General Chat

I started off on this thread by saying that I had no problem with Jim's idea, but having read some of the replies on here I am now seriously quite worried - and obviously very niave! I would never dream of collecting info about others but I can now see that not everybody is as stupid as me Jeanette x

Alough the General board and chat should be totally inaccesable to non members The genealogical boards ie; Tips/Records office/ success board Should all be availiable to read to non members, as this encourages interest in the site and its purpose. Also I agree that we keep our board names, but at the very least our correct First name & number should be visable when we click on a name, for security purposes. And our surname should be avaliabe for Gr to see only. (if we make that choice) Elaine x

For personal reasons there is no way I would agree to my real name being put on these boards. I think it would be highly inadviseable. BC

Lol Sally!

Sally..I posted earlier and thought I was being clever by adding my real name..anyway when Ive read the rest of the postings I realised how silly I was being..I ve deleated the bit with my name in.. Anita :)

Having been a member since November and having read the posts regarding the use of real names I would like to make the following comments. 1 Even if real names are used (which God forbid if the experience I've had is anything to go by) there is nothing to stop any barred person signing on in another ficticous name. I beleive that this is not only possible but may have been done. 2 Surely the Management know the real names where a non de plume is used and surely the number of the member will be known to them irrespective of the name being shown. If it is not there is something radically wrong with the security system. 3 I have now experienced 3 major upsets on this site and if there is one thing in my life that i have been taught and I stand by it is injustice to any one.. Being neutral from the word go, I have seen who the real trouble makers are not by downright offensive threads and posts but by intimidation. 4I wrote to GR at the request of a thread put on the boards last week and requested a personal reply and one that could be put on the board for all to see . Neither happened. 5 As I have said my experience of using birth names wold not allow me to continue on any site. If I have upset anyone by this post I apologise but I will not be intimidated into giving my real name (suname really) simply because people will not take the trouble to read between the lines on certain threads and either ignore or report it. If GR were to do what I suggested named and shamed should answer the problem to som e degree. Not perfect but what in this world of ours is? Rupert Bear.

Wow, I did open a can of worms here. The general consensus seems to be that we would all be happy having an'Identity' which doesn't change, is accessible to members, and need not be our real name. It also seems to be the consensus of opinion that certain Boards, General & Chat, should have limited access for members only. Is this a fair summation? Jim

I used to go by my real name on here, with near disastrous results. Ok, it was mostly my own fault for putting personal information on here. But my 'problem' came, as far as I'm aware, from a non-member who could read the board. I will never use my real name on here again - I'm still nervous of this site even without my real name up. But when I see so many of you happily reeling off where you live, what you do for a job and even putting your childrens' names up, I want to scream! This is a really stupid thing to do and I don't care who is offended by this or who thinks I'm paranoid. Believe me, I KNOW what can happen! I would love the management to remove all 'where do you live' and 'what do you do' threads that encourage the exchange of personal info. These threads are dangerous. Bev

I'm probably being thick but I don't see how upgrading from non member to paid member suddenly stops someone being an information seeking psycopath. If a non member wants to stalk someone on here I doubt whether a cost of £9.50 will put them off. Does it necessarily follow that all paid members are really nice altruistic people that would never be nasty to another person ?

I agree Wendy, of course paying £9.50 isn't a deterrent, but the point is, a member is traceable, a non-member isn't. Bev

I think I really am being thick now Bev, I don't understand what you mean.

Not being able to view this board and chat board, will stop NON members who run other sites from reading threads which dont concern them, and use the information to cause trouble to GR members, by asking members of both sites to intervene and cause trouble. It will also help stop owners of other sites dictating to GR members what they choose to post on Gr boards. After all, its GRs business NOT theirs, what GR members post on their own boards. Elaine x Ps I can see you Fred lol...quick get changed out of thet frock...peeps will talk...shhhhhhush ! Elaine x :o))

All that will stop people from harranging each other, either by real or pen name is closing the site completely - very sad- What it need is for people to act like adults, we're all supposed to be over 18 and should act like grown ups! If you wouldn't say it/think it/ comment on it ,in real life then you shouldn't on here. jess

Hi Wendy If you have a serious problem with a member, there will be details of them - payment records etc. on this site which could enable them to be traced. A non-member can read the boards, work out where you live etc. without leaving any record on the site that will enable them to be traced. Hope this makes sense!!!! Bev

Yes - the penny has finally dropped Bev, thanks for your patience !!

Yes I think you've got it Jim. Just so long as we can feel safe,I dont mind how its done. I did not realise that non members could read the threads, or have I got it wrong again? Deanna

I think so, yes, Jim. At present, registered members who are not 'full' members have access to post on the trying to find and the success boards, and have access to read all the others. :-) Joy

Hi everyone, just back on this morning and this thread has really raised some serious issues. I've never considered myself to be that much of a twit but it seems I must be. It appears people have been harrassed, privately, by e-mail as well as slagged off on these boards, and if I have understood it correctly all this has been done under some untraceable alias or other. Please, anyone, correct me if I am wrong yet again. Thankfully, this has never happened to me. I don't think that any non-member should be allowed to POST to ANY board - otherwise, why are we all paying for the privilege. Nothing wrong with reading the Trying to Find or Success Boards but other than that everyone should have to pay full membership and be traceable. I too have a very unusual christian name which I am now going to trawl through this site and delete anywhere I find it. Jan

I have been also been reading the comments on this thread, with interest. For what it is worth, i feel that this particular part of the Board 'General Topics' should not be accessible to non members to view at lesiure, as they are not in the course of conversation. My reason for this is because it is very Family orientated, and in general conversation, people become involved in a very freindly manner, to the extent of giving personal details to each other ( as freinds do.) sometimes without intention, and in the course of the conversation,sometimes it is done without thinking. On the tips and records office, there are very little personal discussions between members, as people are to busy asking for Look-ups or giving advice on record tips. All members that enter the 'General topics' board should be carefully scanned by GR. At least that way they know who is coming onto the General topics disscussion threads. People all seem to be getting to know each other's make up, or attitude in general. Who to avoid. Who's thread we/you dont answer, Who is nasty. Who is nice. Who likes who. ect,ect,... To me the 'General Topics' board is very Family orientated, to the extent of everyday living in some cases. Just my opinion. Tony Oz

Grandpa Jim, I can live with that. Len