I'm just starting an unofficial poll because of late effronteries like this one.
So I would just like to know what other users think of it (also since things like that take away additional time being wasted for moderation and therefore available time for software development shrinks further and frustration rises).
Why a poll only on programming forum section? Because it is the most frequently used and most popular one.
Technically it is not feasible because Discourse does not support visibility based on having given badge or not having it. And I have no time to manage it manually.
And generally new subscribers get moderated and posts do NOT appear if they don't have badge, (except few cases when Discourse promotes them because of long reading - I am doing moderation right now and you do not see 90% of cases as they don't appear before they get approval, moderation is quick in Discourse).
So, sorry, but this is not going to happen. I closed the poll since regardless of it, there is no such possibility in Discourse.
Someone is always going to post a duplicate question or a question that was answered in the documentation. That's inevitable. If anyone of the experienced users gets annoyed by this, then ignore the question rather than berate the poster. It's more polite to point to the area of the documentation the poster should read and then, if still confused, ask a more detailed question describing the problem. If you don't want to be polite, then don't post a reply.
Did you actually read what the Poll is actually about? I doubt it because it is not about duplicates and such! You completely miss the point considering given example link.
Since you missed the point of the poll here is clarification:
User of link was not verified user
Non-verified user (who on top looks like lazy copy&paste artist) being impolite/rude/... to a verified user (taken his valuable free time) to politely give correct advice on what to do next.
Quite a cheeky response of a non verified user (if you ask me).
FYI, AFL programming section is supposed to be for verified users to ask questions.
BTW the actual question of the poll seems to have been gone for some reason.
It was: "Shall AFL programming section being visible to verified users only"
But as Tomasz wrote... there is not a feature in Discourse to allow only verified users to post in certain forum section so the poll is closed.
Just use REPORT (Flag) button. If you notice somebody who doesn't respect rules, use "FLAG" button. It is quicker and better way than answering to the violating post. After flagging post is hidden and marked for moderation and poster receives information that his post was marked by community as inappropriate.
Just want to add that the poll was not just about avoiding reporting of violating posts (of non-verified users) via access restrictions but also about "avoiding" non-verified users from receiving laid out copy&paste ready material being posted on dubious 3rd party websites or even cheekier being sold for "big" money further on (which has already happened).
They will be copy-pasted anyway. AFL on-line library is in the members zone and it is still getting copied. Some simply never learn to respect other people work.
I did not know about such problems but frequenting AB forum in this lockdown revealed a lot of dark/shady characters.
Personally a locked community only verified by License would be good but the Founder must have his reasons like Trial users but i see that some members immediately reply to posters who don't have a license badge and cut them off.
So with the above, i think that the current flow somewhat ok.
What i would really like to see change, is members who have a License frame their questions well enough for others to understand and then attempt to help.
Maybe this should be made a sticky before opening a new thread so everyone reads and complies before submitting opening thread.
Most threads are opened by people seeking help and should not disturb regular members.
For some reason i was always stuck to Trust Level 0 and was manually promoted by Tomasz.
Even now most of the posts after submitting go straight to moderation or approval, which does not give a chance to preview or proof-read etc. This could also be a small % of posts that user has submitted half information.
Just thought of writing what i experience sometimes.