I've seen it in other forums, but don't know if it's possible here...

Can posts in certain sections of the forum (i.e. 'The Review Room') be accessible only to members? I know this is not a 100% fail safe method, but it would help protect the work a lot more. Also, those that are guilty of plagiarism could be monitored more easily -- though, in no way, completely.

Debate!

That is a good idea and many forums I have been a member of and still am a member of do this. It does protect your work a little bit more, but at the same time people can still take your work from the forum if they are a member.

Also it can put people off joining if they can't view the forums activity.

Torana

I don't think it will cause a whole lot of people not to join simply because they can't see other peoples' stories. They'd be able to see some things -- if that's possible -- just not that particular section. Also, it is a bit more manageable to see if they try to come back or have friends here. I just saw two people that were PM'ing each other get banned today.

Ok well that is fair enough, sorry I haven't been around so missed alot.
Maybe that would be a good idea. I am sure the mods and Lpspider will see this and make a decision on it.

I do like the idea though, even if others don't and it doesn't go ahead. Great suggestion in my opinion Adamant.

Consider how easy it is for someone to get a membership without supplying much actual information. I think the result would be more "throw-away" accounts with no substantial increase in safety.

The reality is, if you post material on a forum, it is exposed. It's really up to the author to maintain records to establish ownership. For any substantial work, don't post more than an excerpt, and register the full opus.

I know they can do that, but I also believe that a lot of people are just searching the web for the most accessible thing some times. Either way, there will be an issue regarding plagiarism -- but I think this could remove a few potentials with relatively no effort.

The best answer i can give you all regarding this topic Is have any of you thought about asking Daniel Lpspider.

Well, this IS the Suggestions thread, so it really is a way of asking Daniel while getting a range of viewpoints.

I know. Its a slow brain day at my end. heatwaves and screaming kids. Although I happen to think Adamant has stumbled onto a good idea.

Quite quite.
There's also the other idea of needing a minimum of say 30 posts before being able to view / post in the review sections. Unless of course that's just me being insane. : p

Restrict Junior members from the Review Rooms entirely? Then give them read/write access, but unable to post their own works for review until they have posted two reviews for each new work?

Aren't junior members at that status for 100 posts? or does it go from junior to member to senior member (which means it's only 10)? It's been a little while, so I can't remember.

I think it's Junior Member for the first 20 posts, then it's Member, then to Senior Member after that.

Oh, alright. You know, it says that 'Senior Members' on the site legend... and the color is blue -- like Gannon. The thing is, we're all senior members.

Though waiting 10 posts wouldn't be bad; I've noticed a couple people just posting some small 'review' so they can have the credits to post again.

Yes, I've noticed that too. Some with reviews like "Nice. I liked it." Can't say I tend to rush forth to review them when I see that...

it still won't keep any 'member' from doing what they will with work they find there... and there's no 'vetting' process for members , so just because one is a member doesn't mean they're honest or even who/what they say they are...

if you get too uptight about this stuff [which is just a fact of life on the net that we all have live with], all you'll do is annoy a lot of the legit members into leaving and [I]not stop any who aren't...

that's my tupenny, anyhow... m

Yes, I was wondering how you all protected your work from being pilfered. Since everything is so out there for all to see. Course I haven't written any stories yet but I was wondering if it was something you all kinda worried about. For me right now I am loving to critique.
Absolutely love to read all the stories and decide weather I like them or not or why I like them or not.
That is so fun. When you buy books and get a good book to read for your money your very lucky indeed. There's a lot of books out there where if the first two paragraphs don't draw me in I'll lay them back down. Actually most of what I read here are beginnings of stories that might actually turn into something someday for the author. Other beginning stories definately need some help from a reader's point of view. This is a gas and I love to do it.:p

It could also put members off from posting up there work on the forum. And thus go in search of another forum. I know I would.

This is something that cannot be helped. You can't stop it. The only thing I can suggest is you post copies of your work to yourself and if you don't want to take the risk only post up sections of your work and not the entire piece.

I have had someone plagiarise my poetry on another forum and I was a member there and the matter was resolved very quickly as I had proof of ownership of the piece as it had been previously published a good few months prior to being posted on that forum.

Honestly no matter what is done you can not prevent it from happening.

Another forum would be no better. The problem is not the forum, it is unscrupulous people who will steal what another person has created, and call it their own.

It can happen any time someone has access to your work, even after publication. Thieves try many different ways to convince the world that the work that has been stolen was created by them instead. There have been claims filed against a number of bestsellers, where the stakes run into big money.

There is no easy answer, any more than there is an easy solution to identity theft.

You can live in fear of such theft, and never let anyone see your work, or you can give it the best protection you can afford, and take the risk.

Reaper, wouldn't it also make more sense that more people come because the forum is actually addressing a problem -- despite how difficult it is to eradicate it?

being a writer is a risky business from the moment you decide to take that path... there are never any guarantees and you're always going to be only as good as the last piece of work you sold... if you want others to read your work, you'll have to accept the fact that anyone can take it and do what they want with it... if you want more protection than that, be a sculptor and only work in massive amounts of marble or steel...

post copies of your work to yourself
i don't know if you meant by mail or email, torana, but neither way is any proof of anything, other than that the stuff was sent... in the uk, 'the poor man's copyright' [that's what it's called] may have some standing in court, but in the us, it's only a waste of paper and postage, will not help in any way to establish your ownership if the work...

the way to do that is to keep your earliest idea notes and the first draft, plus a later one or more, to show the progression from first germ of an idea to finished work... no 'thief' will be able to provide such a copious paper trail...

and you can register your copyright and archive the work at loc or wga, as has been mentioned in previous posts... plus, as is also noted by others, only post smallish excerpts and never an entire work, anywhere on the web... that's it... beyond that, you just take your chances, along with all the millions of other writers... there will always be some who steal and many who don't and the only guarantee we get in life is that we won't get out of it alive... ;-)

love and hugs, maia

I personally don't think it'll help much - but I've made the change. Now you must be registered to view the thread contents.

I don't want to restrict the access by the number of posts because I know a lot of members register so they can post.

Good Idea Daniel.

Ok so now you have to be a registered member and logged in to view the review room. Is that what you are saying? Or have I missed something?

Thats exactly what he's saying. :)

Ok well I signed in not long ago and could still view the whole forum as a guest. That is why I was asking is all.

Okay.

Ok well I signed in not long ago and could still view the whole forum as a guest. That is why I was asking is all.

Really? hmmm... *checks*

EDIT: Okay, I checked it. It's how I want it - you can view the forums and thread titles just not what's actually in the thread. This is only applicable if you're a guest.

Well I was still able to view the contents of the threads until 30 minutes ago as a guest.
Well it is working now anyways so just thought I would let you know that it was doing that.

I like how it has been done though.

Torana