Just in time for the EuroCup, I added a requested but somewhat controversial feature: public viewing
From now on, visitors do not have to create an account or be logged in to browse the papers or read the comments. They still need to be logged in, however, to rate, tag, comment, etc. The advantage is two-fold:
- Visitors can familiarize themselves with the website before they sign up.
- Existing user can refer to their comments on the site without having their readers run agains a login wall (twitter, here we come).
The only mild drawback, which guided my initial decision to require the login, is that comments on the site are now really public, that is public public. When I talked about the website, several people said they would feel more comfortable behind the wall.
By now, I have convinced myself that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Moreover, anxious user can still post comments anonymously.