Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
Wed, 12/31/2014 - 18:28
"to whom am I talking? The observer code doesn't help me much as at present I'm not an observer but I use the database material a lot"
That's a quote from someone on the photometry forum. I am a CCD observer and I, too, would like a bit more info given in the header other than an observer's initials. It would help me in understanding WHO is asking or offering a comment.
Anyone else have this problem - or am I alone in the wilderness?
I am an ultra peon in every since in this organization but I have twice raised the question of whether the organization is not overboard on member privacy. I find it inherently inhibits development of a community spirit within the membership as well as making colaboration more difficult. I have been a member of many organizations of all sorts and can't think of a single one where the identity of my fellow members is not readily available.
I have asked to know who the other members in my state are. Can't do that. How about sending them my email address so they can contact me. Can't do that. Organizing a Mid-State AL conference for this next May and would like to see if other nearby AAVSO members would help with a vstar and photometry emphasis - we don't have much opportunity here in the middle of the country, for such. Post on the forum is the response. The forum is nice but it efficiency on something like organizing a conference is not very high.
A membership directory with name, code, and state (that can be ordered by any of those three) and a link to send an email (don't have reveal the address itself) that people could opt out of, seems harmless enough. Perhaps there is a reason but it has so far escaped me. As it is you can only learn of people when you run into forum posts.
Or as Lilly Tomlin would say, "Is this the party to whom I'm speaking"
The default "name" in a response is the user's login name, which makes sense to me. At the same time, people tend NOT to sign their posts, which I think is a bad thing - they should let us know up front who is talking. Note that this is not different than any other maillist, where at most you get the user's email address (which rarely reflects their full name). The one neat thing about forums is that you can click on the poster's moniker, and you will be taken to their profile page, where almost always you see their full name (plus lots more). I don't think we have a problem here.
Arne
Yes Arne, you can learn about people who post but that is a very hit and miss proposition. It makes for a much smaller community than could otherwise be. A fellow Arkie, tracked me down from a post. I still don't know how he suspected my location.
Bruce McMath, AR
I too, wish people would sign their names on posts. Yes, I can get their name by clicking on their initials, but I'd rather the reading experience was more linear. Also, putting just a little bit more personality on a post seems desireable to me.
I suppose the other extreme is what I see on some lists, where signatures are accompanied by lists of equipment and credentials of one form or another (sometimes lengthy, and spectacularly irrelevant!). That is also not to my taste!
Re making contact lists available, I appreciate how useful it could be, e.g when trying to organize an event. On the other hand, I've been surprised, and rather annoyed, at how members of even a small club have used such lists for commercial purposes, and of course even more inappropriate uses are a concern. Here in Alberta, I'm not sure it would even be legal for an organization to share information about members, unless they had consented.
Gary Billings, Alberta
YES It does tend to be confusing , But, I have to agree with Arne that you can find out and security is an issue. I know people who don't ever gives their e-mail addresses out. So, That the story. Actually, Best Anna
I agree with Arne here. More info on who is posting can be obtained by just clicking on their profile. It may take one extra step, but its nothing a big deal, right? It all comes down to personal preference. People tend to reveal what they like, forcing more would be counterproductive.
I also can associate initials in other ways, even though I may know little or nothing about them. To me, "HNL" = Honolulu Int'l Airport, for example :)
Mike LMK
Beating a dead horse, obviously, but just want to say that there is no need to reveal email or snail mail addresses for a membership roster to be effective. Hence, all the security concerns evident here are baseless. My local club uses the nigthskynetwork as our roster. No address is shown on the roster, but you can nonetheless email any member on it, using the link provided. You learn the fellow member's email only if they reply to you or otherwise provide it. Participation in a roster naturally should be optional, but there is absolutely no reason not to have a membership roster that shows such information as a member chooses to provide - as now - together with the state of residence and a link to send an email.
Done beating :)
I think this horse has been beaten to death and then some, so may I request that this topic be dropped, retired, buried and burned?
Happy New Year, Everyone!!!!!
Hi: As we used to say when I was a kid. I didn't start it. Anyhow, It was a good dialog. Best to all Anna