SOLVED Unlock the search feature in IPB and phpBB archives

[Q-Nova]

In the IPB and phpBB archives, the search feature is only accessible to registered users. Since the registration feature is disabled, it's impossible to use the search feature if you weren't around to create an account on each forum before their respective archival (which is the case with me and the IPB forum). I think we should either:

1. Allow guests (non-registered users) to use the search feature, or...
   
2. Allow people to create new accounts via the (now-enabled in this case) registration feature or...
   
3. Allow people to create new accounts ONLY if they first contact an adminstrator, who will handle the account creation process.
   

Any thoughts? I occasionally use the search tool in the phpBB archive to look at some things for fun and looking back (and maybe research), and I'd like to use said tool in the IPB archive for the same aforementioned purposes (e.g. seeing what users said about Mario Party 7 when it came out). I could see some people being worried that opening up the search engine to outsiders can make it easier for them to track down sensitive info, hence why I offered option C, but at the same time I feel like they would just ask an administrator to remove such info. I'd also like to mention that the MyBB forums' search feature is open to anyone, including guests. Personally, I'm leaning towards option A.

EDIT: I almost can't believe it's been over a year since the last post in the Suggestions forum...