members only forum needed?

Announcements about changes to the forums will be posted here. Also for suggestions and requests for technical assistance, etc.
Forum rules
Please read the Forum rules and policies before posting.
Post Reply
User avatar
chiefy
Big chief
Posts: 101
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2003 12:50 am
Location: MIDDLESEX
Contact:

members only forum needed?

Post by chiefy »

I can't see a forum that caters for MEMBERS ONLY

If I want to rattle on about my Facebook Group or my Website Blog I might not particularly want the "public" to see all that or for that info to be google indexed

if a members only area existed - nothing in those threads would be indexed by google and "sometimes" that is what a member is looking for before he decides to "open a thread"? :twisted:

it would be a great BONUS AREA for members too, if it was "visible" on the index page to anybody :) but then not readable unless a member this would be perfect!! :lol:
from your old mate
c h i e f y
global chiefy to yer old seadog maties
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: members only forum needed?

Post by beowuuf »

It would be an idea, but a member's only area is only so safe. Anyone who joins could still view that data. And we still get the occasional spammer posting, so it's not like a determined spider cannot get in here and pull out information.

Also google could see you blog, and who knows when facebook will sell out your group to advertisers! Sometimes, it's best to assume if you don't want it seen by everyone, don't put it in print anywhere :)


I thouht google, etc could be blocked by robot.txt or spider.txt files, but you can search for pages in the individual forums it appears. Unless there has been some naughty shift in this by search engines that we haven't kept up with?
User avatar
Gambit37
Should eat more pies
Posts: 13714
Joined: Wed May 31, 2000 1:57 pm
Location: Location, Location
Contact:

Re: members only forum needed?

Post by Gambit37 »

When the forums were last upgraded, the robots.txt file or something went wrong, and the forum became indexable by search engines. Prior to this, search engines could not get past the forum start page.
At the time, I was a bit annoyed (search engines chew up resources and slow things down). I was going to reinstate the search restrictions, but actually decided to leave it -- allowing search engines into the forums can help with increased readership (ie, it helps us get new members).

Regarding a member's forum, I agree with Beowuuf. There's no need for a separate one, as essentially any forum here is for members only anyway. We already have 29 separate forums, there is really no need for another one. If you want somewhere to talk privately, to be honest, you are better off somewhere other than a forum. You can't assume any kind of privacy on an internet property that you don't own and control for yourself, and by joining these forums, you're placing your trust in us admins and moderators to keep this place running smoothly. But we're not responsible for the data that anyone posts here and you should equally assume that anything you place here, or anywhere else on the internet for that matter, could be read by anyone else at any time.

The only safe way to remain private on the internet is not to post things on the internet...

By the way, we do have a Developers & Designers forum that requires member-only access, but this is really symbolic more than anything else and is just a way of having a small area where creators can ask for help or show off things that they may not won't to show on the wider forum.
Post Reply