Saturday TeaDay 1/16/10 Private or public forum?

[Chip]

Today is the first day of the new TeaVendor Buyers' Guide. In a few more days, the TeaRoom will "open for business." Exciting times to sit and share what is in your cup with us throughout the day.

Yesterday we discussed some forum changes. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic. Your input is greatly appreciated.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. Could be an interesting topic. Please see the new TeaVendor Guide under Tea and Accessories. Today's poll question. Do you think this TeaVendor Guide should be public, available to all guests, lurkers, etc. Or should registered members only have access ... which could encourage guest to join? Please share your thoughts and input.

I am looking forward to sharing this TeaDay with everyone. Bottoms up!

[Dresden]

While I do feel that most sections of the forums should be for registered members only, it is my opinion that everyone should have access to a list of quality tea vendors. This is especially true for the new tea drinker who may not know where to start.

Nothing in my cup because I haven't gone to bed yet.

[Seeker]

Had to think awhile on this one.
I went for registered only, as it seems to me that it is the registered who are dedicated enough to take the time to post, review, put time and thought and experience and expenditure into it all.
So, I based my vote on a sense that all this info is somewhat hard-won.
But as I write this, I begin to wonder about freedom of information, the benefits of the www and the masses of us being able to inform ourselves.
Hmmm. Now I want to take my vote back a little, because I'm finding myself more truly undecided. I guess I don't know how to make a decision on this. I don't know enough about internet forums and traffic rates and well, geeeezz... all the stuff I don't know.
4th infusion of a mix of o-cha organic gyo and teavana gyo imperial - a great combo.

[TomVerlain]

I am all for making information free. If it is hidden, how would anyone who is seeking information on a vendor, but is not registered, find it ? If they are registered, they do not need to search the www for tea info, as they already have this as a resource.

You might want to have only people with x months and y posts be able to write vendor reviews, in order to cut down on hit and run plugs.

If we look at the Tea#!ana thread, you can see this in action.

[Mrs. Chip]

It is a bit of a conundrum. I do agree with a lot of the above statements by each of the posters. I definately agree that registered members should be the ones to have full access.

Chip and I discussed this last evening and agreed that it would be nice to see more new members on TC, those who are passionate about tea and therefore are will to learn and share their personal TeaJourneys with us. Perhaps breathe some new life and new perspectives into the forum.

By allowing guests only to view the announcements and not participate, it is possible that the above mentioned 'goal' would have it's beginning. It could be the needed catalyst for some to jump off the fence and into our teacup!

Just a thought.
.

[brad4419]

I strongly feel it should be fully public to everyone.

My reasoning is to think why many of use found this forum. Many of us including myself found this site and hobby while searching for information on how to brew a specific tea or checking up on different vendors for our favorite teas. If we close off this information Im confident we would loose potential members in the future. For example If I were looking for a new vender to buy Japanese senchas from and came across teachat but wasn't able to get what I needed then why would I come back. I would find the information somewhere else that may not be reliable and end up with some bad stuff turning me off tea for a long time if not forever.

My second thought is what would we gain by making this a private forum?

No tea yet today

[Victoria]

I agree with Tom, the control needs to be in who can write reviews. We don't need "friendly spam" either, set up by employees, friends of family of vendors.

Started my day with AliShan oolong from Camellia Sinensis.

Have a nice day everyone!

[artmom]

I vote "open to the public," but agree with Victoria and Tom about controlling the posting of reviews, etc.

No tea yet today, but will be trying another new sample. I think an oolong.

[cha-fu]

I am for review/discussion accessible to public. However, some info can be for member only. Maybe something like TeaChat specials from some vendors (in forms of coupon/discount code, or vendor can request buyer's TeaChat id to verify membership), or signing up for group orders. This might draw more people to register. Just a thought.

[debunix]

I am a new member to teachat but not new to tea, and find the limitations on 'newbies' (x months or x posts) frankly quite off-putting.

Without being able to at least view the topic, I would have no way to judge whether the goodies behind the secret door were worth hanging around for, and generally when in doubt about something like that, I wouldn't bother.

[Dreamer]

Argh...I don't like these kinds of questions.
I LOVE to search the web! When I'm researching something, if I have to "register" in order to read something, I'll just skip right past that to something else.

I do, however, think that it is perfectly reasonable to have to register in order to post something.

Tea so far this morning: Black Spirals..yep, I'm in a rut, but it is a very nice rut!

Happy SaTEAday,
Dreamer

[geeber1]

I think it should be public to view, but have requirements of registration, etc. to post reviews.

Nilgiri Glendale in my cup this morning.

[bsteele]

At first I voted "An announcement for everyone, but everything else, registered members only" reason:

Everyone has a sense of entitlement and that instant-gratification itch going on these days. Sure, it's the internet, free information, wahoooo.

Whatever.

If someone truly wants to read some reviews, they can register. It's not like 95% of the rest of TC is in lock-down. There's already so much valuable information on the board free for reading.

BUT then I decided to change my vote to "Fully Public"

No problem with letting people look around, they can't post anyway if they aren't registered. Looking at reviews is no big deal.

However, there should be requirements for posting within the tea vendor area. Probably something short like 1 month on the boards w/ 15 posts or something.

Obviously the Teavana thread is chocked full of crazies. But I don't imagine the same thing happening with any other vendors.

Another plus with making it fully public: all the search engine bots will be able to index TC with those vendor names

[Ebtoulson]

I'm going to have to agree with Tom and Vic. I think everyone should be able to view the topics but I think that only registered ...maybe even only renowned users should be able to post on these topics (sry to new users but you'll have the post requirement in no time). That way it helps out people that are just searching online (i dont want them to think that we're stingy) but it prevents spam or tea vendors from being bias.

Simple cold brewed ceylon black this afternoon.

[LauraW]

By allowing guests only to view the announcements and not participate, it is possible that the above mentioned 'goal' would have it's beginning. It could be the needed catalyst for some to jump off the fence and into our teacup!

I agree with this, because it still leaves the vendor information out there and public, while leaving the conversations and chatter to those who have been here. And if someone comes in, sees the vendor lists, and wants to suggest something else... they can register and do so.

Mix of White Earl and Mango this morning.. not ultimately pleased by it, and am thinking about something else this afternoon. Probably Darjeeling.