I haven't been here as long or been as active as most of the other people who've spoken up.
Nevertheless, I'm opposed to the idea of charging for basic forum membership.
First of all, people living in certain countries would be excluded. For those in Europe or the US, what’s $20? A big meal at McDonald’s or a taxi fare. For others, it could be their monthly food budget.
It would be discriminatory, and charging a fee doesn’t protect against spammers. Just look at what X (formerly Twitter) has become.
Someone suggested a BHW-specific CAPTCHA.
Honestly, beyond the technical setup, if you have to deal with a CAPTCHA every time you post, you’ll eventually stop posting.
On the substance: namely, how to avoid spammers. I’m going to be blunt or unpleasant, but a community is also what we make of it.
Of course, there are moderators (volunteers or not, I don’t know). But given the size of the forum, it’s a massive job. So we can lend a hand, too.
As soon as I see something that doesn’t seem right, I report it. Especially since here, it’s just a click and a quick note.
In my last report, I just wrote “WTF.”
If we want this to stay “clean,” maybe it’s up to us to do our part.
Finally, don’t forget that some sections are reserved for paying members and that you need to have enough seniority and activity to access certain parts.
