definitely agree that this is worth doing. some sort of registration or tightening up of how people can read this forum. (even down to a range would be a start).

maybe a sub forum for registered users and their own topics?

I've mentioned in another thread that searching on google for specific forum topics on google does have the logsat site as top.

search for "blocking src=cid" for example

anbother brainwave: anyone who is running SF is using a static IP(range) right?

Roberto knows his customers, and their IP's,  simply denying acess to the forum unless your ip is allowed might sove the password issues Dan spoke of. Not sure, but that might also prevent the google-monster to look in on what's said. Forgive me if i'm wrong

sounds like a good idea to me... as long as it's only for embedded images, not the attached ones.

had another thought as well: releasing a free trial version with SFDB support could be unwisee, bad folks corrupting the sfdb etc etc.

The problem I had with the "Private" forum was the verification process.  However, I too, feel that it may be time to either start up a privete, PW protected forum or somehow PW protect some of the post on this forum. As was mentioned in a previous post, I am also starting to get somewhat paranoid and am thinking that there are Spam Fourm "Spys".  and while I am on the paranoia track, I have started to get spam that is using Yahoo's sender id and am getting more and more crap because I still refuse to block SPF "Soft Fails". 

I have also mentioned this a few times, spammers can read and learn from this open forum. They can also set up a testbed for their spam attacks using the free SF version. Not good...

I urge you Roberto, to set up a secret url with a forum that is password protected, and send all of your registered users the url, plus the access PW. Spamfilter ISP is getting more and more powerfull, and (i assume) more and more followers. As such its becoming more and more of a 'threat' to spammers.