Fodors Registration?
 

I am curious, with all the talk about non-travel posts and flamers and anonymous(MSP?)posts...I am wondering, was there a time when you registered for Fodors and used only your real name and e-mail? If so, how was it and why the change?

I didn't start this thread, as sydney will no doubt come back here and attest.<BR><BR>and I wonder if "never" is the sad little person that did try to break into my LonelyPlanet registered name there, just yesterday - - by requesting a temporary password. Of course, that doesn't work because they mail the temporary password to me e-mail address.<BR><BR>but it's interesting that someone did try over there - - and that LonelyPlanet's registration prevented them from being able to post under my name.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

Now listen to me here, Miss Sidney. If you do not have a sense of humour or you can't scroll down to the next message, girlfiend, you got a problem. Having to register for a forum is a sure way of killing the forum itself. So just do not read something that doesn't interest you!!! You shouln't be anymore bothered by "troll" messages than you would be by a boring one. And your message is SO BORING ! Thanks, Luv ya ! Aunt B

It is a good question.<BR>Has there ever been a time where people were required to register at Fodors?<BR>And if so, what made the change?<BR>And was it better or worse?<BR>

Hi Rex...no, I am not you! That's what I mean about the registration though, how would that work, and did it work? I'm not on any other boards.

This question comes up every so often. To my knowledge, registration has never been required on this site. Feelings are mixed, as are mine, about requiring it. I also use www.slowtrav.com, on which registration is required, and it's heavily monitored as well. It's quite pleasant.

I too have mixed feelings about registration.<BR><BR>Could this be done such that Fodors has one's email address but it wouldn't have to be published? I get so very much junk mail and need to retain my email address, I wouldn't want to give it out, but have no problem posting consistently under my name or identifying myself to Fodors.<BR><BR>I have so enjoyed the generosity of posters with so much knowledge and willingness to share it. I discovered this site about a year ago and have raved about it to friends. However, of late, the bizzare, cruel, stupid and off-topic posts have really spoiled it. I don't think it is true that one can cope by just not reading the junk posts. The essential problem is that they are congesting the site overall and spoiling many very valuable threads. Posts now pop up more than one per minute. If I post a question and go to work for a day, I can't find my post as they are not indexed that quickly. It has become very tedious to wade through the junk for the good stuff.

Just a reminder to Leslie: you can always return to your post if you bookmark, or simply writee down the URL immediately after a you see a post you like (whether it was "yours" or not).<BR><BR>This thread, for example, has the following URL:<BR><BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessages.jsp?fid=2&tid=1358715<BR><BR>This NEVER changes. You get it by right right clicking the header in the lefthand column (then "Copy shortcut" or "copy Linl Location" - - you get it "out" with an "Edit Paste").<BR><BR>As for sydney's question about how it works, I'd recommend you go look at www.lonelyplanet.com (ThornTree) and try it yourself. And to Leslie's concerns about e-mail addresses, they are NOT disclosed on LonelyPlanet - - though you can have a "pseudo-mailbox" for private messages ON their site, if you choose.<BR><BR>I am actually neutral on the issue of registration. I believe that it would have some modest value; it might also intimidate newbies, and newbies are the lifeblood of this forum. No newbies? - - not much point to this place. Just a bunch of us regulars talking to each other. It would grow stale very, very fast. It's not like any of us are gone off on a new trip every month or anything.<BR><BR>

Oh, and I just now noticed. My reference to "never" doesn't make sense now. Fodors policed up a posting by "never"... something or other. because it was moderately pejorative, as I recall.<BR>

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What on earth is all THAT about???

Rex - thank you so much for the info about bookmarking..didn't know how to do that.

topping<BR>

oh how will i make a decision if rex is neutured

Huh? Nurtured? Nourished? Neutralized?<BR>

Maybe the word was supposed to be naturalized. But I already am a citizen.<BR><BR>;)<BR>

Instead of going to the trouble of bookmarking the post, I simply do a subject search. <BR><BR>I have found that if I have made a post, I can even search on my name and the post will pop up along with all the others I have made.

The problem, Ronda, is that you cannot find a posting until after the next time that the database is "indexed". they have been doing better, but still a post can "sink" many hundreds deep even in just 24 hours or less.<BR><BR>You cannot - - right this minute - - retrieve THIS thread by searching "ronda". Maybe in a few days (or weeks) you will be able to do so. To be fair, they HAVE been indexing a little more frequently this month.<BR>

Rex is great !

I would be happy to register with Fodor's to use this site if my email address were not displayed. As it is I post consistently under one name. I could, of course, use a throwaway "real" email (from yahoo or whatever), but I'd never (never ever) check it, so there'd be no point except to keep somebody else from posting under my name. <BR><BR>

Thanks, xyz - - but... ummm.... for what?<BR>

Thanks for the information. Doesn't Fodors have our real e-mails now when we post in, regardless of who or what we've posted as? I thought they did. Personally, I think it would be good and keep the board more sane...I don't have a problem with Fodors having my name and e-mail, though I'm not sure I'd want to whole world to.

