Yes to basic research. But FRA membership for all forumites is a lose lose scenario.
I wonder how many existing FRA members viewed this forum prior to taking the decision to join. I did. And the fact that I found it to be a friendly and encouraging resource, full of wit, banter, advice and comradery played a part, however small, in deciding that the FRA was something I wanted to be a part of.
Of course, some people will have posted on here for years with out joining the FRA. So be it. I don't see the correlation between that and repetitive or irrelevant threads.
If you don't like it, don't read it.