Why are Bing, Google, and Yahoo registered forum users?

[surprise_i'm_armed]

When logged on to the forum, you can scroll down to the bottom of "Board Index" and see who is logged on.
Among the human forum members, you can also see that Bing, Google, and Yahoo are logged on.

What is the purpose of allowing these search engines to be registered users?

On the one hand, we share a lot of useful data on a wide variety of topics, but forum users also express their
personal opinions. We are shielded by our screen names, but I still feel like Big Brother could be watching.

Google's motto is "Do no evil" but keep in mind that it saves each and every query you ever make there.

I use Ixquick as a search engine usually and find everything for which I look. It doesn't save your queries.

Having browsed Bing a little, I like the many "Images" it presents when you choose that option, but I'm still not
sure I feel comfortable with it being a registered user.

SIA

[The Annoyed Man]

Those are probably search engine crawler bots, not members.

EDIT: I just went back and looked. At this moment, here's who's online:
Registered users: ac-mech, beardking, Bing [Bot], Bullwhip, C-dub, cajunautoxer, cohiba550, Cool Arrow, Dave2, Divided Attention, ELB, godalstars, Google [Bot], iom, Jumping Frog, marklbucla, mrappe, rsq163, saltydog452, surprise_i'm_armed, The Annoyed Man, txjim42, Yahoo [Bot]

Notice that Bing, Google, and Yahoo are identified as "bots," which is exactly what I surmised. These bots are the reason that if you google "texas chl," this forum is the very first result in the list. They are pretty much harmless, and this site would not be so popular without them.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

TAM:

They are listed under "Registered Users" and they have "Bot" after their names.

We as humans have to log in with our screen name and password.

Do bots get an automatic log on, with the ability to read all posts?
Or do they just have the ability to read the thread names, in order to help a user find their data?

SIA

[The Annoyed Man]

TAM:

They are listed under "Registered Users" and they have "Bot" after their names.

We as humans have to log in with our screen name and password.

Do bots get an automatic log on, with the ability to read all posts?
Or do they just have the ability to read the thread names, in order to help a user find their data?

SIA

Well, I have't seen the administrative back end of this particular forum, but I have seen admin backends for other forums, including one that I own. I am pretty confident in saying that the bots are NOT logged on. They are merely crawling the pages. You don't have to logged on to view these pages. Try logging out and seeing for yourself. The use of the term "Registered members" is probably just a poor choice of words by the folks who wrote the software module which displays active viewers. It should say something like "Online Users," or "Active Users," rather than "Registered Members." The bots are identified by search engine because they originate from those engines, and it helps the site owner to know that his site is being crawled for content. There really isn't anything nefarious going on here.

[G.A. Heath]

phpBB (The software that this forum runs on) identifies the bots and lists them among registered users. You will on occasion see other bots listed and access for the bots can be molded and shaped however the administrators feel is warranted. Some forums create a "forum" that is visible only to the bots that contains posts with key words that are designed to attract users while most forums follow the search engines suggestions/requirements that the bots see what a regular visitor can (either as a guest or registered member depending on the forum's administrations preferences). The bots do not count as registered members and can not create content.

[MadMonkey]

Sounds like a bad law firm...

[sjfcontrol]

Sounds like a bad law firm...

No, that was "Dewey, Cheatum & Howe"

[AEA]

Many sites make you register before viewing posts. The search engines still poll them and provide results to queries, taking you to the site but once there you cannot view the topic unless you register. I think this would be a better option for this site.