Re: [guide-user] Re: Project Pluto Users Website

Joe Mize Apr 18, 2002

Sebastien;

What is wrong with the Guide-User list we have now that makes a website
needed? I just don't see the need. The Guide-User list is convenient, all
we have to do is read our eMail. Going to a website based forum would
require going to that website with all its potential privacy issues. I've
never seen an "anonymous" posts, unless someone isn't using his real name,
then who can tell or even cares?...joe :)

sebastien_vaast wrote:

> Hi Laurent.
>
> I fully understand your concern about privacy. I'll explain why you
> need to register and give your e-mail address.
>
> First, I think that anonymous posting on a forum is not a good
> thing : it's always better to know who posted a question and who
> responded to it, like we are doing right now in fact. In fact
> anonymous posting IS possible on the site if I configure it. But I
> feel uncomfortable answering someone with "Hi anonymous" instead
> of "Hi Laurent". Using membership can help to create bonds between
> Project Pluto users.
>
> When you register, you need to give a real e-mail address because a
> password is mailed to you. You can, if you want it, add personal
> information like real name, ICQ, MSN, AIM or MSN address, country of
> origin, etc. The only requirement is your e-mail address. Why ?
> Because some features on the site need it : you can configure your
> account so that if someone reply to you you get a mail to tell you
> that. You can also ask to "Watch a topic" : when someone posts an
> answer, you get a mail. Another benefit of registering is the private
> messages members can exchange. That's an on-site feature, meaning
> that your e-mail or other personal information is not needed. But an
> option allows the site to mail you when you receive a private message
> so your e-mail address is needed here. BUT, you have to keep in mind
> that these are only options and that you can configure your account
> to not use them. Once you are registered, you can edit your account
> and change your e-mail (or other personal information) to a fake one
> if you want. I can also change it directly for you in the database.
> Private messages could be very interesting to directly share
> experience with another member. For example, if you're from Portugal
> and find another Guide user is also from that country (using the
> Memberslist) and want to contact him, you could send a PM to him even
> if he uses a fake e-mail address.
>
> As you can see, it's a very flexible system and your privacy is
> preserved. Anyway, it's important to state that the database where
> accounts are saved is not Lycos property. I mean they do not have
> direct access to it. Your passwords are also encrypted in the
> database. Besides, I can save the base in seconds, totally delete it
> and move to another web host without leaving a single personal
> information on Lycos.
>
> Since we're into privacy and security, I want to stress the fact that
> I'm using PHP Nuke, phpBB and MySQL which are all Open Source
> softwares. That means that the source code is free and that it is
> under strong scrutiny by hundreds of people everyday to insure there
> is no backdoors or security issues.
>
> I think the main advantage of the forums on the site is clarity :
> there are categories (which can be expanded at will, for example if
> it appears that a lot of Spanish users need one forum, it could be
> done in seconds) and the topics could be better browsed than on the
> mailing list (I think). You are not bothered with Yahoo ad in place
> of posts from time to time. You can also post "stickies" that stay on
> top of topics, for example if there is an important announcement. You
> can make powerful searches. You can also ban people if they are
> disturbing the forum.
>
> True, the main inconvenient is that you don't receive posts in your
> mailbox though it is possible to create a newsletter which could
> include interesting discussion and news and mail it say once a week
> (he he, if you used your true email address ;-)
>
> When I decided to try to make that site, I thought that it might be a
> good idea to gather all Project Pluto Activity (meaning forums, news,
> article and of course users) around one site. It's even possible to
> dream of a www.projectpluto.com site that would include both the
> current one and all that I'm proposing here.
>
> What is important to note is that we can control everything on the
> site and in the database and that's a great benefit over Yahoo.
>
> As I said in my original post, if a lot of users feel the site is
> useful, I could buy a domain name and host the site on a professional
> service. We could then get rid of ads and privacy concern.
>
> On the other hand, if you don't think the site is useful, I will
> delete it and all personal informations.
>
> Feel free to comment !
>
> ----
> Sébastien Vaast
>
>
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"May You Go Among The Imperishable Stars"

Joe Mize
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