*** PASSWORDS ***

Some of you are getting a little confused how the proposed passwords could work.
They can be an asset not a big bad bogey man!

This board will "always" be open, meaning it will be possible
to view every message regardless of who and how your viewing the board.
First timers, proxy surfers, old timers etc etc.

The idea is if you want to post a message you will need to register.
This is 2 mins of your time and you get instant access.
It's a one off registration, simple!
If your browser is set to accept cookies (95%) then you will never need
to enter a user or password again. It will function exactly as it is now.
The cookie authenticates who you are.
We do this now anyway. (This is so you get to see the new message icon and the messages you have read highlighted)

So you know, the board is going to change in the near future, the current board software is
slow and not very flexible. We are moving to a faster more flexible board (mysql/php), similar to:
http://vbulletin.com/forum/index.php

DR1's will be much simpler and better looking, but the basic functions will be the same.
Just waiting on the current messages on DR1 to be imported.

We are just trying to get a handle on the best way to manage the board?
Maybe appoint moderators?

As I have said, "all food for thought".

Rob.

Big Brother

In other words; You can gather just a little more information as to who we are, our surfing habits etc. where does it stop?

Re: *** PASSWORDS are intrusive

I'm probably not importatnt to you, but when free speech and the internet are using passwords to garner personal information, count me out

Show me the food!

I am a regular of another message board, I emailed you the address. It works this way: anyone can view the posts as well as searching the archives. To post one needs to have a password. It is as you say a short, easy procedure. I had being going around reading the posts untill I finally had something to say and "applied" for my password. The board always have a moderator who checks that the guidelines are kept, although they are very liberal with mostly everything they do not allow foul language, direct personal attacks, publicity, and the posting of copyrighted material.

On the up side it keeps everybody in line, nobody can post under a second handle (one nickname per computer, I guess because of the cookies, not everybody is so computer-wise as to avoid it). People who are repeat offenders get banned for life (?) and the moderators usually warn people when things are getting out of hand, at worse the moderator can and will substitute a post for another one explaining why the original one was erased/edited. If the people hijack the thread (writes on something off the subject originally posted) then the person is invited to start a new thread on that particular subject. Of course for this you must have more than one person constantly checking the threads.

Their format I find easier to read because you don't have to go clicking every post individually, once you access one thread you can view all the messages posted, of couse if people tend to post long message as we sometimes do on DR1 then it gets out of hand.

On the down side, think, would one-time visitors go to the trouble of applying for a password for asking about the Dominican flag or how to get from Puerto Plata to Samana? Maybe not. These one-time visotors are the people for whom DR1MB exits. We the regulars provide the service, they are the customers. What good does it make to give a good service if you don't have any customers.

My suggestion? Think it over and then do as you please. After all this is the "do-as-you-please republic" as oppossed to the "do-as-we-say kingdom" you came from. ) Now, when do I get my food?

STILL NOT A GOOD IDEA

PEOPLE WILL JUST GO TO OTHER BOARDS. KEEP THIS BOARD THE WAY IT IS PLEASE.

Don't do it. If it aint broke, don't fix it! I've learned more on this board than anywhere else...this is real information. And entertaining as well. Anyway, I love your site. In fact, a song was written about this. Like to hear it. Here it goes:

+++++++++++++++++++++

Don't go changing, to try and please me,
You never let me down before,
Don't imagine, you're too familiar,
And I don't see you anymore.

I would not leave you, in times of trouble,
We never could have come this far,
I took the good times, I'll take the bad times,
I'll take you just the way you are.

Don't go trying, some new fashion,
Don't change the colour of your hair,
You always have my, unspoken passion,
Although I might not seem to care.

I don't want clever, conversation,
I never want to work that hard,
I just want someone, that I can talk to,
I want you just the way you are.

I need to know that you will always be
The same old someone that I knew,
What will it take till you believe in me,
The way that I believe in you?

I said I love you, and that's forever,
And this I promise from the heart,
I couldn't love you, any better,
I love you just the way you are.

I don't want clever, conversation,
I never want to work that hard,
I just want someone, that I can talk to,
I want you just the way you are.

Re: Show me the food!

Pib

You're dieting!!

Can you e-mail me the address of the other site? I already go to the Bravenet site and I find that if you click on the last message in in a string it sometimes misses out some of the preceding postings.

Thanks PIB - You can dunk a donut now.

Re: *** PASSWORDS are intrusive

SEE!,There are already some "benefits",and you are just "brainstorming"! Criss

Re: Thats the beauty of the Internet, choice!

One area of contention seems to be that there are those of us who use the board "mainly" to give and recieve "information,and those of us who use the board "mainly" for "Entertainment"! I use the word "mainly" because there are a fair amount of us who like to give "information",as well as be "Entertained".I like the "TWO-Site" solution. Have a "chat-room" where we can "pass-time" without disrupting "information Seekers and Givers".That way "Manfred" can have a place to "explain" Quontum-Physics to a seven year-old,while the rest of us are having "Fun" Criss

Re: Thats the beauty of the Internet, choice!

Why mess with sucess? This board seems to be popular. Even the people complaining are still participating. SO why change it? This board provides good information and entertainment. Any need for registration and passwords would just drive people off. BTW I delete the cookies from my PC every chance I get.

Perhaps a good point, Criss

I think Criss has a point about the 2 types of posters.

Although splitting the board might still not be a good idea overall, and would be a lot of work for some, especially the webmaster, it might be the best solution IF ONE IS NEEDED. Split the board between postings that are serious and useful (entertainment is included by the way) and those that are frivolous.

Of course, one can't always decide which ones are frivolous, but for example:

When people talk about moving to the DR sight unseen with retirement next egg and wife (what wife would do this?);

Or about how Santo Domingo is the capital of Latin America (even Dominicans often have to go to Caracas to get visas to go to Europe or other places - by the way, catch 22, what a surprise, Dominicans even need a visa to go to Venezuela, so what do they do - errrr "remember where you're at");

Or about how women outnumber men in the DR 5 to 1 (laws of nature suspended) etc., - clearly those are frivolous.

If those posters are in fact serious, they need help far beyond this board. My own suspicion is that those people have simply found this board by accident and are trying to be "cute" or disruptive. Most of them probably get bored and go elsewhere.

As far as arguments among posters, I suppose that if one can't take the heat, he should stay out of the kitchen. The argument itself might be entertaining. Of course, personal insults are inexcusable.

Re: *** PASSWORDS are a turnoff***

I don?t think the use of a password would be beneficial to DR1. It would be detrimental. The present DR1 format is an open door; has warmth, invites use and participation of the browser. It has character and characters. It has spontaneity. It is enjoyable and informational. However, I think the proposed use of a password is a turnoff. It would shut the door and not invite the casual browser, a possible repeat visitor; to participate. It would be our loss. Some people for good cause don?t like to give out information about themselves to gain a password. I thought a measure of success of a website is the amount of hits it takes, the traffic it generates, its repeat use over a period of time. I believe if DR1 adopts a password format your success and our enjoyment will take a hit of another type. Regards, PJT

Additional info...

As I have said above, we are moving to a "completely" different board format.
This current board is old and a large burden on our server.
The new board is lightning fast, great search, easy to use and allows for some features that are just not available on the current board we are using.

Some of you still do not get the password idea :-(
It's not something you have to do every time, it's a one time,
2 mins of your time and thats it. You enter them once and can come
back in 2 mins, 2 days or 2 years and NOT have to enter a password.

Looks like it will be a case of try it and see what happens.
I somehow have a feeling you will not want to go back to this current board
once you have experienced the new one.

Don't worry, it's not going to happen tomorrow

Rob.