Hi All,

I had a user create an account last night just to check out the BBS and they expressed some concerns in the new user email. They didn't want to use their real name, email or location during registration. I assume he/she is very privacy conscious as I noticed they used a TOR IP to connect as well. I definitely respect this, and want to see about giving people more options for anonymity.

I had messed around with using a guest account in mystic for people who just want a quick nostalgia kick and check a few things out. But I found it difficult because it required that I lock a lot of things down and I also wanted to encourage people to register for the full experience.

I also recently setup email validation, which seems to work well. A few new users have used it successfully. I was thinking of creating a few new tiers:

s5 - Guest access. Like an unvalidated new user but without access to email/private messaging and other services that are user-specific.

s10 - Unvalidated. Regular new user level access. Read/only to messages/file areas as well as any non-local door games. No access to IBOL.

s15 - Email validated. Almost full access, but read/only to echomail areas
and no netmail access. All door games are accessible.

s20 - Normal user. After sysop checks that they are not an unsavory character.

Just wondering if any other sysops use guest accounts in Mystic, and how you
go about ensuring they have appropriate permissions etc?

Cheers,
Mike

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A43 2019/03/02 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Stellar Darkness BBS, Toronto, Canada (21:4/162)

I have a guest account set up on my system for folks that just want to look around. They can read all the message areas but can not post.

The ONLY reason I require a real name is because some of the Echoes require
it. If they don't post to those echoes then I am the only one that ever sees their real name.

And of course a valid email is required so that I can contact them off board. For instance, once I update their SL I will send them an email letting them know, because if I just send it to them on the board it may be a long time,
if ever, before they log back in and see the message. Also, if something happens to one of the boards, I can send out an email to my users letting
them know what has happened. And, once again, I am the only one that ever
sees that information.
---

-Dallas Vinson

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A38 2018/01/01 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Before the Web (21:4/102)

On 12 Dec 2019, lemonlime said the following...

use their real name, email or location during registration. I assume he/she is very privacy conscious as I noticed they used a TOR IP to connect as well. I definitely respect this, and want to see about giving people more options for anonymity.

On one hand I can see this and I certainly don't want to run anyone off that might happen to log in. On the other hand the only reason I really do this
now is for my own pleasure. You're in my house, if you don't want me to know your name and email address, best to move on.

-=>Richard Miles<=-
-=>Captain Obvious<=-
-=>bbs.shadowscope.com<=-

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A43 2019/03/03 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Shadowscope BBS | bbs.shadowscope.com | Temple, GA (21:1/157)

On one hand I can see this and I certainly don't want to run anyone off that might happen to log in. On the other hand the only reason I really
do this now is for my own pleasure. You're in my house, if you don't
want me to know your name and email address, best to move on.

Fair point. That said, I always put 1/1/80 for my birthday and my address is "100 You Dont Need This Info Street" :)

Nobody has ever flagged this to me or shut my account down, which means
nobody checks or cares.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A43 2019/03/02 (Linux/64)
* Origin: monterey bbs (21:1/168)

On 12 Dec 2019, lemonlime said the following...

I had a user create an account last night just to check out the BBS and they expressed some concerns in the new user email. They didn't want to use their real name, email or location during registration. I assume he/she is very privacy conscious as I noticed they used a TOR IP to connect as well. I definitely respect this, and want to see about giving people more options for anonymity.

um... not to rock the boat, but considering that I am myself an apologist for varous unpopular topics throughout my brief history on this planet, I am not afraid nor inclined to anonymize myself for the sake of some trolling or politically correct, and even worse, political entities that would cast disparaging accusations my way.

Just wondering if any other sysops use guest accounts in Mystic, and how you go about ensuring they have appropriate permissions etc?

I have not. Nor will I. Anonymous people are fucking pussies and I have
naught but disdain for their participation in anything I've ever hosted services for.

I wish you luck, but would like to reiterate that people who wish to remain anonymous are pussies, and I don't accommodate them.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A43 2019/03/02 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Vger.Cloud - NOMAD Internetwork (21:2/104)

On 12 Dec 2019, Captain Obvious said the following...

do this now is for my own pleasure. You're in my house, if you don't
want me to know your name and email address, best to move on.

Yup, plenty of other alternatives out there - I don't do anonyous, and I
don't accommodate pussies.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A43 2019/03/02 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Vger.Cloud - NOMAD Internetwork (21:2/104)

On 12 Dec 2019, ryan said the following...

Fair point. That said, I always put 1/1/80 for my birthday and my
address is "100 You Dont Need This Info Street" :)

Nobody has ever flagged this to me or shut my account down, which means nobody checks or cares.

And I personally respect and accommodate such users, there's a point where
some personal information is more than that which should be required beyond voluntarily, and I make many fields optional for this reason - but complete anonymity is beyond what I consider acceptable on ANY of the services I run. I've seen too much abuse from anon accounts over the years, and people,
trolls especially, shouldn't be afforded a forum from which to polute.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A43 2019/03/02 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Vger.Cloud - NOMAD Internetwork (21:2/104)

And I personally respect and accommodate such users, there's a point
where some personal information is more than that which should be
required beyond voluntarily, and I make many fields optional for this reason - but complete anonymity is beyond what I consider acceptable on ANY of the services I run. I've seen too much abuse from anon accounts over the years, and people, trolls especially, shouldn't be afforded a forum from which to polute.

Agreed. Real name and contact email address seem like a reasonable minimum
bar to participate in my online systems.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A43 2019/03/02 (Linux/64)
* Origin: monterey bbs (21:1/168)

On 12 Dec 2019, ryan said the following...

Fair point. That said, I always put 1/1/80 for my birthday and my
address is "100 You Dont Need This Info Street" :)

Heh. Completely off topic. For years when I added new employees to the computers in my stores if I didn't have their info in front of me I used 1/1/80. Funny what you remember

-=>Richard Miles<=-
-=>Captain Obvious<=-
-=>bbs.shadowscope.com<=-

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A43 2019/03/03 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Shadowscope BBS | bbs.shadowscope.com | Temple, GA (21:1/157)

On 12 Dec 2019, ryan said the following...

Nobody has ever flagged this to me or shut my account down, which means nobody checks or cares.

Yeah. I would say that 90% of folks that have ever logged in here have used fake info. If asked I give my opinion, otherwise don't really care.

-=>Richard Miles<=-
-=>Captain Obvious<=-
-=>bbs.shadowscope.com<=-

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A43 2019/03/03 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Shadowscope BBS | bbs.shadowscope.com | Temple, GA (21:1/157)