Feedback Requested

[AWIC - Please Change]

I have to say that I am troubled by the obsession with the naming convention. We had this argument on the Board Mark II ( a proposal that was badly thought out in my view, and never fully implemented). It now appears to be the intention to impose it unilaterally now, without discussion.

It is purely because we are going to map it onto the grading database so you only have a single login

Andy

Really? Is that the only reason? Surely it must be possible to accommodate a single login with a name for posting and a name for other things. To pick a name at random "Andy Howie" does not appear in the grading list, yet he appears to have a user name that satsifies the moderating team.

Aside from pseudonymity, the "forename surname" convention also seems unnecessarily restrictive. What happens if Cher wants to register? Or Lulu?? Or Chaski??? Or Ian Duncan Smith, Andrew Lloyd Webber or Yusuf Ali Khan?

The glee which a list of offenders who have had the temerity to defy the convention has been posted to name and shame is also a little discomfiting. Even if you are to insist on some sort of "real names" (and this mindset chased away some of the more entertaining posters previously - where are Casacablanca, Mauberley, Seal Pup, General Sir Paul F. T. Fritz now?) what's wrong with a modicum of indiviudality - the use of lower case for robin moore, the absence of a space for AndrewGreen and both for adamraoof? And let Ken have his underscore.

To be honest, this smacks to me of the exercise of power, the imposition of conformity and the stifling of dissent.

AWIC (this was the user name I was given by DLG way back and I have never seen the need to change it)

[Andrew McHarg]

I don't think the naming convention is entirely to do with the technicalities of mapping, I simply suggested that it would make it easier. Even easier will be what I have now done, which is to create a custom field for pnum upon registration - and numbers map much better than names.

That said though, there are other advantages. I rather prefer the idea of knowing who is writing what, and I don't like the idea of people posting under a veil of anonymity. Perhaps others have a different view; but Chess Scotland is not just some random board, where people can post things without being held accountable. So let's have the discussion/debate, and let it to rest. I have a preference, but ultimately; it's not my decision.

I also want to point out that it has nothing to do with exercise of power, and I don't consider my forum topic on the issue to be naming and shaming, simply pointing out. I doubt everyone even read the post about registration before they registered, which explained to me why they wouldn't have conformed to it. I didn't realise that some people were actively ignoring the request, as nobody has had any real or specific objections until now.

[Andrew McHarg]

Please refer here for discussion on the above issue:

http://www.chessscotland.com/forum/viewt...p?f=4&t=23

=)

[J*R]

Well I have used JR for many years and I am not going to change it now, so if you are forcing us to change to complete real names then I wont post on the forum again.

[robin moore]

Joe,

Everyone's views are welcome here and we don't want to lose anybody over some minor issue. Why don't you simply put JR at the bottom of all your posts? Besides, we need you to keep guys like my incredibly mild-mannered friend David Deary in check, don't let him spout off without getting stuck right in about him.

robin moore (for now).

[AWIC - Please Change]

Some more feedback on a different issue.

On at least 4 occasions I have tried to post but received an HTTP 408/409 server busy error and my post had disappeared into the ether.

These were all cracking posts as well - erudite, incisive, pithy, witty and probably several other adjectives - now sadly gone for ever

Has the new noticeboard generated that much interest that the server falls over?

[Donald Wilson]

I had a similar problem this morning: I composed a (moderately) witty response to one of Andrew McHarg's comments, and then pressed the "submit" button.

I waited for my message to appear, but all I saw was a new, boring one-liner from Mike Scott. I ask you, when does Mike ever post one-liners?

Could the problem be that if two posts arrive simultaneously, only one is captured?

[Andrew McHarg]

Please advise if this happens again.

[Andrew McHarg]

Could the problem be that if two posts arrive simultaneously, only one is captured?

No.

[Andrew McHarg]

Has the new noticeboard generated that much interest that the server falls over?

No, I suspect the issue is related to something else.