General Discussion: Private vs Public Forum

[El Presidente]

Certainly food for thought.

[finecigar]

I fell in love with FOH the way it is. I am not deeply involved in the cigar community nor do I have a lot of friends whom I can share my love with- I guess I keep to myself. I am a solo guy who lives privately but come to FOH to enjoy the wide range of individuals on a public level. I love to come here daily and view the range of topics from both experts and amateurs alike, as well as enjoying making purchases from time to time from the events held online here. I am a solo collector and love everything about this community and my advice would be to keep things the way they are. Constantly now in times companies try to push towards durastic change and abandoning their core values and forget who they were to begin with. FOH is a public forum that works better than any other out there. I believe in the czar team working so hard to make this possible- so whatever you think is necessary you do but as a member here for many years I would recommend to not change a thing.

[Dbone]

We need the cigar community to grow, don't box yourself in

[MIKA27]

It certainly is a great question Rob....

Both have benefits but I feel I am still leaning toward Public forum purely because of the fact that many current members as well as potential future members yet to discover our Oasis, would not have discovered FOH if it were not for the 'Public' accessibility.

In saying this, should FOH remain public, with members increasing, perhaps you will need to bump up the moderator levels in order to keep the forums integrity intact. Having more members is brilliant, but unfortunately every now and again, we need to weed out the trouble makers, hackers and those wishing to bring down the broader community.

This forum from the time I joined has grown a great deal yet still has that close knit community feel and this is what makes FOH so unique. I do hope it stays this way for many more years to come and that's purely due to the forum rules and ethos of our community instilled by yourself.

[AndrewNR]

I'm in a pretty weird position here.. It was Czar's website that really fueled the sparks of my initial cigar interest.

Being in rural Australia there is no local store here.. No cigar community. No base of knowledge to absorb, No stores to visit the beautiful humidors and learn and enjoy the passion and knowledge base of cigars.

Had it not been for the initial wealth of knowledge and openness and the images of cigars here my passion may never have began to grow to fruition. Eventually I bought a couple cigars I'd liked the sound of from reviews and pictures I'd seen here on Czar and FOH.

Purchased them from a Cigar store in Adelaide while I was there for a wedding, I was blown away by the beauty and romance of it all and loved the cigar, Not so much the price tag. That was 07.

Time went on and after a few more single purchases I bought a sampler from Czar. My passion for cigars and indeed this community had seeded and was by now ready to grow wild.

Having been drawn in and so enthralled by the community, our gracious and generous hosts and a passion for Cigars when my parents said they were road tripping to QLD I told them they had to visit Cigar Mecca! Never having been there myself I told them they could either expect a wonderful humidor or just some great people.

They meandered in that direction and after finding it and climbing the stairs asked about cigars apparently to the mild alarm of the guys working there.. Until they explained why they were there and how they'd been pointed in that direction and apparently then the wonderful people there introduced a very happy and nice Rob to them who chatted to them for awhile and ended up selling my parents my first box of cigars as a birthday present, Partages Serie D No.4. I have around 3 left I think and they're bloody fantastic.

Wasn't long after that and I was ordering a box every couple of months and starting a nice little collection. Participating in the blind taste at one stage and doing terribly but enjoying it immensely. Attending Havanthon last year and meeting some of the incredible and humble friendly other members face to face for a couple amazing days.

The personal nature of this forum has at times been a godsend having found support and advice from Rob and other members here like Skyfall when I was going through a very difficult divorce.

People sharing other interests and messaging about hospitality and motorcycles

Being gifted another of my first cigars a Cohiba Pyramid LE 06 by Trevor which is now one of my prized possessions..

If it weren't both for the public and very personal nature of this website none of these beautiful passionate and genuinely humane interests and moments would have ever been shared or possible in my life.. And perhaps if the board isn't partially privatized won't enter the lives of somebody else..

I'd say make the board private.. However Who would have referred me? No one. The members introduction section should remain public and perhaps another board that will generate discussion so new members can get a chance to get known.. after an introduction, and perhaps 20 posts and a week or two you can apply to see the rest of the forum...

Just an idea from who would have been an outsider...

[stogieluver]

Public or private, one of the keys to the success of this forum is the strict policing of the forum by El Prez and the mods. The members know this and largely police themselves because we all know how snotty and mean some other forums have become because of the lack of control.

Going private will not alleviate the need for moderators, not that this would be a primary or even secondary consideration. I voted for going private, but I really don't feel strongly one way or the other as long it continues to be the civil, friendly, helpful place that it is.

[FCUBUCK]

I can see advantages of public and private. I was referred here by a long time member and am glad to be here. The knowledge I get from the members here is so valuable. That said I very rarely post anything but read through posts nearly everyday. I would hate to lose the privilege of being a member based on not having much too say.

[pbibby]

I think that having both a public and private forum is a poor thought (just my opinion, not meant to offend). It could lend itself to having the older established (wiser perhaps) members only posting on the private side of the forum.

Ultimately, if there is no business impact, then it doesn't seem any change is necessary or useful. However, if you want to keep supplying the amount you are, then I will say that if I were lucky enough to be on the private side, it would probably make it easier to get good boxes.....

In all seriousness though, I am still pretty new here and yet I feel welcomed all the time. I've learned more about CC's here in 6 months than in the previous 5 years I've been smoking.

Great site. Keep as is....

