I've spent well over 4 hours on this thing, and it says:
Total time logged in: 1 hours and 14 minutes.
I'm a developer who hosts websites, including one dedicated to dedicated to bit coins. I've been on the internet since the 1980s! I've even used FidoNet and programmed on CP/M. And, in all these years I have never had to waste this much time just to be able to participate in a forum. The 4 hour nonsense is really stupid.
So, is there somewhere else where I can discuss the protocol and development with bitcoin developers and those committed to bringing it to the masses?!?
AFAIK, this is the major forum for Bitcoin. There's a few others but they're tiny.
There is, however, an IRC the Bitcoin devs use to communicate with one another. You should find the info somewhere around here...I'm not entirely sure myself.