1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

  2. LIVE WATCH EVENT
    The NBA Draft is here! Come join Clutch in the ClutchFans Room Wednesday night at 6:30pm CT as we host the live online NBA Draft Watch Party. Who will the Rockets select at #3?

    NBA Draft - LIVE!
Welcome ClutchFans Live Event

"Free Registration" back

Discussion in 'ClutchFans Feedback' started by Clutch, Mar 31, 2006.

Tags:
  1. Clutch

    Clutch Administrator
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 1999
    Messages:
    22,671
    Likes Received:
    32,016
    This is a long overdue post -- I wanted to make it over a week ago.

    For those that don't know (and I'm sure there are very few of you by now), I opened up "free registration" for a limited time about 5-6 days ago. If memory serves, it's been over 2 years since that was the case. I planned on posting about this sooner to let everyone know my reasoning for doing so, but wanted to make it available at the same time as the <a href="http://www.clutchfans.net/nbadraft/lottery">Lottery Race</a>.

    Before doing this, I had considered creating a referral system where contributing members could recommend someone that they thought would be a good poster (and still may go to that at some point), but didn't really have time to get that set up. When I got the Lotto Race back running and prepared for draft coverage soon, I wanted to open a more strict version of free registration on the chance that we would gain posters with strong college player insight, or ideas/thoughts on the Rockets draft/future.

    It's been so long since registration was open that I want to see what solid posters can come of this experiment.

    As for when a user registers, they are prompted with this message from me:

    They also are required to fill out why a textbox on why they want to be a member of the site. I am personally reviewing and reading each registration before "approving it". No "free email" accounts are allowed to register with ... there are 13,000+ blocked upon registration and I'm adding new ones daily.

    For those concerned about having contributed earlier to get an account, there is a huge difference between your account and the free "Rookies" you're seeing now. "Contributing members" can search and edit their posts, lurk all they want and are never blocked from the board unless there is server downtime. During very busy, peak times, all others can be (and usually are) blocked.

    So, in a nutshell, every new registration is put in to a group called "Rookies". There's no escaping this group unless you prove yourself to be able to solidly contribute to the forum, which is why I opened registration in the first place.

    I'm open to feedback on it.

    This will cost ClutchFans about $150 - $300 a month towards hosting costs, so I hope it pays off in the form of acquiring new, solid members of the board. I think there have been a few already.

    Please remember though, the board now is living off of the text advertising.
     
    #1 Clutch, Mar 31, 2006
  2. AMS

    AMS Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2003
    Messages:
    9,646
    Likes Received:
    218
    Maybe you should make these public, and let the forum vote new applicants in :)
     
    #2 AMS, Mar 31, 2006
  3. Tonaaayyyy

    Tonaaayyyy Member

    Joined:
    Jun 17, 2002
    Messages:
    4,537
    Likes Received:
    148
    sorry to move off topic a bit clutch but i contributed to the tip jar and im still a senior member :(
     
    #3 Tonaaayyyy, Mar 31, 2006
  4. A-Train

    A-Train Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2000
    Messages:
    15,997
    Likes Received:
    38
    It's good that you put that little introductory paragraph up there, Clutch...the last thing we need here are a bunch of morons that post meaningless crap and posts with no substance...

    Oh, by the way, have you ever had those little salamanders crawl into your bathtub? Man, those freak me out sometimes...
     
    #4 A-Train, Apr 1, 2006
  5. TMac640

    TMac640 Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2005
    Messages:
    5,484
    Likes Received:
    1
    Major must be awaiting the same move :D
     
    #5 TMac640, Apr 1, 2006
  6. bigtexxx

    bigtexxx Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2002
    Messages:
    26,925
    Likes Received:
    2,267
    I think Major should be demoted from Senior Member to rookie. :cool:
     
    #6 bigtexxx, Apr 1, 2006
    Last edited: Apr 1, 2006
  7. Rockets-R-Us

    Rockets-R-Us Contributing Member

    Joined:
    May 22, 2001
    Messages:
    785
    Likes Received:
    9
    Clutch -

    How's it going? Long time - no posts for me... Work has killed me for the past year and not done much to improve my finances which seems absurd given that I put in more than 50 hours every week :confused: !!

    Aaaaaannnnnnyway, just thought I'd give you some props for the way you set up the new registrations... Also, to let you know that despite my status as a "Contributing Member" I know I've not done enough to support this board financially... so I'm happy to know that clicking on some ads will make up for the meager funds I tossed in back when you first went to the pay system...

    Anyway, I'm happy to be back on the board and I look forward to some interesting and substantial dialogue (as well as the occasional smack-talk) as we approach another Rockets Draft Lottery selection... the last one turned out pretty good...

    RRU
     
    #7 Rockets-R-Us, May 1, 2006
  8. ak47

    ak47 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2006
    Messages:
    494
    Likes Received:
    0
    I have a question- Sorry if i bumped this thread it was linked from another thread.

    I am a rookie as you can tell: I wanted to know how to become a regular member like many other members turned into. If this question can be anwserd it would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks for taking your time to read my post :)

    ak47
     
    #8 ak47, Jul 27, 2006
  9. thephatp

    thephatp Contributing Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2005
    Messages:
    644
    Likes Received:
    52
    I'd bet that Clutch has a way of review all posts by a single user, so he can, at a glance, see if you've been posting/contributing anything substantive. And I'd bet he goes off of recommendations from other long-term members who always have something good to contribute. I could spout off a good number of them...but I won't. ;)

    Anyway, just make sure you're posting for information, substance, conversation, and not just trying to up your post count! Other than that, be patient, young grasshopper! :)
     
    #9 thephatp, Jul 27, 2006
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)

Share This Page

Toggle Width
Style
ClutchFans Original

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Rockets Content

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now