Allowing a user to know when they're logged in or not

_This is a message sent to me by a CollectiveX user. I'm just passing it on..._

Hi, folks,

If I’m unable to use an online forum, it’s not due to lack of experience or desire. I’m going to describe my user experience so that perhaps you can make necessary changes that would make it possible for other people to participate easily.

I received an email that stated “DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL”. Fine. I visited the group through the link provided, but nowhere could I find a way to reply. Is this a web-based forum or email-only, or both? Most are both. It was a very frustrating experience, and that’s not the feeling you want in your users. If there is no way to reply to comments or post one’s own comment in the same thread, then there should be instructions somewhere that tell you how to reply.

So… how do I reply?

[Follow-up email]

I just figured it out.

Here’s the problem: The email, which I received because I’m a member of the group, takes me to the site but it doesn’t indicate that I have to log in. So I have access to all those discussions, but I can’t reply – can’t even see a reply button or link – until I’m logged in. But I don’t know that unless I’m told, “Only members can reply. LOGIN (with link to login) to reply” or something of that ilk.

An example of what I’m talking about: at egullet.org (some 16,000 members), when you read discussions as a guest (not logged in), you still see a big “reply” button at the end of every post. But when you click that button, you get this: “Sorry, only registered participating members and society donors of the eGullet Society have permission to post replies in the eGullet Discussion Forums. If you are a participating member or society donor, you must log in before you can post.” It actually goes on much longer than that, but you get the idea. It’s a way to explain why you can’t reply but it’s also an opportunity to “sell” membership to the guest who was so interested he/she wanted to reply, but couldn’t.