non-members viewing attachments

nicholmere · #1 04-26-2006, 12:35 PM

Should a non-member be able to view an attachment I placed in my current events thread?

**amykhar** · #2 04-26-2006, 12:39 PM

Nope. They get an error message.

**pippadaisy**[$] · #3 04-26-2006, 12:58 PM

Ikeep meaning to register G just for that reason, although he refuses to join himself.

nicholmere · #4 04-26-2006, 01:39 PM

Ah, thanks, that explains it!
I guess when I logged out and tried to view the attachment I was able to see it because it was in my cache?

**amykhar** · #5 04-26-2006, 02:14 PM

yes. Why are you worried about protecting that picture from guests?

nicholmere · #6 04-26-2006, 02:19 PM

Quote:

amykhar said

yes. Why are you worried about protecting that picture from guests?

It's the opposite. I was trying to figure out why my friend could not see the photograph I posted. I was too lazy

to tell her what the sign said, I was trying to get her to look at it herself.

**amykhar** · #7 04-26-2006, 02:40 PM

you missed a recruiting opportunity

nicholmere · #8 04-26-2006, 03:06 PM

Quote:

amykhar said

you missed a recruiting opportunity

First I wanted to find out if it was an error or a feature

**amykhar** · #9 04-26-2006, 03:10 PM

It's a feature to prevent hotlinking and to protect my source code.

mbrampton · #10 04-27-2006, 05:13 AM

OK, fine

Seems to work in an odd sort of way, though! I was referred to www dot eaforums dot com/forums/amykhars-hideaway/44673-technorati-tags-vbulletin dot html which I read with interest as a visitor. It refused to let me see the attached files without registering - fair enough.

But after I registered, I was told that I couldn't even see the post. Confusing!

PS - this forum seems designed to frustrate! This post was refused on the grounds that "You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites after you have made 15 posts or more" but the URL points to THIS site. I had to hack it about so as to prevent it looking like a URL.

**pippadaisy**[$] · #11 04-27-2006, 06:12 AM

Amy's not around at 5 AM (usually(, but I know that her hideaway is where she shares her code, and there is a different level of membership for that.

As for the URL issue, it's to prevent spammers, which with a board this size, happens all too frequently.

**amykhar** · #12 04-27-2006, 09:58 AM

Quote:

mbrampton said

OK, fine

Seems to work in an odd sort of way, though! I was referred to www dot eaforums dot com/forums/amykhars-hideaway/44673-technorati-tags-vbulletin dot html which I read with interest as a visitor. It refused to let me see the attached files without registering - fair enough.

But after I registered, I was told that I couldn't even see the post. Confusing!

PS - this forum seems designed to frustrate! This post was refused on the grounds that "You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites after you have made 15 posts or more" but the URL points to THIS site. I had to hack it about so as to prevent it looking like a URL.

Hi

A subscription payment is required to access premium support and code in that forum. If you are interested, you need to subscribe to the vbulletin subscription plan.

As far as links, you are right. I should build some logic in there so as to allow local links. I'm going to have to think about the best way to accomplish that though.

In general though, that mod has helped quite a bit with spam reduction.

mbrampton · #13 04-27-2006, 06:35 PM

That is all very well, but why can't you be up front about it all? What is the point of making posts public, then giving a message that the attachment can't be viewed because the user is not registered, when you aren't going to make the attachment available EVEN IF the user registers. And once registered, the post DISAPPEARS! This is wasting people's time - I've no intention of paying a fee to get access to one small piece of information. After all, I spend a large part of my life writing open source software that I give away. And anti-spam that prohibits legitimate posts is a bit over the top!

**amykhar** · #14 04-27-2006, 06:41 PM

I am upfront about it. This thread was about another user's issues with attachments. The forum description clearly says that it's a premium service. The link at vbulletin.org also points to the subscription page - not the forum.

The vbulletin code is kept here as a service to my regulars at vb.org who need me to do extra stuff for them.

mbrampton · #15 04-27-2006, 06:57 PM

Sure, but I only came to this thread AFTER I'd had my time wasted. I was sent a link to http colon slash slash www dot eaforums dot com slash forums/amykhars-hideaway/44673-technorati-tags-vbulletin.html which I could view as a visitor. I came to this thread later in the hopes of making some sense out of the situation.

