Registration Required to view threads or not?

[Mark.B]

I let guests read the first post in the thread. If they want to read more they need to sign up.

This is actually more to dissaude certain factions of former members who have left in a sulk and set up "rival" boards with two members from stealing content and generally "spying" on what we do. It's a vicious world, the world of forums.

In a practical sense, what it does is allows people to see the subject matter and tone of the thread without registration. Hopefully they are then minded to sign up and join in. Works a bit, that's the best I can say.