While I was at the Mall earlier I checked out the RPGsite forums from a computer that wasn't my home machine - and I couldn't see the OFF TOPIC area.
Are you guys trying to imitate RPGnet now?
That was one of the most iritating things about RPGnet - that they blocked voewing of Tangency unless someone signmed in.
One of the things I LIKED about this forum that we're on now is that nothing was invisible or blocked from view . Up until oday I thought this site looked more honest than RPGnet.
Who had the bright idea to block viewing of Off topic?
The SJG Forums version of that area - General Chatter is still viewable when someone is not logged in - why not here??
Can we go back to the way it was?
I just don't see the reason to emulate or imitate tbp.
- Ed C.
The admins can come and explain things, if i get it wrong, Ed, but there's a very simple reason for it.
It's an attempt to improve load times and server performance for the site. As the off-topic section is the least important to this site, limiting access to it to members is designed to limit strain on the server by guests, spiders and the like eating up bandwidth, nothing more.
As long as off topic doesn't turn into insipid whining, asking for "vibes" for idiotic things and talking about how much your life sucks (because you didn't get what you wanted for x-mas) then I think we are still doing ok.
Yeah, Koltar is right, yesterday I realized I couldn't see off-topic, I logged on and there it was. The same as rpg.net! :o
Frankly, it's not a big deal to me, as long as off topic threads remain in off topic and don't start creeping into roleplaying threads.
Repeated post.
Off topic is off topic, and not the reason I visit here (it's for side trips once you've been to the main attractions). I'm good with the restriction if it means better loading time, etc.
Otherwise, just remember your password when you're logging in from elsewhere.
I warned Brett that people would be saying "we're becoming RPG.net!!" with this. Didn't I warn you exactly this would happen, Brett?
Ok, here's the deal. Brett tells me that this site's "load times" will get better if he restricts off-topic to registered-users-only, because apparently a lot of spambots and things I don't really understand go there and make the machine go slow.
I felt this was ok for off-topic, because its OFF-Topic, ie. not central to what we're about, so it doesn't matter as much if unregistered users don't see it.
So to put it in terms a techno-idiot like me can understand: you can either have a faster site and keep off-topic private; or you can have a slower site and have off-topic public. Feel free to let me know which you prefer: slower site, or faster site?
RPGPundit
I'd rather have the slightly slower load times if it means everything is OPEN for viewing when not logged in and signed in.
If something is hidden to the casual web browser then it might give the appearance that we have somthing to hide or something to be embarrassed about.
In the case of RPGnet this might be true.
This place, the Site always struck me as trying to be more honest and show itself "warts and all" as much as possible. (tho there is GOOD stuff quite often as well)
- Ed C.
If you want to see OT so much when you're not signed in, perhaps you ought to wonder why you signed up to a site about RPGs.
Quote from: One Horse Town;277220If you want to see OT so much when you're not signed in, perhaps you ought to wonder why you signed up to a site about RPGs.
You're missing the point maybe...
When I browse on a computer thats not mine - I look at ALL the sections that I normally look at quickly , scanning to see if there is anything new.
Most times I look/scan the Roleplaying section first. Some days I scan for new thread titles from the top of the index and work my way down, some days I start at the bottom of the screen (feedback & help) and work my way up vertically checking if there are any new thread titles or posts.
Its just the idea of the site hiding something...anything bothers me.
- Ed C.
If this site publicly presents itself as the RPGsite first and foremost, that's all for the better.
The point of this site is to be an uncensored RPGsite, not an uncensored Tangency.
Making OT invisible to nonmembers helps clarify that distinction, by making it so much less inviting for Tangency flotsam as a place where they get to rant and ramble uninhibitedly about politics, religion, child pron and whatever else has nothing to do with RPGs and would get them banned over there.
Quote from: Koltar;277222You're missing the point maybe...
I think you are missing it. You advocated moderaiton of the Off-Topic/Politics, just like RPG.Net, and now are compaining that you can't see the them if you don't log in?
Seriously... your priorities seem out-of-wack. Why would someone, who has a login, not want to sign-in to browse? How that is getting pushed to the level of a conspiracy to hide something seems a bit odd.
Heck, if hiding forums from non-signed in logins does improve site performance, perhaps only the core RPG forum should be seen when not logged in.
Quote from: CavScout;277235Why would someone, who has a login, not want to sign-in to browse?
Dude, it's so inconvenient...I mean, that's, like, 5 seconds of work to log on! Work!
I'd rather have faster load times. It isn't the hiding that would make this site like RPGnet, it'd be the content.
Most forums I go to have some kind of hidden area, so in the bigger picture it is no big deal.
If it bothers Ed that much maybe you could put a little disclaimer, somewhere explaining why that section is for members to sign in to see. That should be good enough.
Quote from: KenHR;277242Dude, it's so inconvenient...I mean, that's, like, 5 seconds of work to log on! Work!
:hatsoff:
No question: faster load times. I don't seem to be affected by it either way, from what I can tell. My occasional forays into off-topic are just a place where I can shoot my mouth off, and not important to RPGs in the slightest. Aside from some links here and there, I wouldn't have a problem with purging off-topic every two months and politics once a month by automation. Just about everything that goes in there is highly topical, and really isn't relevant after a month or two anyway.
It does serve a purpose, however. None of us are RPG-bots with nothing else going on in our lives. With routine purging, people can start all the vibes threads they want, they would be gone soon anyway.