&lt;&lt;Doesn't Fodors have our real e-mails now when we post in&gt;&gt;<BR><BR>Maybe you mean our IP address. Where would they get our e-mail address, if you don't type it in? They don't have any special ability to reach into your computer and pull out your e-mail address. Especially if you use a web-based e-mail address like hotmail, yahoo, etc.<BR><BR>Walk up to any internet-connected computer in a public computer, and you can easily see that you can post here with no identification whatsoever. Moussaoui could have conceivably posted here, and no one would know it in any way.<BR><BR>

hey Rex, some regulars travel to Europe a LOT. (a lot) John G, Elvira, Beth Anderson to name only a few! <BR><BR>these, and many other folks, appear to get up and go at the drop of a hat. and they have a DIFFERENT outlook on things than, which hotel, which restaurant... <BR><BR>and some of us even LIVE here. go figure.<BR><BR>I have however noticed that many regulars REGULARLY get a lot of flak for their travel/posting habits - even you (although I only see that you are herein Europe once a year, if that)..<BR><BR>maybe the board's staleness has less to do with the 'regulars' not getting out a lot, and a LOT more to do with the general intelligence/insecurity level of some posters... (accountability, credibility, and all those quaint little character/honor traits - for some people, unless they are POLICED, they can't be trusted to exhibit these traits.) <BR><BR>the insecure/mean/blindingly stupid 'lowest common denominator' folks have undoubtedly scared off many normal folks, or at least ones with genuine stories to tell. or even quelled some of the stories, even if those regulars are still here once in a while...<BR><BR>registration - I am also of two minds about it. it may quell as many nice postings, as nasties - some people are just plain shy (and not malicious).<BR><BR>for you to make such a sweeping generalization is just bollocks.<BR><BR>my .02

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Thanks Rex: I'm not very up to date with computers. Just type and click level. Don't even know what an IP is. But it seems to me with all the technology, that Fodors should be able to tell who is sending what and maybe give a slap on the wrist to those posters who create a nuisance.

On Garden web, only the webmaster sees your email address. Just your name is put on messages you post. If anyone causes problems, they get a warning or are kicked off permanently. I think that is the way to go.

pat---That sounds good to me!

I favor registration and using real names ... if the healthy posters on this site help defend other posters when the psychos and stalker get started. I know that 99.99% of you are interested in helping others - and I am among you. But there are a few really destructive types who post on Fodors, far worse than mere spamming. I would enjoy posting here - I tavel a lot - not bragging, you know, but just that I can offer beaucoup information - but hate to do it anonymously. So, I favor registering and using actual names. I just hope the day comes.

I have no idea what shy anon is talking about. It's true my europe trips COULD be zero or one this year. More like three a year the past few years.<BR><BR>And to sydney who think s that Fodors can track down posters. Sometimes they can; sometimes they can't.<BR><BR>I repeat:<BR><BR>Walk up to any internet-connected computer in a public computer, and you can easily see that you can post here with no identification whatsoever. <BR><BR>Even at your home, who can tell who in a home does what posting?<BR>

Oh Rex, let's not make this about you.<BR><BR>Registration would be fine if they use some sort of email address protection.I do not want mailings from other posters even if they are registered!

Rex, you say 3 times a year in the past few years - well, I know personally (as in, in person) of several people who used to post here (or are soon to be, 'used to post here'), who easily double that. easily. and not just Europe - Asia, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Africa. among others.<BR><BR>the level of discourse on this site IS lowest common denominator because it CAN be. anyone with an internet connection can post away to their heart's content - and stalk/spam away the people who actually have something to offer beyond:<BR><BR>what do I wear?<BR>what bus do I take?<BR>where is a good place to eat?<BR>anyone stay in THIS hotel before?<BR>will I look/sound stupid if I say this?<BR><BR>all fine questions in their own right, but anyone who breaks from that mold, gets SLAMMED. big time. <BR><BR>always color in between the lines folks, is what we are learning here on good old fodors. don't do anything different, and you will be sure to please.<BR>

What is considered "stalking" on an internet forum, is there such a thing? Some of the posts I've seen are pretty mean, and some are sarcastic, but I've never seen one that threatened to harm someone. Still, that's why I post anon.

Well, xxx, you've seen what you've seen, and that's all you've seen. Others have experienmced exactly what you've not seen. Perhaps you ought to think beyond Fodors site, a rather artificial boundary. There are psychos and stalkers who post here. Believe me or not, not important to the reality of the situation. Registration and real names might create a better site. Might.

I favor registration. My people have no tolerance for impersonation and false identities. My martyred associates never found it necessary to use false documents. Your government has a security net like worn out panty hose.<BR><BR>Oohh, that gets me aroused, just saying that! I've never actually seen a woman's ankle, you know.<BR>

Do NOT post here, Zaccarias!<BR><BR>We must keep our mouths shut!<BR>

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I used to belong to a chat board and there was no registration and people posted using one name and when they wanted to post anonymously in order to make snide remarks, they could. <BR><BR>Then, one day the board demanded registration from its members. The funny thing was, as soon as a person registered, you could search his name and then all the old postings that he did under assumed names showed up, too! (the board must have been going by the IP's)<BR><BR>Obviously, a lot of people never posted again once they realized that they were outed. <BR><BR>Frankly, I am against registration as I do not want unsolicited email. I like being able to post under an assumed name and then being able to post under another name, especially if my other name has become the target of flamers as has happened to me a few times here at Fodors.

... that people think that registration would mean public revelation of an e-mail address.<BR>

Hank, that's funny! Probably some surprised folks. I guess an IP hangs around forever.