Any chance of a private forum?

traceyhand

By private, I mean one that can't be indexed by SEs or accessed by non-members so we can ask more 'sensitive' advice about customers/procedures etc?

Gabriel Crowe

good plan. passworded? how do you want it?

traceyhand

Passworded might be better yeh.
Or only available to members with more than X posts?

Gabriel Crowe

ooo, sounds complicated, let me investigate. i'll need to RTFM.

Darren

Done it yet gabe?

traceyhand

No rush, of course.
It's just something that the AC has always been lacking. Somewhere to talk about stuff you wouldn't want customers/competitors to read.

Darren

OK Gabe i have created a new forum, just need to sort the password protection side of things out

I did add the password protection but it still let me in, definately one for the manual

Darren

traceyhand said:
No rush, of course.
It's just something that the AC has always been lacking. Somewhere to talk about stuff you wouldn't want customers/competitors to read.

Actually this is a very good point

drounding

I'd like to see that also with vetted access only.

Darren

drounding said:
I'd like to see that also with vetted access only.

Im just working on it, seems to be ok but need to do a bit more testing at the mo. Actually if you try and a access the new forum at the bottom you should be prompted for a password

traceyhand

Sir Breakalot said:
Im just working on it, seems to be ok but need to do a bit more testing at the mo. Actually if you try and a access the new forum at the bottom you should be prompted for a password

I did and I was
Presumably this stops search engines indexing it too?

Excellent idea T - would be good to have somewhere that you can talk about stuff and know it isn't going to turn up on a SE somewhere.

As long as I'm allowed access that is - if not then it is a VERY bad idea!!

Darren

It does, it has the option to stop SE indexing, you can control this at thread level which makes things easier

dave_finlayson

Nice one, sounds like a great addition to me!

Darren

LOL - hang on let me make sure its all ok

drounding

Sir Breakalot said:
...try and a access the new forum at the bottom you should be prompted for a password

At the bottom of where? - I can't see it.

malbro

Hi Duncan

I can't see it either so maybe as noobs it is hidden from us

regards
Malcolm

Darren

drounding said:
At the bottom of where? - I can't see it.

In that case it seems to be doing what it is suppose to do, this then means you account type can be changed and then you can view it.

Not seeing it is better IMO as you dont know what your missing, i need to do a few more checks 1st and of course speak to Gabe to see if he has any suggestions

Then decide on what level of user access can see it, i have already created new user groups as opposed to moderator, administrator e.t.c

drounding

Sir Breakalot said:
In that case it seems to be doing what it is suppose to do, this then means you account type can be changed and then you can view it....

Good idea - out of sight out of mind.

malbro

Sir Breakalot said:
In that case it seems to be doing what it is suppose to do, this then means you account type can be changed and then you can view it.

Not seeing it is better IMO as you dont know what your missing, i need to do a few more checks 1st and of course speak to Gabe to see if he has any suggestions

So the only way to join would be by invitation? If so how do you know I would like to join, as I don't know it exists?

Darren

malbro said:
So the only way to join would be by invitation? If so how do you know I would like to join, as I don't know it exists?

LOL its a good point and one im sure we will cover at some time, at the moment im just making sure it works.

At the moment the threads are hidden from users not in a certain groups, if you cant see it your not in that group, if you can then you will need a password to get into it.

Does it have to be this way, well probably not but i like to know what i can do before i promise anything.

dave_finlayson

If users can see it but not access it (say till they reach a certain number of posts) then maybe it gives them the impetus to become an active member of the community. Dependant on the content of that particular forum it could maybe be used as a promotional tool to get more people regularly using the forums.

Darren

OK if i have mastered these settings you should be able to see the forum but not post in it.

dave_finlayson

Not me, me old mucker, can't see anything!

drounding

I can only see the invisible one at the top but nothing at the bottom - but then I should've gone to specsavers.

traceyhand

dave_finlayson said:
Not me, me old mucker, can't see anything!

it's not easy to spot but it is there!
It just says "Private Area" as a clickable heading below the "Forum Suggestions" forum

dave_finlayson

<------------- IDIOT!<br />
Although to be fair, I was looking for a forum and not a forum header! Yeah ok, I'm an arse!

drounding

Oh! Didn't even notice it. I certainly should've gone to specsavers then.

Darren

Sheeesh you lot with your bad eyes aint helping me test it

has anyone clicked on the header "private area"

dave_finlayson

Yep, says I don't have permission. Do you not know who I am! Jeez! lol

malbro

Darren said:
Sheeesh you lot with your bad eyes aint helping me test it

has anyone clicked on the header "private area"

Yes, it tells me I need to get permission!!

traceyhand

dave_finlayson said:
Yep, says I don't have permission. Do you not know who I am! Jeez! lol

I know who you are and I say you ain't allowed in
:p

dave_finlayson

You're a very mean person Handy! Very mean indeed!

I want to access it.... pleeeaaassseeeee :)

malbro

NRasool said:
I want to access it.... pleeeaaassseeeee :)

me too please, ever so ever so nicely

webD

... I feel like the person who gets picked last in a school yard football match, can I play too?

Gabriel Crowe

lols, i have beena way for 6 hours, and when i come back, we're an elitist society?

Darren

sheesh dont you lot have any work to do.

Let me confer with my man Gabriel

malbro

Darren said:
sheesh dont you lot have any work to do.

Let me confer with my man Gabriel

Hmmm now I can see more than just the Private area and the message has changed, though I still need a password, is that something you have done or because I am now an ex-n00b?

Darren

OK

this private area thing is probably going to cause all sorts of issues, as im guessing everyone has there own reasons for wanting one.

The problem being if we create a private area and everyone decides to use that instead of the general forum then the forum will stop becomming a resource of information as alot of information will be in the "Rebel Zone"

So would a private chat area be more prefable, no long threads just day to day conversations and general questions with no history to it.

Understanding what exactly you guys require it for, will help us to find the best solution

making secure areas is the easy bit on here, using it the right way is the hard bit

dave_finlayson

The only need for it imho is for posting links that you may not want the general public seeing or indeed getting indexed by spiders so, again imho, a forum that is only accessible to logged in users would suffice perfectly well. And if it can be limited to users with x number of posts, then I guess that may be useful too. After that it would just need to be moderated for content, making sure that all threads were there for good reason and not just 'for da banter'!

traceyhand

I just wanted somewhere to post stuff I wouldn't want customers of competitors to see/read!
Only reason I mentioned restricting it is to that they (competitors/customers) couldn't sign up just to read it and then bugger off again!

drounding

I've got just the 'thing' for that 'private area'. :D

traceyhand

My private area's better than your private area :p

Darren

drounding said:
I've got just the 'thing' for that 'private area'. :D

By the looks of it duncan you have more than one thing for the private areas

Darren

[quote=traceyhand;284]my private area's better than your private area :p

prove it!!!

traceyhand

Darren said:
prove it!!!

you're such a child, Beaumont :p

Darren

traceyhand said:
you're such a child, Beaumont :p

.

Am Not :p

dave_finlayson

Is there still plans for a private forum?

We are very close to launching our new site and would love to post it here for some feedback but would prefer it behind closed doors!!

Darren

there is one - but its private so you cant see it :p

traceyhand

dave_finlayson said:
would prefer it behind closed doors!!

you like most things behind closed doors, eh?
:p

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