Yes, having “mailing list mode” on by default for new users who sign-up through the email-only form is one the things I mentioned on the original post. Is it possible to set it as default?
The other thing is allowing sign-up through a (embeddable?) simple email form. Think Mailchimp. That’s a more distraction-free sign-up process than the plurality of content and calls to action one sees on the forum’s front page, and dispenses with choosing a password. Is this possible/planned?