Should Guests Be allowed to Post?

Not sure if anything could be done about it, but curious as to general thoughts.

As with so many polls, my answer doesn't fall neatly into any of the categories.

I think guests SHOULD be allowed to post, but in a perfect world, their postings should be much more strictly policed (perhaps even moderated).

Of course, that means one of our favorite admins would have to take the time to moderate, and they probably don't have that time....

But as I said, perfect world situation, guests should be allowed to post constructive things and real questions, but not flame bait and personal attacks (even less so than registered users should be).

Liam, irregular sized, he doesn't fit neatly into any shirts, either.

How about this: Unregistered guests can post all they want but rgistered members get to rate on a scale of one to ten the legitimacy of the guest post. That way we can respond with our disapproval (or approval) and defend ourselves without getting wrapped up in a back and forth flame war, thus wasting our time. The average rating will serve to defend or reject the post.

I am on again off again because I travel so much but has guest post been so much of a Problem? As a rule to me anyway, guests generallyu bring new information and threads to the forum and generally it is a feeling out process for potential new registered users which are needed to keep the forum alive. So I think they should but always flagged as a guest.

None of us are truly "visible" on CPAPtalk and so although I am registered as a wannabe (seanconnery), no one really knows who I am so the issue of guest vs registered is not an absolute at all. The guest issue is a non issue because I can hide behind so many digital interfaces.

Someone said that what someone offers as helpful and constructive commentary is what really counts.

I also see 'guests' as an opportunity rather than an obstacle.

I teach and someone once said 'a difficult student is a gift' and so this has turned my thinking around to suspending judgment and looking for opportunity in face of some challenge or adversity.

What I have noticed is a very quick and strong reaction to 'what' and 'how' a guest posts. This reaction is not necessary and if responded to civilly with inforamtion, or at worst ignored, will resolve itself - taking the bait by guests does not do justice to those people I have come to know a little and the many wonderful comments they post. This community is for the most part open and inviting - perhaps a little more slack to those new guests who don't know the drill yet?

Very good points, Sean. Exactly why I voted yes to allow "guest" postings.

seanconnery wrote:None of us are truly "visible" on CPAPtalk and so although I am registered as a wannabe (seanconnery), no one really knows who I am so the issue of guest vs registered is not an absolute at all. The guest issue is a non issue because I can hide behind so many digital interfaces.

This is true, and certainly forcing someone to register is no guarantee that they won't register under several names.

But as I said in another thread on the topic, it is in my nature, and I believe HUMAN nature, to notice WHO is saying something and fit it into context with what they've said before.

It can work to that person's detriment (as "Different Guest" pointed out), if the person has somehow gotten a reputation as easly dismissable or having nothing good to say. But it can also work to their benefit, if they say something which might seem inflamatory, but in context with their prior writings, is shown to merely be a poor choice of words.

And so one or two inflamatory postings by "Guest" and I find that I'm suddenly inclined to see malice which may not be intended by the next 4 or 5 postings by "Guest", even though they may be completely different people.

Which is not to say that guests should not be allowed to publish, but that's (IMO) why it's so easy to mistake an honest statement of disagreement to the popular opinion with an attack and flame bait, if posted under a name which was recently used to post an attack and/or flame bait.

Fair or unfair, that's the price one pays for posting as "Guest", I (and I would venture to guess most people) are going to subconsciously lump that posting in with other recent "Guest" postings.

Liam, who'd have guest we'd have this much to say on the topic?

My guess is that the "Flaming Guest" is not a Guest at all. Just a regular poster concealing his or her identity to flame and then return to the forum as an untainted regular. I think this is the deception that many of us are pondering how to find a solution to. Some "Guest" posters have tipped their hand by using certain phrases that they use when registered. Others are more careful and continue to conceal their identity. I think this circumstance has the affect of undermining the trust we have developed on this forum. I'm not sure it can be stopped, but I would sure like to see it so.

seanconnery wrote:None of us are truly "visible" on CPAPtalk.....I also see 'guests' as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. .....

I teach and someone once said 'a difficult student is a gift' and so this has turned my thinking around to suspending judgment and looking for opportunity in face of some challenge or adversity. ....

I've been reflecting on these comments and others here, just as today I learned that a former forum member (someone I met here when I first joined) may be facing an unsurmountable health problem affecting his life. I learned this only today, and I am hopeful that this isn't so. This former forum member recently advised me to place the forum and life into a healthy perspective. I am indebted to him.

