That isn't combating spam though
Before, we got so little users coming in that I used to verify them all manually. I started to slip with this though and, after the amount of users got to be too much to verify, I just let it go. But I would like to return to manually verifying every user while things are still slow and I have the opportunity to do so. Once activity massively picks up, then we'll switch to the more usual and thorough bot counter-measures. I also would love the opportunity to boast that every single member in the member list is a verified human instead of it being like 99% of all forum member lists out there which are composed mostly of sleeper bot accounts.
I think he just doesn't want to give all those users free storage and have it essentially be wasted space.
Well, not exactly, but a little, yes. Basically, free storage will be unlocked once I verify via PMs that the user is actually a human. Anyone who is a Sanctuary Legend won't have to verify and will automatically get it. We don't have to do it that way though. I could make file storage unlock once one makes a post on the forums, but I personally prefer PM verification.
Pre-crime? Get rid of potential "criminals" before they commit a crime?
They're not getting banned. lol They can certainly make an account again. And hell, it may actually be preferable as, perhaps they made an account with an email that is no longer available to them anymore and they don't know the password.
Or take advantage of possible members-only stuff, that gets added/removed as time goes on.
The only thing I plan to be members-only is file storage. I'd honestly like to have as little as possible restricted to members only, but for file storage, that's just not realistic at all.
Or to have age/history "clout"
It would be fake age/history/clout though.
They're not doing any harm.
Yeah but they're not doing any good either and are, if anything else, obscuring our true member count.
Some people might just want to make an account to have no trouble later.
This is actually the one valid point and one I understand. Registering is annoying. I do get it.