cumbersome

cumbersome methods to get initial post/question on the forum. Just IMO.

True.

But also very good at screening spammers and hackers from posting in general areas. It's a matter of priority. And, it's a higher priority to me, to make the forum usable for existing forum members, and to make it readable to 'lurkers', then it is to sign up every possible new member.

Other forums have made other choices. That's fine, too.