Interesting points. As you know, I joined only a couple (?) of months ago, because I happened to listen to the show a few times and wanted to tell you all a Thing Or Two. If I want to jump into a forum, I don't hesitate to sign in.
I still do, however, avoid websites that make you "register" just read one of their articles you happened to link to.
I wonder why people would register to go to a forum and then never post anything. When I posted this topic, "this forum kinda sucks right now," I was seeing almost no activity here, except to have someone responding to call me dirty names every time I posted something.
So I take it back now, I don't think it sucks or I wouldn't still be come here.
I think having to register just to look is a good thing, and that it lessens the number of people who just come in here to vomit their crap at other people because they have nothing intelligent to say about anything. There's going to be a LITTLE of that everywhere you go.