The link I started with did NOT give any details about charges, instead telling me I was viewing the post as a visitor, and inviting me to take up FREE registration. The page gave no clue that registration would not handle the restriction on accessing the attachment - which could not be downloaded because it said I was not registered.

So I registered, then couldn't even read the post!! What a waste of time!

**pippadaisy**[$] · #16 04-27-2006, 07:54 PM

Wow. So let me get this straight... since you contribute to OS, everyone should code for free? I'm sure Bill Gates will be pleased as punch with that.

I fail to understand why you are taking your frustration out on Amy. Someone else points you to a thread you can't view. Amy writes extra stuff for folks using vBulletins, and because you can't get that code yourself without paying a fee, you have the right to go off on people?

Shoot... I run a board with WAY less visibility than this one and we have it locked down so that new members can't post until a mod views their first post to make sure it isn't spam. All this board does is prevent you from posting links for 15 posts, and again, that's reason to go off on people?

My husband contributes to enterprise-level open source communities and I can honestly say I've never in my life seen him demand code out of another programmer in trade for his work.

nicholmere · #17 04-27-2006, 08:55 PM

Quote:

amykhar said

This thread was about another user's issues with attachments.

Katherine <- having issues

mbrampton · #18 04-28-2006, 04:00 AM

No, you didn't read what I said.

Somebody didn't point me to a thread I couldn't view. They pointed me to a thread I COULD view. But the thread was only useful with access to the attachment. Accessing the attachment said it was only available if you registered.

On the SAME page - visible to visitors - it encouraged me to take up FREE registration. Only AFTER I'd registered did the page CEASE to be visible. So the whole process was a waste of time. NOTHING on the page talked about fees.

If I'd known when I first viewed the thread in question that the attachment was only available for PAYMENT I'd have simply gone away and saved a lot of time. THAT is all I'm complaining about.

And how the heck can I explain what happened without posting links to this site - which were rejected for NOT being to this site?!

In passing, I merely mentioned that I can't possibly go round paying people subscriptions just for odd scraps of information, when I spend my time writing software that is given away. Just an observation, not telling anyone else what they should do. (FWIW I don't use M$ software any more than can be helped). But I do happen to think the advancement of knowledge is best achieved by the free exchange of information in many cases.

nicholmere · #19 04-28-2006, 06:49 AM

Ah. I think I understand.

When you linked to the thread you saw this description at the top of the page ...

Quote:

Welcome to the EA Forums forums.

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions, articles and access our other FREE features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload your own photos and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact support.

On the same page, directly above the thread is a description of the specific forum you were in:

Quote:

amykhar's Hideaway A premium support forum for my vbulletin modifications. Members of this forum receive extra help, bug fixes, etc. for my code. To join, Subscribe to the Vbulletin Plan Minor feature requests will be considered, but major mod alterations will require a special contract.

I am not a coder, in this world, but I'm assuming that the generic "Welcome to EA Forums" is coded to be at the top of all the pages a guest sees. Since the link you were sent placed you directly inside a forum you saw not only the "Welcome to EA Forums" message, but also the forum specific description which includes the information/link to subscribe to the premium plan. If you had clicked the "Join/Subscribe" link you would have seen price list for premium members.

**amykhar** · #20 04-28-2006, 07:59 AM

mbrampton here's where your argument breaks down. Licensed owners of vbulletin have access to that code for free on vbulletin.org. This forum is for people who need extra help and modifications to that free code. If you own the license, everything in there except for one mod has been posted at vb.org. The one mod that isn't there was written by somebody else later in a better way for novice users.

**Joubert**[$] · #21 04-29-2006, 12:53 AM

Oh, and

(Don't join many boards these days because I don't have time, but I don't usually take the owner to task either)

Tell me the free part again. I know I'm the resident capitalist pig, but I don't get that one. I don't want to put words in your mouth or on your keyboard. I'm just trying to understand. Are you here to join this community or to get a file and go? If it's the former, I guess it's a timing issue. If it's the latter, I guess I have no sympathy for you.