It is a requirement for registering. Recently when I had to become a ghost I had to give an email address where my password was mailed.

ranles, I assume that your point about email addresses was aimed at me (among others). My correct email address is registered with Flyertalk but I choose not to display it in my profile.

The reasons for this include to maintain my privacy, to reduce spam (for the same reasons I don't like multiple posts) and because if I wish an individual to have it, I will give it to them. Making people publically display their email address is clearly unacceptable and unneccessary.

James

James, it was for Doc, not you. But if you review what I said, it was, alerting others would be easier if it were required to have your e-mail ... and the correct word would have been profile, that is, were others could readily access it.

I would not want you to put your e-mail there unless this posting problem were not addressed by Randy. It was suggested by Rudi that this was handled by the contributor in the past. See how the e-mail would let contributors notifly other contributors of a problem. I have e-mailed a few people with suggestions, or help to their issue, that was not of general interest, or that I did not wish to share with everyone. Also have helped match a few coupon seekers with suppliers. Once, I notified someone of multiple identical replies to a post. No one wants to be spammed, but your fear is likely overdone.

For example, many people cherish there credit card number, but then give it to waiters, shop keepers, and clerks (all over the world).

Almost all surveys on the web, and contests and memberships to sites, require your e-mail address. Most of us give it freely in those cases. If we do not want to disclose our e-mail then we do not participate. IF and only IF this multiposting is not resolved, then I would suggest some more agressive policing. If done by Randy, then having your e-mail with him is good enough. If not, then having it in your profile, as a requirement, should be considered so we can each take some responsibility for policing it.

As you can see, I am not too keen on anonomus contributors. The web is too easy to use to dupe people and we therefore may have to give up some liberties for the good of the whole. Or maybe no. I do support your right to join or not join in on anything, as I do the host's right in setting up common sense rules to insure the content of his/her investment.

[This message has been edited by ranles (edited 06-26-1999).]

I think it is fine to let people come on without posting their e-mail address to the world. Many people are going to feel uncomfortable putting out their e-mail address in the beginning and that is ok.

As long as Webflyer has a way to police anyone who becomes truly obnoxious, people should be allowed to develop their comfort level at their own pace. Eventually, they will become part of the community and everybody will feel ok about their decisions or they will go away and that's ok too.

It would be sad to eliminate someone from the board just because they are reluctant, for whatever reason, to post their address when they first sign up.

New people have no way of knowing that we aren't just a bunch of nutcases. (Actually, there are probably some of us only come back because we have decided that we are a bunch of nutcases. )

[This message has been edited by Punki (edited 06-26-1999).]

ranles, I understand your points and accordingly (and just for you ) I will put an email address in my profile so that I can be notified of mulitple posts

I don't really agree with you that posting an email address somehow gives your posts credibilty - I think that comes from the substance and information therein. However, I accept that I can't very well ask people to notify others about multiple posts if I am uncontactable myself.

James

Thank you James. Now if ontheroad would do the same, we could ask him/her to remove one of the two threads posted to ask if the AMEX card is worth it. I replied to the thread with what I thought might be useful information, but without the State he/she lives in, I could not be sure if it would be. Now I find the multiple post! I would make mine more complete, if I new how to alter it.

ranles - I disagree. I think that ontheroad's posting is actually the right way to do it, where he directs everyone to continue the discussion in the AMEX thread, but posts on the RANDY thread simply to direct attention that it is an important topic which is being posted elsewhere.

Guess that's what makes a ball game. If I was looking for AMEX or credit card threads, that is where I would look.

In some cases a double post may be the right thing to do. I just do not see a reason to post this to RP too!? Why does it say "Only..."? Who does it serve?

I am 100% happy how ontheroad handled his Amexco "double-posting".

And I "lost" more time reading these postings here then with recent double postings, and I still think that (with very few exceptions) we very seldom had real double-posting-problems here.

Some of us "oldies" know, how we, or in the first place merry, handled a possible bluffer (trying a scam?) on this board last year. I believe that the webflyer-officials were never aware of that "self-defence-action" then.

With all of the free Internet e-mail addresses available (e.g., yahoo, rocketmail, hotmail, etc.), a friend of mine has set up an e-mail address with one of the Internet e-mail systems which he uses for "public" postings, while keeping his "personal" e-mail address private. He says that is a convenient solution to the privacy concern while still permitting him to receive e-mail traffic from people who want to respond to something he's posted.

It might be worth a try for those who have similar concerns. It is hard to communicate, even in good will, with someone who does not reveal an address.

Ok Rudi, my curiosity is perked. Any clues on how to find the threads with "Oldies" defense tactics?

baobab - would you please "secretly" (by email) inform punki?

All of this seems to be an invitation for the CatCop's return...

Just for clarification, when I had earlier said something about notifying contributors by sending a simple message upfront, this was not meant to necessarily be via a specific e-mail notice, but rather simply posting general directions for ALL users upfront at the outset, when people first sign up!

We are not really anonymous, or at least not totally in my opinion. With the emails provided to "Randy & Co" when we sign up, things can be easily matched. Yet, not so simply by each independent user. Regarding the additional mailboxes, you can easily run into the unfortunate problem of having too many - as I sadly already have!

Also, there is always the option of having certain specific areas/sections "restricted" either by access or to posting unless an email address is displayed!

I posted the same reply to 2 different forums before I visited this forum. I DID qualify it by saying that I had posted it in another one (just 1).

Since this seems to be a hot topic, I will keep my replies to just one forum.