Wednesday, September 02, 2009

New Users Module

So far I’ve been pretty impressed with Expression Engine, the CMS software behind my current site.  It’s quite capable and has more features than I could probably ever figure out.  The core version is free for personal use, but doesn’t include many features that are found in the full edition.  One of these features is the user manager.  I’ve never been a fan of the idea of requiring my friends (or anyone) to need a login for my site and that will continue, but I think I’ve come up with a system that will work out pretty well.  Let’s face it: spam is a reality.  False comments required me to start using captcha’s to prove they were coming from real people.  But I know typing in a captcha phrase is annoying, and has led to fewer comments.  So I’ve added the ability to register yourself a username.  Having a registered username will mean no more captchas!

I also have had a few entries lately that I felt should be kept more private than usual.  This also goes against what I want my site to be about but reality is something to be dealt with, and I can’t be too careful in today’s world when writing about some things like my job.  Lacking a “Friends Only” ability on my site, I’ve made these posts on Livejournal.  The users module in Expression Engine now allows me to overcome that.  By registering as a user on this site and being approved by me, I can host all my entries on this site which I greatly prefer. 

Anonymous Level:

• Continue filling out all the form boxes as you have been doing
• A simple captcha text entry will be required to prove you are not spam

Member Level:

• Fill out the membership form once and you’re done!
• Doesn’t even require email validation (for now), instant access to advanced features
• Simply type the comment and press “submit”, no more name/site/captcha
• Choose or upload your own avatar to be displayed next to your comment!
• By use of cookies, you stay logged in (depending on your browser), so it won’t be a hassle to log in every time you visit the site

Friend Level:

• All features of the Member Level, plus access to posts marked “Friends Only”
• Create a member profile the same way as above and wait to be approved.
• No extra steps other than waiting/contacting me

To register on my site, use the links under the “Members” section on the right hand menu of this page, or click this link.
Any questions, just ask!