Should LLs allow ........

all users of SL to read the forums, but only allow those that have payment info verified as it is now to post, to obviously avoid the griefers here

I personally think that there is a mine of information on these forums that would be of benefit for new folks but they are not allowed access to read about it. Maybe also it would persuade them to upgrade as well lol. I know when i started here in SL, these forums played an important part of my learning curve and i feel its a shame all the new residents havent got access to read and search these LLs forums as im sure for the majority it would help them learn and adapt to things in SL.

Well that was my ramblings and i wondered what others here thourght about it as the knowledge base and wikki are growing all the time, there is still a wealth of material here to help some avoid the obvious pitfalls when we start, so finally should LLs allow it to happen?

And Play nice and lets not degenerate into a hate freebie accounts etc. etc., tho pie and weasels are ok to mention during this thread lmao

Peace

YES - I'm 100% with you on this one.

There are a huge number of reasons I wish that the unverified accounts could get in to read the forums, some of which you've already mentioned. It seems like a lot of new people get ripped off or get confused and leave because they only have outdated official information to guide them. In addition, the forums often point out current issues and problems on the grid before the Lindens can blog about it.

New folks might even learn something about the evils of camping!

I was so afraid to click on this thread when i read the title. I do agree they should have access to the forums. Any little bit that helps ease their entry into SL would probably be a positive for the whole community.

I agree wholeheartedly. Not just the Resident help forum which has many useful threads for new players but also the building, scripting, animations, etc forums as well as the tech support forums which might help some new players with tech issues solve them on their own.

When I needed more education of Second Life, I thought to myself "Forums would really be useful right about now --- I bet this place has forums some where"

I eventually found the link "Forums" on my Account page, on the left panel menu. I decided to visit 'Resident Answers' forum for my first click, and I haven't left since. I'm still reading/reviewing the content in the sticky threads of this area.

I didn't realise you could only access the forum if you have payment info verified.

Forums are a great way of learning for newbies, I always head to the forums for a good read whenever I take up something new, saves you acting like a total newb for long. Must be hard for new players who haven't committed to giving payment info in SL with nowhere to go to ask questions or read up.

Looking at the number of landbot & ageplay threads lately and the people that post in them, I'm not sure that limiting the ability to post to payment-on-file people would really help anything.

If they brought back Linden forums, it might be a very fine idea. For the forums we have now, I don't see much upside.

edit: er.. misread the OP.. unverifieds don't have access to the forums? Didn't know that.. I'll change my vote to at least read-only for all.

Maybe this is what they meant when they said they would limit access at peak times

I had no idea the forums were limited like that. Possibly the most half baked idea yet. The knowledgebase and the wiki are completely useless, and full of contradictory information. Newbies need access here just to get a straight answer (unless it's about landbots )

Prime incentive to go premium, I'd say. Imagine reading through all these various threads, with the urge to chime in becoming overwhelming and frustrating.. as down in the bottom left, they see:

You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

An hour or two reading through the RA threads would be hands down the BEST street education imaginable. And once you hook them into the forums, their instinctive nature to want to participate, and ask questions of their own, will take over and premium registrations will increase substantially.

Very good idea.

Gut feeling: Won't happen. Why? First Land, anyone?

Just to be clear...People without premium accounts can't read the forums? Or just can't post.

Unverifieds can't post or read. It's nothing to do with being premium.

I am so sick and tied of people bla bla bla about paying memebers. Who the hell is going to pay for something that does not even work most of the time! I was a paying member at one time and why because I thought wow how cool, I will become a monthly paying member and get some firstland... YEAH RIGHT! First of all, they never release any and second of all when they do it gets bought up by people cheating the system. So hhhhmmm let me think I could give the Lindens $10.00 a month and sit on my butt and spin while I wait for a tiny little lot of first land... Um no I don't think so. Or wait! Better yet I could pay the Lindens $10.00 a month and cross my fingers everytime that I can log in and not crash or have crap hanging out my butt.... Oh look! Even as we speak... Logins are having issues... WOW BIG SUPRISE.

Enough about paying and not paying... Give the people a product worth paying for and you might find that they start paying that $10.00 a month.

And one other thing... It don't matter if you pay or not, if somebody wants to be a jerk on here they are going to no matter if they paid $10.00 or not.

Unitll they fix all that... I am taking that $10.00 a month and placing scratch off tickets. My odds are much better on that.

I wish i could claim credit for the idea but i read a couple of comments buried in the forums and thourght about raising it as a seperate thread as i was getting fed up with the L*****t ones

Tristan i couldnt resist the title as i knew people would have to look

Zaphod i tend to agree with you about it not happening tho i must say that LLs does seem to take notice of matters discussed here if the threads recieve enough attention and are conducted in a sensible manner, so i will have to try and keep it sensible and current and i do agree totally that it would be a prime incentive for people to upgrade or at least put payment info on file while everyone can use the info here to help them learn that bit quicker.

Gaybot if you feel that as i do its a good idea then make the feature posting as i said i cant claim the idea but wanted to make it an issue as i strongly feel that here is the best place for info scripts etc as most have mentioned. Im forever getting info from here and pasting it into to notecards for new folks as there are some real gems here about living in SL and its cultures.

RL has got most of my attention atm as i have to work to pay for here so time can be limited lmao so from the feel of the thread perhaps you should post it asap

Thank for the thourghts and correcting the obvious payment info bit i perhaps didnt make it clear enough.

VooDoo Bamboo, Rule #1 When posting please read all the posts and reread before you post as you seen to have missed the bit in my OP where i said "and lets not degenerate into a hate freebie accounts etc. etc" lol the whole idea of this thread is to perhaps see if as a group here we could make these forums readable by every person that comes into SL its not freebie account bashing etc. as thats such a waste of my time

Some of my best friends are freebies. lol

I'll close this so people can focus on the Post in the Feature Suggestion Forum.