Is forum closed to casual passers by?

[srb7677]

It's not been locked to non-members for at least 3 months now.

My bad. I should have read the latest posts and not the earliest ones,

[papasmurf]

It's not been locked to non-members for at least 3 months now.

Sometimes with over 500 "lurkers."

[Nick]

Your forum and I don't know if the above situation still applies, but most people like to browse before they buy. If you let anyone read the main debating parts of this forum, but make signing up a condition of posting would that not be better at attracting new members?

It's not been locked to non-members for at least 3 months now. 

[srb7677]

Correct, guests can no longer snoop without logging in.

Your forum and I don't know if the above situation still applies, but most people like to browse before they buy. If you let anyone read the main debating parts of this forum, but make signing up a condition of posting would that not be better at attracting new members?

[Nick]

I think most of us who post on Pol-tics are grateful to you for keeping the forum up and running.

Personally, I would be interested to learn why you first took it on (and  certainly improved it, overall), and why you continue to invest time and money in it — it's something I would not be prepared to do single handedly — so, despite my occasional carping, thanks...

It'll be around until at least the GE, the economy will be just about recovered in time for Labour to take the lead and screw it up. 

[Nick]

I think most of us who post on Pol-tics are grateful to you for keeping the forum up and running.

Personally, I would be interested to learn why you first took it on (and  certainly improved it, overall), and why you continue to invest time and money in it — it's something I would not be prepared to do single handedly — so, despite my occasional carping, thanks...

First of all, thanks for the thanks. 

I took it over, and no disrespect to Barry, because the host servers were flaky at best so I offered to provide a fully funded option. Barry accepted, but in hindsight he probably regrets it. I think I've done some good stuff, done some bad stuff and made some mistakes, mainly when I've been in the sauce, but hey ho. If any of the previous MODS or Admin ever wish to return I'm big enough and ugly enough to apologise. 

[patman post]

I think most of us who post on Pol-tics are grateful to you for keeping the forum up and running. 

Personally, I would be interested to learn why you first took it on (and  certainly improved it, overall), and why you continue to invest time and money in it — it's something I would not be prepared to do single handedly — so, despite my occasional carping, thanks...

[Nick]

I don't suppose with your busy life you'd have the time to run a forum. If you hadn't noticed, the cut off date has gone by, So Nick has obviously changed his mind about closing this forum down. I'm ambivalent about the forum being open to guests. Forums are dying everywhere, I'm just enjoying them whilst I can.

Cheers Barry, and yes I've put my hand in my pocket again. 
As you well know, I can see who is lurking in the shadows, and I have seen past members showing up and seeing what's going on. Within hours of blocking guests we had old members logging in. They didn't post but they'd gone a step further than they had in a year. And as they say, he who pays the piper calls the tune, and I don't see anyone paying the piper except me. 😜 

[patman post]

I don't suppose with your busy life you'd have the time to run a forum. If you hadn't noticed, the cut off date has gone by, So Nick has obviously changed his mind about closing this forum down. I'm ambivalent about the forum being open to guests. Forums are dying everywhere, I'm just enjoying them whilst I can.

I pay to post on a couple of specific forums. Otherwise free forums that look to have interesting topics and posters attract me and I may join. It's my choice, and theirs too.

You're right though, I don't have the time to run a forum without interrupting other things I like and/or need to do. This is one of two I often check throughout the day, because I can, and it takes only a few minutes.

I'll be sorry if this one goes — I've been with it, and its predecessors, for some time. But I won't weep if it closes, there are others that don't run on, and get swamped by the attitudes, beliefs and foibles of their owners...

[Unlucky4Sum]

It is Nick's forum and he does all the real work (and funding) so we should say thanks and yes it's always ultimately his call.  It isn't a democracy and shouldn't be.
  
That said as I've said before (may have been by PM) very few people will sign up here without at least a peek at what the forum is like so I'll ask again please can it be open for non members to view.
  
In the last year the only active posters that joined were me and the (legend in his own lunchtime) Rackham and he hasn't posted for over 6 months.
 
https://pol-tics.com/index.php?action=mlist;sort=registered;start=0;desc 
 
Suggestion:  maybe allow non members limited view access EG to say the News or General Chat Forum only so they can see the tone of the place and be enticed to reg up to see more.  I know such selective access is possible in phpBB but this forum uses SMF as its base and that's one I really don't know.
 
  

[Borchester]

I don't suppose with your busy life you'd have the time to run a forum. If you hadn't noticed, the cut off date has gone by, So Nick has obviously changed his mind about closing this forum down. I'm ambivalent about the forum being open to guests. Forums are dying everywhere, I'm just enjoying them whilst I can.

Good point. I suppose that I should squeeze out a graceless thank you to Nick. So ta Nick

Still, I think that not only are forums are more fun when they are open, there is also more chance of picking up passing trade.

[Barry]

And lost traffic.

But it's your toy, and yours to do with as you will.

One thing though, if you are closing it down, would it take too much time and effort to remove all the bells and whistles and software wheelies in the interim that are so distracting?

I couldn't even type l o l l y p o p today without some clownish and totally unnecessary intervention...

I don't suppose with your busy life you'd have the time to run a forum. If you hadn't noticed, the cut off date has gone by, So Nick has obviously changed his mind about closing this forum down. I'm ambivalent about the forum being open to guests. Forums are dying everywhere, I'm just enjoying them whilst I can.

[patman post]

It doesn't worry me, and the forum was locked for a year until recently.

And lost traffic.

But it's your toy, and yours to do with as you will.

One thing though, if you are closing it down, would it take too much time and effort to remove all the bells and whistles and software wheelies in the interim that are so distracting?

I couldn't even type l o l l y p o p today without some clownish and totally unnecessary intervention...

[Nick]

Why does that worry you?

There won't be any new posters if goods aren't on display...

It doesn't worry me, and the forum was locked for a year until recently.

[patman post]

Correct, guests can no longer snoop without logging in.

Why does that worry you?

There won't be any new posters if goods aren't on display...