Subscriber/non-subscriber suggestion

I thought non-subscribers could see the FIRST post of every thread. Is that not correct?

I think the Round Up forum and RU pictures forums are not visable to non-subscribed members also. That's something to remember if you are giving out information you don't want non sub members to see, in seed trades etc list that information in the second post all they can see is the first post in the other forums.

They can see the first post of every thread - in almost all forums.

There are a few forums (namely the Dave's Garden forum and the Parking Lot forum) that are reserved exclusively for subscribers and are completely invisible to non-subscribed members and visitors. If you log out from the site and do some peeking around the site or even searching via Google, you'll not be able to see those forums or any threads contained in them.

Non-subscriber members can read (but not post) to the DG FAQ forum, since it contains many helpful hints for navigating the site.

Every registered user (subscriber/non-subscriber alike) can read and post to four forums (posts must remain on-topic; if you spot anyone attempting to post off-topic questions or any type of "spam", please let us know ASAP):

1) the PF Pictures forum (submitting an image to PlantFiles launches an accompanying thread in this forum; non-subscribers can post follow-up questions or comments, as well as start a thread by submitting an image);

2) the Weekly voting booth thread;

3) the PlantFiles forum to ask questions or share tips on how to optimize your use of this extensive resource; and

4) the DG Journals forum, another how-to forum designed to give journal-keepers a place to share their best tips and pose questions.

Sooo much to remember(or forget) ;o)

On a similar note, I'm wondering if the address exchange is visable / accessable to both nonpaying members and subscribers? I only learned of it after I subscribed, so I can't go by my own experience. I've told several other new subscribers of its existance, but I don't know if nonsubscribing members can use it as well? Actually, I'd be just as happy if the exchange was limited to subscribers, as otherwise it doesn't seem much different than posting my address in a fully public forum. PLMK, somebody!

The address exchange is only available for subscribers who choose to participate in it. "Members/non-subscribers" have no access to it.

Subscribers can use it only if theychoose to participate in it themselves.

Hope this helps.

yup, that's what I was trying to check!

I guess I signed up for the exchange before I ever tried to use it, so I never made that distinction, either!

Now I'll know more about it when I try to pass the information about the addy exchange along to others.... Thanks, 'Shoe!

Yer welcome! (Ain't you up kinda late!? Should be way past your bedtime!)

Nitey nite! ;>)

DH was in Kazakhstan last week, and now I think both our "clocks" are a little messed up! But I'm logging off now.... z z z z z z z z

Are you aware that all new forums going forward starting in January 2006 are open forums? Check this thread out: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/607375/

Zone 8b, southeast, TX
Wow, my head is spinnin'
I don't mind shareing gardening information, but personal information should be just that, personal.

Dave's Garden is the greatest!

Keep those hands dirty.

Color coding would be nice.... or maybe an easy way would be the banner at the top of the page... NO banner, it's private... Banner, it's public....

This message was edited Jun 2, 2006 12:05 AM

In the open forums, they are able to see, and participate in, the whole thread.

That makes me quite uncomfortable. I guess I'm going to have to change my ways. Can they go to my info page as well? What is it that they can't do, that I, as a paid subscriber can do, other than post on this forum?
CJ

There are still are all the old forums that are still safe for us. I to try to stay out of the new open forums - just to many who knows who reading and knowing everything in there.

Hi Mitch!
I did read the FAQ and checked to see which have asterisks. I guess I'll just do like you - and stay out of the open ones.
Do you know if they can get to our personal page?
Thanks!
CJ

Yes they can.. but if they Dave mail you you can just not talk to them like I do...

I have met some great people in the Southwest Gardening Forum...and lots of them are only Members...I don't think many non-subscribers would mean us any harm. JMHO Jo

How do we keep it straight? I have no idea what forums are new (2006) or pre 2006. Terry was not even sure (at the top of this thread) about a forum, how can we be sure?

Jo - I know there are some great new folks out there... it is just I have had some strange emails from the time the new open forums were made - I dont like strange Dave mail!

(Please read this as if you could hear my voice in a very nice friendly tone)

I honestly don't understand why it makes a difference. Why could I trust someone just because they subscribe? When I first learned some forums were open to everyone I was miffed for about a minute because I wondered why I paid. But then I thought about what this site means to me and I do like it that I don't get the popup ads and I love having unlimited searches. I also get a kick out of the fact that this is the only site I have ever paid to belong to and it pleases me no end that I feel good about it each and every day. Most of the time I don't know if the person I just had a lovely chat with in a forum is a subscriber or not, I'm just glad I got the chance to connect with them.

edited to add; (((Mitch))) you made your last post while I was typing, I think I got one strange dmail before the change was made and none since? LOL I never was very popular! waaaa


This message was edited Jun 2, 2006 6:52 PM

You know, at the top of the page where it says "Forum" and then which forum it is, like in this case "Dave's Garden" - that's where I would like to see the asterisk. It's hard to remember which is which. I guess what I'll do is just unselect those that don't have an asterisk in front of them in "Garden Talk". Like gingers, for example.
I sure know that I'm not going to give any more info out on my personal info page. I love this place, but yeah, I guess I'm just a little paranoid.
CJ

One tiny interjection....Mitch, you may have received a few strange mails since the forums were opened, but that's purely a concidence. We've had no more (or less) "spam" attempts since the Home Talk forums were introduced than we had prior to that.

Recently we took some additional steps to ensure that non-subscribed would-be spammers are stopped before they get started, so that should no longer be a concern.

I personally am not concerned, like angele, about who reads what I write. But I will say that I like CJ's suggestion about putting an asterisk at the top of a thread to indicate whether or not it is open or restricted.

I know Terry - and thank you again.. it is still just feels a little strange to me in a lot of ways.

When did The Florida Gardening forum go Public? We were here way before the new set-up and I feel my privacy has been violated by making us public. If you put us out there, how about putting Texas out there too.
That's a real surprise to me.
Actually it would be best if these regional forums were subscriber onlys. MHO
Sidney

I'm not sure exactly what you meant by the Texas forum comment, but if my hunch is right, let me try to set the record straight before something regrettable gets said in a fit of panic.

The Florida forum is not a public forum.

Dave promised when we introduced "home talk" that all existing forums would remain as they were.

If they were free (such as the voting booth, PlantFiles and Journals forum), they remained free.

If they were read-first-post-only (as the majority were), that's how they stayed.

If they were totally invisible to non-subscribers in the past, they remain completely off their radar screen today.

No one's privacy has been violated.

Okay, when I looked the green star wasn't there. I am sorry I got so upset, but it alarmed me.
Sidney

Can I just add that I use firefox. With firefox, the page I'm seeing is white. Nothing to differentiate the different posts within a thread. I have no banner on top either. It was actually quite a shock to me when I accidentally clicked on Netscape instead of firefox, and saw all the pretty colors and the banner. Firefox displays these pages so much different. So if you went with a color or a different banner, it wouldn't mean a thing to me as I can't see them anyway.

Hmmmm.....that's strange. I switched to FireFox and the page looks the same to me as it does when I use Internet Explorer.

Sidney, the green star simply means the forum has had activity since you last visited it. It's the red asterisk (*) that indicates that it's subscribers-only.

terryr, I don't think your view is a Firefox-specific issue; it may have to do with your security settings. (I see the banner, et al and I use Firefox all the time.)