exclusivity

[jmayor]

I am sure the essential information will return to this site. However, you have forever changed the friendliness and attitude of this page by requiring registration, passwords, and tapping into personal info on visitors. The first time I receive an e-mail (ads on site are a differnt matter) that suggests you have shared my information it will change my attitude toward the dulcimer world of friendship, trust, common bonds. I have always found dulcimer people open, welcoming, and helpfu. Tonight's visit to Everything Dulcimer is a big disappointment.

For now, I am trying to pick a new home so wanted to make sure I could find a new group with which to play. Sorry that source of information has become private and that a casual user cannot tap it. We will lose newcomers who don't want to give up their privacy while they find their way and try to figure out if this is for them.

Good luck to you.

[brashley46]

I'm not sure what you are on about; the old-style ED needed registration to post as well. And I've never got any spam through this forum. I cannot as a member see any info that any other member doesn't want me to see. If you can see anything about me in my profile, it's cause I want it publicly known.

this forum has been remarkably free of flamewars, and I'm sure all the good people here would like to keep it that way.

[Dan Landrum]

jmayor,

(and thanks for help out here brashley46) I'm confused. Nothing is private here and registration has always been a part of this site. I'm trying to figure out what it is that has made you feel this way. My only guess is that you received an email from us letting you know that you had to re-register or something because of some problem. We had a few accounts where people registered more than once under the same email address. This isn't allowed under the new version (engine) of our forum software. It isn't even new software, it is just an update, so it isn't really even like we changed our software, rather, it changed itself, which happens all the time in the computer world.

My only other guess is that you tried to login and ran into some difficulty. This happens every day to someone and is usually related to a letter that should or shouldn't be capitalized in the password. It is a simple, but frustrating mistake, especially if the person who made the honest mistake is predisposed to thinking something is being done TO them, or to inconvenience them.

Can you help me understand what it is, other than unfinished updates to this site, that you feel has been put behind some new wall? Thanks, and I look forward to your reply. Dan Landrum

[Fletchroy]

jmajor it has always been a requirement to register at ED. I too have never gotten anything from anyone because of my regristration at ED. Other than emails to let me know what topics I am "watching". And I had to click a box to get that. I think it's remarkable that Bruce has always been able to protect us EDers from the big bad WWW out there. Trust me if anyone was getting spammed because of ED you would be seeing it all over every discussion board.
I know it has been frustrating not having things like the club listings. All that is coming back. It's just going to take time.
I would rather they take the time to do it right than rush into it and loose it all.(Like the weeks worth of posts)
Since Bruce could not continue to maintain this website on his own he had 3 choices. drop it all together. Partnerup with someone he trusts, Let someone else take over and walk away. I know he had to have struggled with what to do and who to turn to for help. He is still here and I don't think he would let DPN or anyone else mess with the original intent of ED.
I was angry to knock on the door one day an not get an answer. After they got back up with the discussion board I too was not a happy camper. But watching Bruce, Steve, and Ken taking the heat and working so hard with all that has gone wrong and all the has gone right, then I say give Steve and Ken a Chance. We already know we can trust Bruce.
Another thing to remember, They have to take good care of our community because they go to the same events and festivals as the rest of us. We know who they are. We know what they look like.

[folkfan]

Sorry that you feel a difference in the forum, but I'm confused when you mention registration as that's always been around. And your public profile page has just what you want it to contain. And as to emails, well, I get them to notify me if I have a PM, but I've never gotten spam that I've been able to trace as coming from my membership on ED. Bruce has always had a strict control when it comes to spam. But never put your email address in a post so that it can be read mechanically is a good rule to use on any site.

[modulcimer]

I'm confused here, how can you seem to know so much about us here, and this is yourfirst post... like the others we have had to sign in for years... and I have neverd recieved spam or any unwanted email thru this site.. so give it a chance... we are still the same as we had been , just a new coat of paint and a little new furniture...

[kwl]

It appears to me that jmayor has never before registered with ED and come here only as a visitor (guest). I am under the impression that guests could access the entire previous site except for member profiles and being able to post messages in the various threads. With only the discussion forum operating at the present time, perhaps jmayor feels that one needs to register in order to access all the other information. I am just guessing that this is the objection that is being raised. We will know for sure should jmayor post again.

[folkfan]

It appears to me that jmayor has never before registered with ED and come here only as a visitor (guest). I am under the impression that guests could access the entire previous site except for member profiles and being able to post messages in the various threads. With only the discussion forum operating at the present time, perhaps jmayor feels that one needs to register in order to access all the other information. I am just guessing that this is the objection that is being raised. We will know for sure should jmayor post again.

You're probably right, Ken. One thing that may also be confusing is that the User control panel will give the person who is registered access to the personal profile editing site which can seem to require a great deal of information, which would seem very open and public. However, other members can't access that site, but only the general profile page about another member. So if I go to your site by clicking your name I get only the info you want me to see. And how much info a person puts down for general view is his or her own choice. I don't think any of the blank areas in the user profile page even require you to fill them out. I deleted my location and occupation which was all that I had down and expect that when I post this that information will be gone from my post name section.