I can understand the pro's and cons to the "Login to download" idea.
It's a first step to security on your site but it's an effort on the surfer's part. The fact that it works for Rendo, RDNA etc. is probably because they allready have established a name for themselves. For any bussiness that's the hardest part to do. You don't want the fly buy's, you want the stayers.
Now I don't mind having to login or to register as a user. It gives me as a user the faint illusion of safety, the idea that this site is checked, looked after and screened in a way. And lately people seem to prefer that I think.
But the thing is, I know this 8 year old boy who is born in this modern world of cyberspace and he has been breathing in this digital world. he speaks the binaire language of every little gadget that can be hooked on to the web and he can hack, crack and stack anything that consists of I's and 0's. I'm proud of him but his generation does warn me though.
I can understand the hestistance, really I do. It would be lovely if internet would be the place they created it for in the first place. Open to everyone, share and share alike but humans don't work that way. And I really think Jake and Dave need to work out first what they want this site to be. Then you build around that and of course get knowedgable about the legal issue's.
Anyway jake and Dave, I wish you all the wisdom you can muster 'cause after I read this thread you're gonna need it... Just kiddin' people.
Greetz from Pommerlis.