Do not require registration to just read articles

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Do not require registration to just read articles

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timothyawiseman

Posted Thursday, June 07, 2012 2:06 PM

Right there with Babe

Group: General Forum Members
Last Login: Thursday, February 14, 2013 12:01 PM
Points: 743, Visits: 900

I would humbly suggest it would be beneficial to not require registration for merely reading articles.

I know that registration is swift and simple, but it is still a barrier for some. Earlier today, I referred someone on Stack Exchange to an article I had written myself and published on this site, and his response was that he did not want to register and so couldn't read it.

I have also, occassionally, found this annoying when trying to show an article to colleagues when at their computer since they didn't always have accounts and I didn't want to log in with my account on their machine. Removing the need to register would encourage browsing and remove this barrier.

---
Timothy A Wiseman
SQL Blog: http://timothyawiseman.wordpress.com/

Post #1312770

Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Posted Tuesday, June 12, 2012 3:18 PM

SSC-Dedicated

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Last Login: Yesterday @ 3:30 PM
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We've done this on and off.

I appreciate many people don't want to register. We have found pros and cons for registration, and are currently forcing it to read articles.

That may change, and your opinion is noted, but thousands of people don't object. It's debatable that those who do are significant in number or not

Follow me on Twitter: @way0utwest

Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help

Post #1314761

Sean Lange

Posted Tuesday, June 12, 2012 3:22 PM

SSCrazy Eights

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Last Login: Yesterday @ 1:17 PM
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It seems that it would be nearly impossible to have an idea of how many potential readers you don't get because they don't want to register. I know that from time to time I will point my wife to a post or an article but she can't view them and has never bothered to register. She works as a development PM so her depth of knowledge about sql does need to be very deep, but she does need some level of understanding.

Of course you have reasons to enforce it just as people have reservations about registering. I am usually able to figure out a way around it but it would be nice.

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Post #1314765

Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Posted Tuesday, June 12, 2012 3:49 PM

SSC-Dedicated

Group: Administrators
Last Login: Yesterday @ 3:30 PM
Points: 31,436, Visits: 13,751

We have turned it off a few times, for months, to test what happens. It hasn't really resulted in more traffic for us.

Follow me on Twitter: @way0utwest

Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help

Post #1314777

Sean Lange

Posted Wednesday, June 13, 2012 7:33 AM

SSCrazy Eights

Group: General Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 1:17 PM
Points: 8,641, Visits: 8,273

Yeah I would think you might get a couple dozen more page loads in a month span. Not even a drop in the bucket for a site with as much traffic as this one.

_______________________________________________________________

Need help? Help us help you.

Read the article at http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Best+Practices/61537/ for best practices on asking questions.

Need to split a string? Try Jeff Moden's splitter.

Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 1 – Converting Rows to Columns
Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 2 - Dynamic Cross Tabs

Post #1315117

EdVassie

Posted Thursday, June 14, 2012 3:04 AM

SSCrazy

Group: General Forum Members
Last Login: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 3:26 AM
Points: 2,621, Visits: 2,759

Registration is a pain!

There are many times when I have wanted to read an article on a site, but gave up when it asked for registration. Every new site needs a new password, and every new site wants to send its spam.

My vote is that this site should be open for reading, but need registration if you want to follow a thread, do a post, etc.

Author: SQL Server FineBuild 1-click install and best practice configuration of SQL Server 2012, 2008 R2, 2008 and 2005. 25 March 2013: now over 23,000 downloads.
Disclaimer: All information provided is a personal opinion that may not match reality.
Concept: "Pizza Apartheid" - the discrimination that separates those who earn enough in one day to buy a pizza if they want one, from those who can not.

Post #1315700

Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Posted Thursday, June 14, 2012 3:47 PM

SSC-Dedicated

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Last Login: Yesterday @ 3:30 PM
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Your vote is needed.

I agree that registration is a pain, but it's also part of the "cost" of many sites.

If you think passwords are a pain, then you're doing it wrong. Go get Password Safe or KeePass and store your passwords (and use different ones all over).

Follow me on Twitter: @way0utwest

Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help

Post #1316226

BenWard

Posted Thursday, October 04, 2012 6:35 AM

Old Hand

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Last Login: Wednesday, May 08, 2013 7:23 AM
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I know this is an old one but maybe allowing users to log in with Facebook or LinkedIn would be a happy middle ground - most people have one of these accounts already and those who can't be bothered to register a new system with a new password could simply log in with an email address and password they already have and you'd still be able to track info on who's reading articles.

This is a nuisance to me as I sometimes forward useful articles to colleagues who, although are in tech services, are not database people and refuse to join yet another forum so I have to copy and paste the articles into a word doc and email it to them so that they can benefit from the info.

Ben

^ Thats me!

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Post #1368348

Scott D. Jacobson

Posted Thursday, October 04, 2012 7:56 AM

Old Hand

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Last Login: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 5:17 PM
Points: 335, Visits: 841

I have to 2nd the sentiments of Ben and the OP. I don't use FB but that may be a nice middle ground. It may not result in more traffic but it makes sharing much easier. There are many times that a fine article on here recommends a good practice or way of accomplishing a task. I attempt to share it with co-workers or colleagues only to but up against the registration issue. Then I have to go digging to find another article that makes the same recommendation. I should be able to email or IM a link to someone and be done with it.

Post #1368422

Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Posted Tuesday, October 09, 2012 11:07 AM

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Last Login: Yesterday @ 3:30 PM
Points: 31,436, Visits: 13,751

Fair points. We were trying to get OpenID to work, but adding a LI/FB/TW might make sense.

Follow me on Twitter: @way0utwest

Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help

Post #1370493

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