Attention Peter Bakwin … Question Regarding Your FKT Web Site

"To prevent spam you must login to access this forum. Sorry for any inconvenience – blame the fake passport guys. To register you MUST provide a reason why you want to be on here!"

I understand the first part. But the second parts stinks of elitism. What if MY reason is not good enough for THEM.

Edit: Don't know why everyone is obsessed with dob and gender. Marketing.

Art –

"Why have you begun requiring a complicated login process that demands way too much personal information …"

Use a generic "registration email".
DOB and Gender? … like he is going to somehow check …
Here, I'll make it easy for you – 1/1/2001 – Fe/male -your choice.

"Reason?" Come on- be creative – "I like to know stuff".

Click "remember this password" the first time you login.

You've spent way more time complaining than it takes to register.

I registered. It did take longer that my posts, both of them.
Thanks for your comment.

Greg if that is really your impression here then you are clearly part of the problem.
the issues are two :

1. the appearance of exclusivity
2. the more real issue of privacy. most who register will provide their correct info. with even very secure web databases being hacked daily, its unconscionable to demand this type of information just to view a web site.

Art,
"1. the appearance of exclusivity"

Your perception, but not mine. I have to register on many sites just for access.

2."… with even very secure web databases being hacked daily.."

… which is precisely why many have a "registration identity" that contains no real data, and certainly no links/names/addresses that are of any value. Nothing is "secure" at this level.

"unconscionable…"

Practical is more like it.
If this reduces the "overhead time" for Peter, then I'm all for it.

Edit to Add:
There was a time when this site (BPL) had horrific problems with Spammer logins. That got fixed in a similar manner, plus $5. I've haven't seen spammed shoes for quite a while. And now Roger C. can spend his time monitoring the playground versus the front door. Works for me.

… like I said … part of the problem.

I'm sure the vast majority who visit BPL never make a post, they simply visit to learn.
How much would that viewer level drop if Everyone was required to have an account just to visit and read. BPL now has adds in case no one noticed.

Thanks for the question & opportunity to clarify.

I wasn't aware it is complicated, and if so I'm sorry to hear it. I'm constrained by what proboards provides.

I make $0 from this. It actually costs me $84/year and a bunch of time. Which is fine. The Sportiva & UD ads are on there to supplant random ads from proboards – I'd just rather you see ads from companies I like. I do make a very small amount of money from UD, but not for the ads.

Over Nov-Jan there was a TON of spam which I felt diluted the content, was time-consuming to remove, and just pissed me off. It appears that fewer spammers are attempting to get on the site recently, so I may try removing the registration requirement. Vetting registration requests is also time consuming.

Asking why you want to be on is PURELY to weed out the spammers/bots. If you provide a reason that has any relevance to the topic of FKT you're in. I do not save this info. Unfortunately, most people are choosing to ignore this request, which cost me more time checking their info against spammer databases. I do check each one and approve any that pass.

I hope this helps people to understand the motivation and process. I do this because of personal interest and the sense that others are interested, and for no other reasons.

For FKT updates/highlights follow my Twitter @pbakwin

Thanks for your time and effort Peter.

"Thanks for your time and effort Peter."

+1. Many people appreciate FKT, especially the people who know the work that must go into maintaining it.