Permission "Can view hidden online users"

[Pony99CA]

Perhaps because we have too many permissions already. Why would you want that level of granularity just for hidden users anyway?

I would rather see control limited by the user via Friends/Foe settings as I proposed earlier.

Steve

[specialdiet22]

I think the privacy of the members is already enough.

[mrgtb]

I'd agree with thread starter on this. For instance you can't stop guests from viewing Who Is Online, without also blocking them from viewing members list and profiles.

[Pony99CA]

Perhaps because we have too many permissions already. Why would you want that level of granularity just for hidden users anyway?

I would rather see control limited by the user via Friends/Foe settings as I proposed earlier.

Steve

not exactly

"Not exactly" what?

I'd agree with thread starter on this. For instance you can't stop guests from viewing Who Is Online, without also blocking them from viewing members list and profiles.

The topic starter was asking about the ability to view hidden users and split those permissions up. If he wants to allow viewing of various features for any user, hidden or not, the whole topic was titled incorrectly.

I am curious why you'd want to allow Guests to see the Member List and user profiles, but wouldn't want them to know who is online.

Steve

[mrgtb]

Well the Online Users page is one area of a forum that's pretty server intensive, compared to other forum areas. So blocking guests and bots from using that makes sense, while them still being able to view members list and profiles. What purpose does allowing guests and bots to view online list serve anyway, it's more a member feature for using due it being a more server intensive page. While letting guests view profiles and members list is good because it helps get more pages indexed. That's why I think members list and profiles - shouldn't be linked permission wise with viewing online users page.

[Pony99CA]

I could be wrong, but by default Bots and Guests don't have access to the Member List.

Plus, I don't think that there's really any reason that Bots should access any member information (the Member List, Profies or online status) anyway. (If somebody installs something like a User Blog extension, that might change things, but I'm referring to the default phpBB setup.)

But, again, this topic is about hidden users, not every user. If you want to separate permissions for users in general, I would suggest starting an RFC. If you can make a good case for splitting those permissions up, that's fine, but I don't think that they should be split just for hidden users. The ability to view hidden users online status should be independent of the ability to view member information.

Steve

[mrgtb]

Yeah, the default on install is that they can't view members list and online list, but of course that's just a default install and can be changed to allow viewing. Don't see what that has to do with anything, that's just default settings after installing for first time? Default install also doesn't allow guest and bots to view/download images (or attachments posted) either, but many change that to allow bots to index images.

But the OPS idea was to split permissions (instead of grouping some together) so they are more flexible in use. I only point out other one because that's another case in which you can't block guests from viewing online list, without also blocking them from viewing member list and profiles.

I'm not fussed, just mentioning it because I've noticed that's the case.