All members of The Lab read this plz

[tony dB]

I don't believe in litterally censoring but, as there was a problem recently with stuff posted on this Forum and evilbay...

Shouldn't we really consider to make this a registered members forum only? There's so much risk that this will happen FOR REAL and even worse, people could start, for example, marketing BAD DIY'd Gyraf (or any other) products. This would damage Jakob/others even way more then in case some Lab-qualified stuff hits the "market"?

Do we have any idea howmany lurkers only we have around here?
Are there statistics about his?

Just a thought... and i would like to hear your opinions as well...

Cheers,

Tony dB

PS if you believe this is more a kind of storm in a glass of water, let me know too :green: after all we don't publish how to make nukes here, lucky! imagine that on evilbay :green:

 

[tony dB]

agreed with you.

 

[zebra50]

So how would registering work? Would existing members have to re-register, or is this just to stop lurkers?

I have no problem with making it members only, but I hope it won't put off genuine contributers.

 

[tony dB]

those who know why they're here wouldn't mind in going tru this little trouble i feel. It also would stop searchengines at the door i assume?

 

[mcs]

[quote author="tony dB"]It also would stop searchengines at the door i assume?[/quote]
Unless they automatically register? :green:

Best regards,

Mikkel C. SImonsen

 

[Bryson]

I've no problem with this being a registered member only forum, and I don't see why anyone would.
And have clear "terms of agreement" (no opportunistic funny stuff, or else) for all to adhere to.

BTW: What should and should not be allowed?

 

[SmG]

[quote author="tony dB"]It also would stop searchengines at the door i assume?[/quote]
Not directly, no. But there are relatively simple things that the admins can do that will stop any bot searching the site - as long as it observes the normal rules of engagement for bots.

And I have absolutely no objection to this being a 'registered members only' site - if it is felt to be a productive way forward. But somehow, I don't feel that this will stop anybody who is absolutely determined to profit unfairly from the endeavours of others.

 

[mcs]

[quote author="SmG"][quote author="tony dB"]It also would stop searchengines at the door i assume?[/quote]
Not directly, no.[/quote]
It would stop the searchengines. If there's no way to access the contents of a website without logging in first, the searchengines cannot access it either.

Best regards,

Mikkel C. Simonsen

 

[tony dB]

yep, and this way the "surfer" looking for curiosa wouldn't find out about the goodies under the hood, or at least stopping a few of those in for some easy ripping.

I also think that there are some companies (in countries that don't take copyright that serious) already lurking, as a very simple google search shows our beloved Lab immediatly.

Could someone of the administrators let us in on the stats about lurkers?
would be cool to know me thinks.

 

[alk509]

Hi everyone,

I don't have a problem with having to register to access the forum. This wouldn't be a problem for most of us, since everybody who posts here, regularly or otherwise, is already registered... However, I seriously doubt it would stop anybody from trying to copy/market/rip off one of our designs (can I say "ours" :green.

I think the best defense is to keep an eye open for the kind of stuff we saw in the past couple of days and deal with it severely and as a group, like we did with the eBay guy. :thumb:

Peace,
Al.

 

[Peter Simonsen]

[quote author="alk509"]
I think the best defense is to keep an eye open for the kind of stuff we saw in the past couple of days and deal with it severely and as a group, like we did with the eBay guy. :thumb:
Peace,
Al.[/quote]

Uhh..Sorry..can someone fill mee in on this please..What ever happend ??

Kind regards

Peter

 

[peter purpose]

http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=2313

 

[jrmintz]

I hate to say it, but I think the only really effective way to clamp down on that kind of activity is to discourage the manufacturing of boards except by the owners of the design. I don't suggest there's anything wrong with it and the good folks who've been making them have done a wonderful service - I've bought excellent boards from several of them. It's just that those things can travel far beyond the limits of anyone's control, whether we keep the forum to registered users or not. I think that's the crux of the problem - if we go back to etching our own boards it will be harder for all of us, but I think it will be impossibly difficult and uneconomic for anyone trying to do the wrong thing. This place is about DIY, after all. Maybe there's a middle road, I don't know. It would be nice if there was - possibly only selling boards to registered users of the forum? It would be a shame, but it would be a bigger shame to risk this place.

