Should the "EAB File Server" be locked down to members only?

[Genlock]

Torn between this, as if i couldnt of accesed all the old bbs in the early nineties i wouldnt of been able to upload two cd's relating to 95 + 96 ...
But yea some thing has to be done, as its been said earlier .. let all leach after they have contributed in uploads or posted replies, around 10+..




Edit;sorry if it come across if i had created the cd's.. I didnt, but i did get a whole load of software from those boards,,

[rare_j]

Single sign on is a pain to implement and maintain. But if you want to restrict the ftp server to board members that's the only realistic option.
If it was an http server you could eliminate hotlinking by doing a http host header referrer check. But then you'd need to run an http front end.

I remember the server was http based for a while. Why did it change back to ftp? Was it just easier to run it that way?
I personally find it really convenient to connect by ftp, it means you can easily select whole folders but only download new or changed files.

Maybe offer ftp for board members? And an http front end with no hotlinking for anonymous bods?
You could even run ads on the http front end and make a bit of pocket money.

[capehorn]

I can see this both ways but if leaving it open doesn't create a hardship for EAB then I don't see an urgent need to lock it.

As the OP didn't mention any hardship, I voted no.

[amiga_Forever]

Originally Posted by DamienD

There's been numerous discussions about this in the EAB File Server thread; more recently see from post #1474 onwards.

In a nutshell, there are loads of internet sites and other Amiga forums linking directly to the EAB File server; for example.

Hey, the more the merrier

Originally Posted by capehorn

I can see this both ways but if leaving it open doesn't create a hardship for EAB then I don't see an urgent need to lock it.

As the OP didn't mention any hardship, I voted no.

True,,, except i dunno about other people, but there is a noticeable slow down for me. It usually picks up ok in the early morning around 5am (WST +800), then dies down during the day..

[gazj82]

How many people join EAB as a result of finding what they want here. I think it would be a bad idea to shut people off.

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by amiga_Forever

but there is a noticeable slow down for me. It usually picks up ok in the early morning around 5am (WST +800), then dies down during the day..

...I have similar issues, hence why I started the discussion in the EAB File Server thread in the first place

[DamienD]

Guys / girls,

Just a little over 2 weeks left to vote and give your thoughts on this matter.

...your opinions do really count, it's an EAB community decision, so please take the time to participate if you haven't already done so

[Retroplay]

Originally Posted by gazj82

How many people join EAB as a result of finding what they want here. I think it would be a bad idea to shut people off.

I also predict a lot of future stale accounts around here if it is restricted to members.
How many will sign up with no intentions of joining the community just to be able to download from the ftp ?
Anyway I voted no, besides I never had any speed issues using it and I upload quite often.

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Retroplay

I also predict a lot of future stale accounts around here if it is restricted to members.

There already a lot of "stale" accounts on EAB, that will never change and is probably the same on any internet forum

Members: 11,075, Active Members: 1,723

...besides, do remember that the EAB "Account termination" policy is still in place to hopefully catch people you describe.

See point 1 of the above...

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by DamienD

Members: 11,075, Active Members: 1,723

Hooooly shit what? I thought RCK had scripts that purged such users. What does "activity" entail, posters, or also viewers/lurkers? That's waaay to high a breach between active users and total account number.

[Turran]

I think I found the bottleneck which made it slow when a lot of users were online, even if bandwidth was not that high.

Give it a go now. The anonymous "ftp" account is still locked to 500k/sec so use your upload accounts.

If this poll was created due to the speed being bad when people were downloading, I think we can say its solved anyway. At least, that is my hope. More people need to verify it. If it is so, perhaps just lowering the download speed for anonymous accounts even more to give people an incentive to join the forums instead, still giving them the option to log in anonymously. Who cares if its, say, locked to 50k/sec if you just want a single file or two.

If you (the voters here) have other motives for wanting members login only, that is another question entirely which I do not have any say in =)

[DamienD]

The poll has now officially closed.

Thanks all for your votes / comments

[Dunny]

Wow, that's a close result. Couldn't really make a decision either way based on that.


...mind you, the UK is leaving Europe on the strength of a similar result, so YMMV.

[ReadOnlyCat]

Originally Posted by DamienD

The poll has now officially closed.

Thanks all for your votes / comments

Damn. Arrived too late.
Would have voted no.

The reason being that making the server private is only one among many ways to prevent hotlinking and it is one which has negative consequences for discoverability of Amiga resources.

The question is not so much "are you for or against X", it is rather "what ideas do you have to prevent Y without negative impact or adding extra effort for users?".

Going private is one possibility, there are many alternatives, some quoted in that thread.
By offering a single option many viable options (many not explored yet) have been automatically rejected, which is a bit regrettable.

With love and kittens,

[honx]

i would like a third option: lock down file server for members only is a good idea.
but add exceptions for selected sites like oldgamesfinder, lemonamiga, hall of light.

[NLS]

Damn barely missed the voting. I would vote what won anyway...

[prowler]

The result of the vote is moot anyway now. Turran (with help from modrobert) has come up with a magnificent solution to the problem.

[DamienD]

Exactly!!!

...I should probably close this thread really as there's no need for additional opinions / comments now. You had more than 3 weeks to participate; if you missed your chance, well...

Yes, done.