Why can't people ask certain questions???

[Karl J]

some of the threads I've been reading are how-to questions from new members (such as myself) and what bothers me is that some threads are stopped because an Admin feels "this is an advanced question and can only be discussed in the advanced area". I find this amusing as at Defcon there feeling is that "we'll show you since the bad guys already know and therefore this information could be used to better defend and safeguard yourself". Why does LP101 even let new members, that are getting into lockpicking, join? Is this site meant for locksmiths and friends of the website founders? or what? if someone has a question regarding lockpicking, locks, books, how-to etc., then the experienced lock pickers shouldn't be pressured into not answering these questions becuase of the Admin's "moral or ethical" feelings. If the answers to the questions do not cause any harm to anyone then I don't think there's a problem.
Just a thought.

[acestor]

Those are the rules; the administrators do not believe that info deemed "advanced" such as auto entry. safes, advanced locks and picks, etc. should be available to any one who surfs in. This is to respect the integrity of locksport. There is plenty of useful information that is available to you, in fact, an incredible amount of information. If you wish to use this forum, respect its rules. Welcome.

[MacGyver101]

I respect your opinion, but I think that you'll find many people on these forums are of a slightly different mindset when it comes to disclosure. For whatever value it brings, let me try to explain my own perspective...

I choose to participate on these forums exactly because there is a division between the "public" and "advanced" discussions. (And, to be clear, I do not yet have "advanced" access.) As you note, there many other places -- and several competing sites -- that take an "anything goes" approach to disclosure. I have no problem with that for issues like software bugs (e.g., your example of Defcon), because it can allow people to better protect themselves. Locks, however, are not like software... and this is where the Defcon analogy falls down.

There is no "Check for Updates from Schlage" button on my house that I can press to automatically patch the locks on my front and back doors every few days... and that is one of the major differences between software security and lock security. I think that the rate of disclosure should be tempered by the rate at which people update their technology. People are exposed to unpatched lock exploits for much, much longer than they are exposed to unpatched software exploits. If I am permitted to join the discussions in the "advanced" forums, I would prefer that those discussions are not shared with every 12-year-old who has access to Google. That's my choice, and it's why I choose to participate in this particular on-line community.

For what it's worth, I hope that helps?