Confusion

€

xxx

The unanswered questions would be seem to be huge. Can anyone sign up for "abc"? "xxx"? "cmt"? "Tom"? "DannyMangin"? "editors"?<BR><BR>They HAVE to know what IP is associated with every single post. But that is not as useful as you might think. Too many dynamic IP assignments. And probably some cases of multiple people using the same IP, as in two members of a family, or two people at the same place of employment. Not to mention the people who have used dozens of different IP addresses. Traveling. More than one location for work. Libraries.<BR><BR>I just don't know how they will ever get it started.<BR><BR>But I suspect that they have to work on getting something started. New ways of vandalizing thos forum are cropping up. no registration means no "Terms of Service". And no means to seek prosecution or any other legal remedy against those who would blatantly vandalize.<BR>

up

up. the vandalism risk is quelled for now. don't know if fire retardant was used or just extinguisher. and don't intend to try to find out.<BR><BR>you, zzz?<BR>

Elizabeth

I am completely against registration and predict if it is required, the site will lose:<BR><BR>1) its funniest people <BR><BR>2) the people attracted by the funny people<BR><BR>3) its energy.<BR><BR> And--honestly--what could someone do, or what has someone done, on this message board, that could prompt someone to think of legal action? I can't even imagine! But you can tell me.

xman

Let's start with the typical response. Don't be an utter complete dimwitted twit.<BR><BR>Not nice Huh? Well there has been a lot worse. Now if I was serious and was really trying to be mean and hurtful Fodors could track my account and if I was repetitively mean or counter productive Fodors could bar me from this site. <BR><BR>Registration only lets Fodors know my real e mail and not everyone else. Therefore it protects me the user and the rest of you from malicious attacks and more.<BR><BR>So people can still be funny just not destructive.<BR><BR>Why is that so hard?

ttt

to the top. for more discussion on how to tackle the "first come, first served" problematic aspect of starting any registration system anew.<BR>

Not Worth

On the Cruise Forum a short time ago, there was a discussion about registration. Several people came on and said that when other boards they visit went to registration, you could pull up all of the past postings that people did even if they used assumed names. I know that happened on a cosmetics board that I visit. People posted anonymously, then one day we had to all register. Now, when you do a search and put in a person's name, ALL of that person's past postings come up, even the ones where they used an alias. <BR><BR>So, I guess if we go to registration, all of your aliases and past posts will be exposed for all to see. <BR><BR>How many of us have hidden pasts that we want to keep hidden?<BR><BR>And I agree with Elizabeth in that I think so much of what makes Fodors the best will just go away with registration. No more Herb and Clara, for example. <BR><BR>I vote a MAJOR NO!!!!! to registration.

xx

&euro<BR>

xx

&euro

ttt

Registration may drive away "regulars" as one expense, but it may encourage newbies who can get reliable answers without some of the vivous ness that sometimes occurs here. And maybe some of the "good guys" who regularly answer the newbies' questions. Which is better for Fodors' core business of selling books? Protecting the anonymity of old farts? Or making the site more useful to those contemplating a first trip to Europe, and repeat trips to Europe. I don't think that the old farts are sustainging many purchases of Fodors books.<BR>

Nancy

I have been reading and posting here for a while now and I do buy the Fodors books when I am taking and planning a trip. Why wouldn't I? Fresh information is always needed, and when it is written it is easy to take with us on a trip.<BR>I vote against registration also, if this were just a travel forum this thread would be deleted for example. Some of the clever threads keep me coming back for a laugh or for curiousity. If all the posts were just about hotels, restaurants, day after day, I wouldn't come here.

To Nancy

The issue of registration rests on whether it is compulsory or voluntary.<BR><BR>You are not the only Nancy on this board, and as such you are "infringing" on "someone else's" name, i.e., the "first Nancy" who ever used that name here, if she even still comes here.<BR><BR>The issue is going to be, even with VOLUNTARY registration, who gets "first dibs" on "Nancy". Or any other name. Perhaps Fodors will have to undertake a request system, and you will have to show that you have previously used that name from a give IP address. I don't have the right to use "Nancy" because I have no prior claim to it.<BR><BR>Naancy and Nanncy are both never previously used. Registration may bring a whole bunch of names here. For people you may have known in the past. But does it invite pranksterism to open up the opportunity to register "Ellvira" or "Elvyra"? Both of these have never previously been used.<BR>

Elizabeth

I get it about registration making it possible to install a Terms of Service contract with participants.<BR><BR> I still don't get the references to legal remedies, etc. Again, what could someone possibly do here that would make a "legal remedy" possible or necessary? Unless you mean the cyber equivalent of 86-ing somebody, which I do understand. <BR><BR> Still totally against registration.<BR><BR>

Danna

I'm totally for registration. I think that people who violate the standards of the site, who behave badly more than a few times should be blocked. I think this will help newbies ask questions without fear of ridicule and allow oldies and funsters to still continue to correspond.

xxx

What is 86-ing?<BR>

Sue

86 means to throw out or eject. I always thought it came from the number of the California law that forbade bartenders from serving people who had overindulged, but found this interesting discussion of the etymology, which suggests several other possible sources including soda fountain clerk code for being out of something. Who knew that soda fountain clerks had codes, and evidently extensive ones at that? <BR>http://plateaupress.com.au/wfw/eightysix.htm

xxx

&lt;&lt;what could someone possibly do here&gt;&gt;<BR><BR>There is a new potential to wreak havoc and really vandalize this site. I'm glad to see that it has not come out of its shell. Not talking about it is not a guarantee that it will go away.<BR><BR>I hope that fodors has their thinking caps on, and is thinking about the solution to the problem.<BR>

Pro-Reg

I'm totally FOR registration, so long as you can opt out of having your true email be provided to advertisers via cookies.<BR><BR>But here's The TRUTH, Fodorites: They would rather spend the time occasionally (and capriciously) deleted objectionable posts now and then than put in the time completely overhauling the site to permit registration. They are short of money, like everyone, and not too long ago let about half their staff go. So there's no one to do it, every reason to think the site would go totally wonky in the transition, and it's not working all THAT badly now, for Fodor's purposes (which is to get us to log on so we can see the pop-up Embassy Suites ad).<BR><BR>In other words, it's a good idea that's NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

Tough Cookies

Got news for ya, Pro-Reg --- everytime you log on to www.fodors.com, you get "cookie'd" already.

Tough Cookies

Please stop using my name. I registered it a year ago. In my head. But there was no registration system to prevent you from stealing it, and using it as your own.<BR>