Suggestions and Feedback

I'm against guest postings.

Registered posts are not anonymous in that registered users garner a reputation. Posts will be held accountable to the specific users, and other users can esteem post quality and reliability based on the reputation of the poster.

I know that I personally refrain from answering or assisting with anything posted by guest members -- what are they contributing to the forum? They only post when they have a specific problem. These posters are leeching, at very best, and not actually providing quality posts -- so what does it matter that you are drawing in more posters, if the majority of the posts are of shabby quality?

In other forums that I frequent, it becomes quickly apparent which posters are strict leechers and which are contributers. The leechers ONLY ask for help, and never post for any other reason. This too becomes part of a user's reputation. These members on other forums rarely get any help.

As long as we obey some general forum rules and etiquettes (this applies to all forums on www) of posting on boards; we dont/wont find any trouble.

Forums usually meant for sharing ones ^personal^ experiences and opinions.
For general info you always have google/ answer.com etc but it's 'YOUR-specific-query-answered' that makes foorums in vouge.

It's absolutely normal AND acceptable to have so called leachers on the boards. Such posts actually give me(?) opportunity to post a reply on the forums. & they are certainly adding something to the forums...

I've seen many guests who have helped on btG. They're on other side as well

If I dont see ^leechers^ queries answered, I'd call that: a bad forum.

Being biased towards certain members and personal attacks are regarded as 'bad forum manners'.

-you have a queery
-you post it
-somebody answers it
-other members put their opinions and add other perspectives.
-visitors get benefited from the thread(?).
-if you disagree with some info/or others opinions: you put yours (... but you just can't say something like 'take my advice & ignore his' )

THIS IS how forum works...

As long as guest users are concerned I dont see the overall quality of forums degrading. & I dont expect it to be superior either.

I agree with aim-wsc. There are advs and disadvs. We can continue with the test for now. If the rules are breached regularly we can tighten the control.