Tracy: Well-- That call -- That call means you just murdered me. Mal: No, son. You murdered yourself. I just carried the bullet a while.

'The Message'


Bureaucracy 2: Like Sartre, Only Longer  

A thread to discuss naming threads, board policy, new thread suggestions, and anything else that has to do with board administration and maintenance. Guaranteed to include lively debate and polls. Natter discouraged, but not deleted.

Current Stompy Feet: ita, Jon B, DXMachina, P.M. Marcontell, Liese S., amych


Topic!Cindy - Apr 07, 2004 7:19:21 am PDT #9381 of 10005
What is even happening?

And (to add to the confusion), I'd like to change my username (back) to Jessica, if there's a Stompy around to do it.

To subtract from my confusion, you're PMoon, yes?

eta... damn, too slow again. I need my own little time warp thingie.


Topic!Cindy - Apr 07, 2004 7:37:52 am PDT #9382 of 10005
What is even happening?

Question about Aimee's ballot...

When we were going through all the set up, there was talk about what to do, if a ballot fell over a holiday, etc. I don't know how many people will be absent over Passover. I do know Wolfram is one, and expressed interest in the vote. When we had our discussions, did we ever decide to make accomodations for holidays, etc., or did we just talk about it, but not arrive at a conclusion.


Miracleman - Apr 07, 2004 7:39:41 am PDT #9383 of 10005
No, I don't think I will - me, quoting Captain Steve Rogers, to all of 2020

Gah! All these people changing their names! Chaos! Confusion! Brain hurt!

I take my stand now: I will always ALWAYS be Miracleman!

...unless...Well, being called Captain Marvel would be cool...

...or Mister Mind. Or Dr. Sivana, what with the monkeys and zombies...ooh! Gargunza!

...make the bad thoughts stop...

t /natter


Astarte - Apr 07, 2004 7:40:16 am PDT #9384 of 10005
Not having has never been the thing I've regretted most in my life. Not trying is.

Not trying to be facetious, but we can't cater to the most neurotic, and we can't cater to hypothetical feelings.

Here's where I'm coming from, and of course, as I'm a moderately active poster I'd expect to be visible.

The culture of this board seems to me to place a high emphasis on privacy. While this could be subjective, the anxiety expressed when there's an influx of new posters and the much appreciated safeguards against spiders for a large part of the database confer this general assumption.

Publishing a poster list that doesn't require registration is a significant adjustment. Even though we're just talking about a list, and the info isn't confidential per se, for someone used to that protective screen of lurderdom, it can be jarring. (I have been that person in the past, for example, when I was being stalked. It's one of the reasons I'm still very cautious about using my real name on boards)

So, I don't think it takes neurosis to be concerned about this issue, nor is it coddling to consider it when coming to a decision. Particularly when we have a number of posters who do use their given names.

If it's important to make the change, I suggest posting in press to see if there are enough objections to generate a vote. Weary as I'm sure that prospect makes many of you.

I don't see that the benefit outweighs the potential issues, myself. Much as I appreciate the effort Gus put into coding it, I'd like to leave out an openly available list.


Gus - Apr 07, 2004 7:40:41 am PDT #9385 of 10005
Bag the crypto. Say what is on your mind.

Looks like the tide is rolling away from the list idea. It was just a little nicety, anyway. I'll take down the example site, but hang on to the code that builds the display pages, in case some utility might emerge for it. If a "profile central" notion does come about, the names in the lists can easily be converted to links to the user's profile.


Jesse - Apr 07, 2004 7:41:59 am PDT #9386 of 10005
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

When we were going through all the set up, there was talk about what to do, if a ballot fell over a holiday, etc. I don't know how many people will be absent over Passover. I do know Wolfram is one, and expressed interest in the vote. When we had our discussions, did we ever decide to make accomodations for holidays, etc., or did we just talk about it, but not arrive at a conclusion.

Passover's over, AFAIK, and voting is still open.


victor infante - Apr 07, 2004 7:43:06 am PDT #9387 of 10005
To understand what happened at the diner, we shall use Mr. Papaya! This is upsetting because he's the friendliest of fruits.

I'm just saying, knowing there's a poster named "Stan" doesn't tell us a dang thing about "Stan."


Jesse - Apr 07, 2004 7:46:07 am PDT #9388 of 10005
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

Oh, and part two of the thing about the voting is, that's why the whole discussion and voting process takes a week: even if you're gone for the actual days of voting, you may have a chance to make your point in Lightbulbs, or vice versa.


Sean K - Apr 07, 2004 7:47:18 am PDT #9389 of 10005
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty

"Mxplx*, The Grand High Minister of What Scrappy Said"

I have little to add to this discussion, other than the fact that I have personal objections to anybody else calling themselves the minister of anything. Not terribly strong objections, mind you, just enough to make this crack.

Once upon a time, I was Jess PMoon.

Okay, everybody changing their user name is making my brain hurt.

When we were going through all the set up, there was talk about what to do, if a ballot fell over a holiday, etc. I don't know how many people will be absent over Passover.

For the record, Nilly has voted. Wolfram has not.


Astarte - Apr 07, 2004 7:50:22 am PDT #9390 of 10005
Not having has never been the thing I've regretted most in my life. Not trying is.

I'm just saying, knowing there's a poster named "Stan" doesn't tell us a dang thing about "Stan."

I understand that, Victor. It's more an issue of perception than actual exposure.