But learning this possible sad news has helped to put more things into perspective for me, to remind me there are more important things in life besides guest squabbling, and to try and be grateful for the people who have come and gone in my life, regardless of how, what, when, good, bad and for how long. I think too how people in families can be...challenging...not unlike our forum family here. So I vote for including guests, but I also respect the administrator's decision, whatever it is, to do whatever it takes to keep our forum personality alive.

Linda

But as I said in another thread on the topic, it is in my nature, and I believe HUMAN nature, to notice WHO is saying something and fit it into context with what they've said before.

Sure, we do fit what we hear (read) into a context based on who said (wrote) it. The problem with this is that we start judging the validity of the comment based on the person who made the comment rather than just reading the comment and deciding if it has merit based solely on the comment. I think that we are most likely to REALLY listen (read) when we focus solely on the comment and don't filter the validity of the comment through any bias that we already have.


I will often look through a thread to see if Rested Gal has commented because I find a calm, sensible manner in her comments that gives me reason to have confidence in what she says. The reality, however, is that I don't really know her and she could be a raving nutter (sorry LC -just trying to make a point). So, given that we don't know each other well, and certainly don't know someone who posts as "guest," can we afford to censor or write anyone off? If we skip other posters' comments because we don't know them at all, or have not liked their "tone" in the past, we do both them, and us, a disservice as we might miss something valuable.

As several have commented in other threads, we are foolish when we don't seek out multiple sources of information. Relying solely on any one source is perhaps not the best route to go. So, even though I have good reason to rely on what Rested Gal says (I often read her posts first) I don't want to miss something that someone unknown to me might have to say.

I think guests SHOULD be allowed to post, but in a perfect world, their postings should be much more strictly policed (perhaps even moderated

How dangerous is this? Who will police and how will they do it? Who will decide what is offensive and what is not? We have seen comments posted that some people responded to with statements that they were offended by the posted comments. These offended people were then invited to 'lighten up' because the original poster was just 'joking.' A 'joke' to one can easily be an offensive slight to another. So, if we truely want to be fair and advocates of free speach, either EVERYONE gets censored and moderated, or NO ONE does. We don't have to like what everyone says but, as soon as we start to take away the rights of any one of us, we erode the rights of all of us.

WillSucceed,

You make some good points, but there is a common mistake in your post: We have no RIGHTS on this board, except those that the admins choose to give us. (Which also means we have no rights to debate or set policy, but as they allow it, then we can).

The implication (although you didn't specifically mention it, so maybe I read more into the word "rights" than you intended) is that this is a violation of the first amendment. In fact, that amendment only applies to governmental censorship. There is no free speech violation involved in asking someone to leave your shop if they are espousing a viewpoint you do not cleave to. There is only free speech violation if a government official comes into your shop and attempts to fine you or shut you down based on the things you say, or the information you convey.

Also, I'm not sure that the right to free speech in this country applies to ANONYMOUS free speech, certainly there are places where such is restricted. You can't anonymously testify against someone in a criminal trial, for example.

And that vitriolic level of accusation (although not in a court of law) is the sort of thing I think should not be allowed in an unregistered guest. Accusing one poster or a small group of them of hindering the group... Accusing the entire board population of taking the board in the wrong direction...

You and I have disagreed in the past, and that's fine. but I always knew WHO it was that disagreed with me, and I was free to respond back to you to discuss your point or try to argue mine. I can't really do that with a Guest poster, except on the public board (not always the most appropriate place).

Liam, temporarily out of cute saying. I have some on order, they should be in next week.

Liam,

Thanks for bringing the correct perspective back to the discussion. This perspective is often lost when issues of speech are discussed.

...and you said it in such a calm and rational manner!

Yes, guests should be allowed to post.
Whether posted by guests, registered users who don't use their real name, or registered users who do use their real name, I have found the opinions and views expressed in this forum to be generally positive, useful and supportive. Where they are not, I can choose to ignore them.

Well the general consensus seems to be to allow guest posting. Now at least we can say that it was discussed, and that the "board" feels that it is ok. The only reason that I started this topic was due to some obnoxious posts by some guests, and was suggested in other threads that maybe they shouldn't be able to post. Suprisingly tho, fewer people voted here than looked at the post that started this. No wonder people of other countries make fun of us Americans (no offense meant to posters from other countries, just stating that most here are from the states)

Just as in elections, I am sure people will weigh in on this in the future, but never took the time to vote...

Well, as I've said in several other "Poll" questions, for me the answer is never a clear "Yes" or "No", and there wasn't an option for "Yes, but I think the policy for deleting offensive or inflammatory comments should be a lot stricter on guests than on identified, registered posters".

So I didn't vote, because I couldn't decide which answer best fit my feelings on the matter.

Liam, who votes when it counts.