Add-On Releases - Limited Guest Viewing -- Improve community registration rates

Note: This addon works with the 3.6.x series only. Click Here for the 3.7.0 version of this addon.

With vBulletin, forum guests are able to view endless amounts of content without being directly asked or forced to register no matter how many times they come back. The purpose of the Limited Guest Viewing System is to drive in registrations by limiting the number of threads guests are able to view without interruption.

This plugin offers two options which can be used to drive in more registrations. The first option allows you to show a reminder message or advertisement after a guest has viewed a certain number of threads. The second option puts up a roadblock stopping guests from viewing threads altogether after reaching a certain number of views. Both options work together to encourage and ultimately force anonymous visitors to either register or login but can also be used separately based on your individual needs.

Because this plugin uses cookies, few if any bots will be impacted when it comes to spidering your site.

Modifications/ Instructions:
Template edits: 1
Plugins: 1 (adds 1 template and several settings)

This template hack should take under 5 minutes to implement and customize.

Customizing the content / messages
To customize which messages appear or what they say, go to vBulletin options, select the ?Limited Guest Viewing System? group and configure the options as desired. Each phase can be modified by adding translation text.

Through the ACP you can enable or disable each option, specify the number of threads that can be viewed before the option is enabled and input any forums you wish to exclude from being blocked.

About spiders/bots
This plugin works by setting a cookie to track the number of visits from a particular user. As bots do not tend to accept cookies, they should not be blocked. To further insure there is no spider accessibility issues, there script identifies major bots (google, yahoo, msn, aol) and explicitly lets them through -- you can easily add to this list by editing the plugin code should you so desire, however, unless a bot starts taking cookies this should not be necessary.


Welcome headers compatibility
The Limited Guest Viewing is designed to work with the Welcome Headers system without any conflict. To insure that welcome header messages do not show up at the same time as the limited guest viewing message, please be sure you are running welcome headers version 4.1.3 or greater (released 11/19).

Updates
5/9/2008 - Released update to prevent installs on 3.7 boards.
2/18/2007 - Minor update to fix register link. Updates optional.
11/20/2006 - Minor update released to fix error with links in some messaging. Updates recommended.

[Ted S]

I assume you're talking about the Limited Guest Viewing mod rather than the Welcome Header adodn this thrad is about... but not a big deal.

I wrote to be blunt and scare people enough to think about it. The LGV hack may have an impact on a forum as bots develop to use cookies. Right now I don't see issues but I'm trying to avoid having people point at me and say "why didn't you explain it". I'd rather someone not use the hack because they don't like it than use it but not understand it.

Thanks for the feedback.

[SeanE]

Just got the word on the new vB version - is this product ready to go to 3.68?

Thanks,
-Sean

[Ted S]

It's a minor release so yes, shouldn't be an issue.

[flindersredclaw]

Bloody good job Ted. I have been using this for ages. I did switch it off for a while and my registration went way down. Just installed on clean 3.6.8 (fingers crossed)

thanks mate

[thompson]

is there a downloadlink with all changes ?

what about bots like google ?

[Ted S]

Originally Posted by thompson

is there a downloadlink with all changes ?

what about bots like google ?

I'm not sure what you mean? If you download the latest version, you get the latest version with any and all changes since any other version.

As for bots, that's explained in the main post and throughout the thread.

[Chachacha]

Installed. Thanks.

[basketmen]

hi guys

i want to set Register Block Page Count to 0

how do you think about this? it will affect on search engine google?

how about to set it to 1 ????

please share your knowledge about this mod

[yaoren]

**Installed**

[Ted S]

Originally Posted by basketmen

i want to set Register Block Page Count to 0

how do you think about this? it will affect on search engine google?

Have you read the hack description or the explanation of how it works with bots?