After about 2 weeks of evaluation and restructuration on the permissions and access to the forum, here is the final draft of what we think is the best on vbE.

First, the entire site is visible to guests and Registered Users, but most of the forum’s participation require a Member Key. Remember that this site is commercial, that means it’s not a fan site for free distribution of everything. Do not even complaint about the cost to access the downloadable content, you always have the possibility to go to vb.org.

There is actually 2 keys available for the registered members here:

The Member Key, which validate your access on the site. With this key, you have access to everything that indicated as freely available. There is not that much because this site is dedicated to commercial products, but we have a wide range of freebies and take-over that we leave for free, like the iTrader 2.5.

The Acolyte Key, which is not reachable by subscription, is a key delivered by the admins to any contributor that is evaluated as safe and in which we have confidence in. These Acolytes can release their work in the Showroom and the Tutorials, and they can advertise their commercial site/products in their signatures.

There is a third key that is called ‘Accomplice‘… these are the most trustworthy members we have on this site. They are well known coders, good councelors and efficient consultants. Their role on the site is obscur, they are here mostly as spectators, they participate in the administration and make me spend all my time on debates and long term evaluations.

As a note, here is a description of the situation in privileges given on the forums. The main 3 categories on the forum are containing specific forums that fits for the usergroups permissions to be simplier, and they goes like this:

The Day to Day Coffeeshop:
Registered User is the only requirement to access this publicly open forum, so everybody can access and chat.

The Coders Shack:
Member Key is required to create new threads, for replying others.

The Enhancements:
Member Key is required to participate, for replying threads, downloading free products.
Acolyte Key is required to create new threads and release own free products.

… more details will come when we finish fixing permissions and usergroups for the guys here that were already participating on the forum… please be patient, i’m on the site like 2 hours per day lately, having to deal with the kids, the wife’s new job and some external contracts here and there… 😉

–nexia!

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