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Anonymous posts or easier registration

lhundertwasserlhundertwasser
edited March 2006 in Vanilla 1.0 Help
I run a help forum, which I'd love to switch to Vanilla, cause it has some awesome features. I just think that the user has to go through fire and water to be able to post. I understand that it can be necessary in some circumstances, but I'd just like that a user can post a question - easily!

My users most often post 1, 2 or 3 messages with their question and some ping-pong, and requiring them to have to fill in first, last, email, username, password*2, reason and click the box and link means I'm making sure they don't post their questions on my forum.

What I'd like is an administrative option that enables me to specify that the user need only enter username and password, email optional and they are ready to go!

Good or bad? I can't be the only one with a situation like this.
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Comments

  • lechlech ✭
    You're probably wanting a better solution that's not intended as a message forum in the first place. There are many "help desk" type of applications designed specifically for what you describe. Otherwise you're better off either letting the user login under "guest". If they have to come back any time later, they'll also have a stable login they can identify with if needed.
  • mattmatt ✭✭
    The 36 Degrees Vanilla installation http://www.36-degrees.co.uk/vanilla/ allows sign up without having to have the account approved by admin. Any simpler than that and you'll have to hack the source.
  • MinisweeperMinisweeper New
    Or extension. might work..i dunno really..it seems to be the buzz word!
  • nathannathan
    I see your point. I think that those are in thee, because of the closed forum support. An option to remove them would be nice, but, minisweeper, I can't see how an extension is going to change this. I know that turning an extension on or off, writes to the file, but having an extension write over (comment out a few lines) is not the solution. If I am missing something, and there is an easier way, let me know.
  • vinayvinay
    edited July 2005
    I believe most forums these days require sign ups. Even a number of support forums. This is mostly because of the resulting spam that would flood the forum otherwise.

    Since vanilla allows you to register without having to go through an "application" process (you can change how it works - just set it so that when you "apply" for a membership they become a member rather than an applicant), this pretty much puts it on par with the situation I mentioned in the previous paragraph.

    To make it so that it required no registration at all, I would imagine one could hack the code to make it so that "anonymous" posting would simply log the person in as guest, or some such.
  • nathannathan
    Viany, you are right. On a support forum, spam could be a major issue. lhundertwasser, you may want to consider this. Is it really a big issue? Give them imediate access to post on the site when they register. It is then only another 10 (max) before they get posting.
  • MarkMark Vanilla Staff
    There have been a few discussions about this already. It is possible to ease up on the application requirements with an extension, yes. But I think I might make the FirstName, LastName, and "Why do you want to join this forum?" fields optionally required by admins. So it could be as light as: username email password password again accept terms >> Create Account I think that would be a pretty desirable change for a lot of people. The other change that we've talked about on here that is on the TODO list for the next rev is: Add a username & password input below the comment box for unauthenticated users. That way you can browse the forum without being signed in, and then when you want to post, you enter your username and password along with your comment - so you don't have to go all the way to the sign in page and then back to the discussion to post your comment.
  • lhundertwasserlhundertwasser
    That would be great!
  • MinisweeperMinisweeper New
    yeah - when i said extension i was implying that it could be possible to change the application form so that it doesnt *Require* first and last names and thus would be more as lhundertwasser desired. Mark - if you're gonna put username/password boxes in the add comments form it *might* be good to put an option to pass these through to the app form if the username doesnt exist?
  • domdom
    edited July 2005
    On the note of required fields, would it be possible to turn off the need to read the terms & conditions? If they have to tick a box agreeing to them, then you have covered yourself from a legal stand point, whether they read them or not, and it means people without javascript (I believe this was mentioned in another discussion) would still be able to sign up. On that note, I guess I should go post something in that other discussion...

    I should really read things before speaking ^^ The other discussion does mention this already, and mark even said he's taking it away in the next revision.
  • MarkMark Vanilla Staff
    Actually, does anyone want to add these feature requests to the wiki on the bugs page. There is a heading called "Enhancements" that would be perfect. Check it out at: http://lussumo.com/docs/doku.php?id=vanilla:bugs I just know that there is so much going on - I will forget things.
  • MinisweeperMinisweeper New
    Consider it done. Sort of.
  • KrakKrak New
    With the new Vanilla will it be easier to get this done? I would guess yes since I've read the auth system is now an extension, or something like that. I have a phpbb forum and want to switch it over to Vanilla but a lot of my (super fscking lazy) friends dont want to reg and/or login to post. Dont ask me why. I need anonymous/guest posting.
  • MarkMark Vanilla Staff
    If you go anonymous, you basically have to remove most of the cool features of vanilla. For example, making vanilla remember which comments you've read - that needs to be associated with a user. Or whispers, you can't whisper to someone if the forum doesn't know who anyone is. I seriously have no plans on making vanilla have anonymous posting. I would, however, consider using the framework to make a completely different version of the forum purely for anonymous posting.
  • MarkMark Vanilla Staff
    On the other hand, the default of the registration form only has four inputs now: Username, Email, Password, and Confirm Password.
  • KrakKrak New
    edited November 2005
    Yeah, I figured something like that. My bastard friends are just really that freaking lazy. It annoys the fscking hell out of me. Oh well, maybe I will think up some way to force them to do it, or do it for them. The bastards.
  • MinisweeperMinisweeper New
    tell them there's porn inside.
  • Mr. FahrenheitMr. Fahrenheit
    /me registers ... there's no porn. LIAR!
  • KrakKrak New
    edited November 2005
    lol EDIT: haha, one of them just registered, and he doesnt reg for anything. He likes Vanilla, think thats why he did it.
  • lechlech ✭
    Mark, have you made it an option to include reading the little disclaimer upon sign-up? IE: if enabled, it pops back in there if you want to have it.
This discussion has been closed.