Why do I have to register before I can post to this Forum

[zee]

In the past past we have allowed anonymous postings because we believed that you didn't have to register in order to take part in any discussions here. Unfortunately over the past few weeks we have been besieged by spam postings advertising everything from porn sites to dental insurance companies. Between Charlie and I, we have been deleting and banning upto 40 of these a day. This situation cannot continue. From now on you have to register in order to contribute a posting.

In case you didn't know, you can be logged in by default if you check the "Log me on automatically each visit" box in the Login Panel.

In case you don't like your name to be visible in the Who is Online panel you can set this option in your Profile (which is on the menu bar) by selecting the appropriate radio button to "Hide your online status" in the Preferences section.

[Charlie]

The system of approving applications described above by webmaster Zee has been operating for the past nine months, but it was taking up an increasing amount of my time, sifting through the applications every morning and hoping not to disqualify bona fide applicants who happened to choose unorthodox user names.

Now Zee has modified the system of screening applicants, following a recommendation by a contributor that we ask a question answerable only by a real person.

It has only been going for two days, Wednesday and Thursday, since Ron Gould, Phil Stanton and Florence joined.

In that time, no real applicant has been accepted, and I'm concerned in case we have accidentally failed to recognise a proper applicant. If so, would any such person send me an email at the address, which is not hard to find within this forum.