My $.02

 

[Ethan]

Personally, I'm all for a "fully registered forum," where one would have to register to even browse the forum. Doing this sets a certain level of a trust agreement since all IPs are logged when registering. Thus, any of those who abuse/misuse this generous resouce network, can be banned and the innocent victim could be aided in taking legal action in the event he/she believes a crime has been commited against them.

As long as I've been a part of this group, I was always amazed at the level of generosity and candid giving nature of the people here, but it looks as though there will always be people to take advantage.

Since this is OUR community, perhaps this issue should be voted on with a poll. Tony, why don't you set one up

Just my thoughts.
-Ethan

 

[Peter Simonsen]

Wow..Thanks for the link..Makes me happy...very happy that so many people here are against earning money on "cloning" I had a feeling that I "nearly" was the only one !!! Hmmm

Kind regards

Peter

 

[SmashTV]

The only way to think about this is how it would be handled in a real world, face to face situation.
Imagine for a minute that we're all sitting in a lounge together at the next AES convention, schematics in hand, discussing design.
Mr. suit and tie walks up, who nobody recognizes, and asks if he can join in. Sure, no problem, that's the attitude and idea of The Lab.
But we at least need to know who dude is before he joins in on the fun, don't we? Personally I'm not opening my big grey book of designs up in front of him, even though I would freely share it's contents with anyone here.....Wierd double standard, huh?

Now imagine for a moment that acid lamma (or whatever that happy running marshmallow thing is that we all love and have nightmares about) is at the door of the lounge, not to restrict access, but to greet everyone and make sure they are who they say they are. Now I'm not as worried about who's looking at my big grey design book (except for the teasing I'll get from the truly enlightened Lab guys) because I know that the lamma has explained the limits of use of concepts found here to new dude, and since we know who he is he's less likely to attempt to profit from our free exchange of ideas and designs.

On a related note I'm sure I came off sounding a lot like a certain admin from the old dark days in claiming any level of ownership of copyright on something posted to my site (the MIDIbox Portal). I'm not compiling a book full of other people's work to retire on or anything sinister like that, anything posted on the portal is the property of the poster, forever without question. Invoking the copyright thing was just the easiest way to make sure that profiteer boy got the point. There are not many communities left on the net like this one or the MIDIbox guys, and I'll willing to fight tooth and nail to make sure that both communities remain as places for free exchange without fear of the next U*i B***inger wanna be slutting -our- ideas out for cash.

Best!

SmashTV

 

[Cainester]

If it does become a registered board, then how will new people find the site? Those, like me, who found TT by surfing the web will never gain from the wealth of info here. Just food for thought
Caine

 

[SmashTV]

[quote author="Cainester"]If it does become a registered board, then how will new people find the site? Those, like me, who found TT by surfing the web will never gain from the wealth of info here. Just food for thought
Caine[/quote]
That's a great point!
Maybe a front page explaining what The Lab is about, with a billion relevant keywords for the spiders to grab for the search engines.
Might be the way to go private without ignoring the people who have not found The Lab yet.

Best!

SmashTV

 

[Ethan]

Even if they don't find this forum directly through search engines, there are plenty of related websites maintained by many of our friends that link here.

-Ethan

 

[Mbira]

I am personally against making this a closed forum. I feel like the sprit of DIY is the sharing and acceptance of everyone. We have done a good job (I think) of getting rid of the rif-raf and kickin' some ass when needed. Maybe this is a naive viewpoint. But how many of us would have found this site (and TT) had it been a closed-register only thing? I probably wouldn't have. This is a forum to come discuss DIY and hang out with new and old friends. The guy on ebay wasn't trying to sell anything from this forum-but rather from Jacobs site. My suggestion would be that if Jacob, Peter, Kev, NYDave, SSLTech, and the others who have contributed designs are feeling worried that THEY should make their sites accessable only to those who they want to see them. Don't close off this information forum.

Joel