Unregistered Posters and Captcha Searching

[danielkomen]

1) Can vbulletin be setup so unregistered members can post under whatever screen name they come up with that isn't registered? So if I am unregistered and want to post as "dkomen" I can post that way as long as "dkomen" isn't a registered name? Or will my post if guess posting is allowed only show up as "guest"?


2) Is there a way to turn of the Captcha thing before searching? What is the reason for it anyway? I can see it before posting but before searching I don't see the reason.

[Steve Machol]

1. Yes.

2. Yes, you can disable this.

[BoardBoss]

2) Is there a way to turn of the Captcha thing before searching? What is the reason for it anyway? I can see it before posting but before searching I don't see the reason.

It is an OPTIONAL way for forum administrators to further restrict the activities of unregistered users.

[SSSlippy]

Actually its not to restrict users, it is to prevent bots from using the search form.

[Rodan]

Actually its not to restrict users, it is to prevent bots from using the search form.

As I understand it, search engines use the things to "rank" sites and forums. Having just set up a new forum, would it be advisable to disable this to improve ranking?

[beishe8]

As I understand it, search engines use the things to "rank" sites and forums. Having just set up a new forum, would it be advisable to disable this to improve ranking?

No.
Search engines are not searching that what is available on your forum.
They are just indexing everything whatever is available there for them.

[pod]

Search engines' spiders won't use the search feature in your forum, 'cause they don't fill forms

I imagine this is to prevent automated spam tools to abuse your board: they could search for threads where it's more appropriate for them to post their spam.

Also, some enemy of your could set up an automated script to search in your boards again and again slowing down your site, and getting your account banned if you are in shared hosting. Searching can be CPU intensive.

[BoardBoss]

A Rose is a Rose

Actually its not to restrict users, it is to prevent bots from using the search form.

That may not be its sole (or even intended) function, but it does that as well.

[maplr4ever]

Ehh, I allow search bots to find out my root url for my website, and my forum, that's all. If they want to index the content inside of the urls, then they better get some human operator to do it. (The root URL's both need registered users' account details to get past it, and registration is on a hamachi vpn that must be completed)

I have no idea why people would like search bots wasting system resources, and taking our users.

~maplr4life