting Slippertalk. Suffice it to say that the admins here do not get along with the admin there.

However, we share many, many members. Most people who post here post there too. Which is perfectly fine by me.

This is the reason, though, why we tend to try to be as open as possible over here.

 

[TheLorax]

Making the off topic forums accessible to only those who register doesn't necessarily deny or restrict access. The act would mean that off topic areas wouldn't be easily accessible to any Tom, Dick, and Harry surfing the web or to people missing a few vertebrae in their backs for what ever reason too afraid to register here. Off topic areas would still be accessible, people would simply have to register to get to them. Sheesh, this site is free for anyone who registers and the registration process certainly isn't complicated.

What ever happened is long before my time. I truly have no need to be informed as it doesn't involve me. I've just gotten a deluge of e-mail and private messages that will take me a while to go through. I can't speak either negatively of positively of the Slipper Orchid Forum site where I am also registered as I've no time to get actively involved over there but I can speak for this site where I have been actively posting and interacting. To date, I have been treated with propriety and respect by members here. Only one person got snippy with me that I can recall and anyone can have a bad hair day. I've encountered no juvenile little cliques so am free to move from board to board and topic to topic without being treated as an outsider/intruder. My entry level questions have been and continue to be answered openly and honestly and I believe people make sincere efforts to help me out. I appreciate the many thoughtful and informative replies I have received and if I haven't thanked someone, really sorry as I know how long it can take to think through a post before responding and clicking that submit button.

Things that make you go hmmmmmmmm-
Anyone happen to notice how many lurkers we've had visiting this particular thread? Appears this thread is generating a tremendous amount of interest.

 

[NYEric]

I never have [nor will I] register at the other forum. I tried to check out a few things there but couldn't get access because I'm not a member. Too bad for them! If a megalomainac was running this forum I would feel and act the same way. Fortunately the administrators here aren't a total bunch of buttheads [for the most part].
Oh and BTW I'm sorry TheLorax!