To be or not to be a member?

[Cecil Lee]

" To be or not to be a member " Perhaps, we could ask `Sherlock Holmes' or Dr. Watson?
1. Often, the question comes to our mind:
2. Many sites in the Internet `requests' that you become a member.
3. Usually, this is `required' in order for us to post a question or use the tools available in the site.
4. Many of us are apprehensive of becoming `members' of so many sites. And each of us have our various concerns:-
4.1 How am I able to remember so many login accounts and passwords?
4.2 Will my information be safe?
5. What is the rationale for becoming a `member'.
5.1 Frankly, it is not so much of becoming a `member' that is important.
5.2 The main rationale is because, only if one creates a `personalised' account, then one can then customise the tools to our use.
5.3 One good example is this forum.
The Free Advise Forum
You can always login as a guest user but, as a guest user, there is no personalisation of the account.
For example, having joined the forum as a `member' (or call it any name) one can then use functions like `post a message' or `mark as read' earlier messages.
I find `mark as read' an important feature to a specific `member' account. As you can then know for sure, that new messages are not missed.
Additional reason for being a `member' is that you can `listen' in to the forum.
The On-line Report Tools
Here, imagine, without a personalised account, profiles that you had created, would be `removed' and each time you log-out.
The next time, you log-in to the on-line report tools, you have to re-create all the reports again.
Therefore, the next time, when you are figuring whether to join as a `member' in any website, you will have a better understanding of why you need to be a `member'. Of-course, be selective in the type of forum or resources that request you to join them as a member.
As for the question "Will my information be safe?" Do look out for the Privacy Terms of the site.
In our case (Geomancy.net), our Privacy Terms are found in the url:
http://sg.geomancy.net/about/privacy/privacy.htm
Simply put: " Geomancy.net does not sell, rent or lease its customer lists to third parties. "
Warmest Regards,
Cecil Lee
Center for Applied Feng Shui Research
P.S. Yesterday, I was thinking on this issue and reflecting on why I avoid joining sites as a `member'. It strikes me that in most situations, it has to do with personalisation as mentioned above.
I hope you can now have a better understanding of this `qwirk' becoming "members". Which in-fact, the term does not really mean in the true sense of `members' as what we know today. Perhaps, we can give it another more `accurate term'.
For now, sign-up / members will always be a common occurence!