[investandprosper]

I would be in favor of a private forum, with certain resources remaining public for those getting into the hobby (video reviews, for example).

[Rye]

I like the idea of the hybrid idea personally. I've loved the forum for a couple of years as is, but I could see the benefit of having a closed off site.

Mostly, there's a ton of people that know exactly what tobacco I'm buying and can approximate when it would be arriving. That doesn't affect anything now, but who knows what our govts will do in a few years down the road. The only reason I don't keep a well stocked OLH is for fear that our border, or Australia's shut down.

Just my two bits.

[dicko]

Public. We already have the private sub-forums (*****AS etc)

We should keep things as open possible to grow the hobby.

[markfwild]

I would vote for a public forum, as this is what I think FOH embodies and why and how I first became involved.

Appreciate that as things grow, complexity inevitably follows though thereby making this an interesting discussion!

[Rye]

Public. We already have the private sub-forums (*****AS etc)

We should keep things as open possible to grow the hobby.

Good point, but the current system segregates us by nation and I love conversing with friends around the globe.

Besides, *****CAN is a ghost town lately.

[melies]

Good point, but the current system segregates us by nation and I love conversing with friends around the globe.

Besides, *****CAN is a ghost town lately.

You should join *****mex, I am the only member lol also Public for me

[Stogieninja]

I would think a public/private hybrid would be the best model. The tiered system where access to the LFTW, 12:12:12, and various "sensitive" topics could be granted after some investment by the member, similar to requirements currently in place for the trade forum, except that the sub forum would be hidden until the requirements were reached.

To me that's the best of both worlds. Plenty of content and discussion for the new folks, while still granting some privilege to those who have shown their desire to be a part of the community.

[Smalls]

I found this forum through my own research. I am not sure how somebody like me would get into a private forum because I really don't know anybody here. I doubt many people would be willing to vouch for someone they don't know at all.

I think I would prefer a public forum. However, I would completely understand if necessity drives it private. Just don't forget to invite me..

[puromaniac]

Good arguments for both. I'd vote public not so much because I'm a newer member and might not have otherwise found this forum--or because I might be below some "threshold" if things changed--but more because any system--natural or human--can't persist without renewal.

[Moogypug]

As a new member, I must say I would not have learned so much in such a short amount of time without the accessible wisdom of all those here. This is a truly unique community. I don't know anyone in my immediate circle that indulges in this hobby so I would have never discovered this community if it had been private. Cheers.

[ag794516]

I agree to the posts of nearly all members. I'd vote public because this gives all of us the same chance. I am a member since nearly a year. I found that forum or FOH through YouTube, where I searched for video reviews. Fhen I saw some and was interested in what's behind FOH. There I am. I got many sticks since then and this is the most important for me, I got lots of information and knowledge. Let it be as it is. The transfer of information and the discussions (not all. Some are placed wrong) are good for all of us and cigar lifestyle.

As some metioned I would also agree for a limited time depending on membership and posts where you can't see everything.

But in general we must all thank Rob and his team for their work they have done in the past and what they'll do in the future. Do your job with spirit, knowledge and your heart and you'll do great! !

[monkey66]

There are pros and cons to both approaches.

For me FOH is a public forum by nature. Of course if it has reached critical mass then close it up to public membership and have the trickle of referrals to keep it at a sustained level.

If it is a business then probably public.

If it is a community then probably private.

If it is a commercial cartel then probably secret.

If it is boring then probably pass it on.

If you are worried about the govt don't use the Internet ...period.

If you are worried about you privacy don't post personal information on the Internet ...period.

Whilst I am sure I will get shot down for this i suspect a lot of the volume here is due to the attractive commercial offerings. Of course people stay for the banter but it is the cheap booze that really brings them to the bar. Of course just mho.

Forums are really funny beasts that are not always predictable or controllable. Many of us have experienced these challenges.

Seems to me FOH has a lot of mistresses ( Di :-) ) which is always a balancing act. With this in mind 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'.

[jedipastor]

I say do both. Keep the public forum but have a "member's only" section where those of us who are members can post privately.

[tippexx]

Cigars are a hobby and we're all just hobbyists. (OK, apart from Rob). This is a good hobby discussions Forum, why change it, keep it open. There's the odd problem from time to time but the Forum Moderators seem to have control. And to be honest running through the threads I can't find much that would of real interest to government agencies ... well apart from our criticisms of them and which they can read in newspapers anyway.

[Colt45]

Friendship, laughter, loyalty, fraternity......

I've not registered for my country's sub forum because in my mind, even that is separatist

Others have made great points already - who will recommend someone new / who they don't know?

A smaller group of people recommending only people they know sounds a bit like inbreeding to me....

I voted public.

[santela]

I voted for public.

1. I am new to this forum and new to CCs in general. This forum is probably the best cigar forums I have ever had access to, it has huge amount of information and I learned so much here. I would hate to deny anyone else the opportunity had they choose to walk down the same path.

2. I believe many valuable members came across FOH randomly on the internet or through youtube (like me). It would be a shame if we didn't have them around to contribute so much to the community.

3. Rob is still running a business here. Wouldn't privatizing the forum lead to a drop in sales? I must confess I have yet to purchase anything from Rob, but that is about to change as soon as I need to restock.

[alloy]

I'm with jedipastor. Keep it public, but have a "members only" forum. Kind of like on OLH. To register on that site (to see the TSBC section), the registration is sent to the Admin for approval.