Adding "LOCATION" to a User's Profile

Thread Starter

SLK001

Joined Nov 29, 2011
1,549
We get a lot of posts from repressive governments. Do not judge the world from the USA or the UK. Need to know rules do apply here.
Why does that matter? Individuals who reside in countries with repressive governments are known by those governments. Do you really believe that these regimes are lurking on this board, waiting for one of their "subjects" to post here? Sorry, but those regimes know who is posting what, when and where, the second the "POST REPLY" button is pressed. You seem to think that the internet is anonymous. Even this board knows the location I am posting from, the location GopherT posts from, the location shortbus posts from and the location crutschow posts from. You actually think that a repressive regime doesn't have this same capability? Sorry, but they do. If an individual thinks that they are "hiding" from their government by not putting their location down, they are sadly mistaken. I actually believe that this individual would be in more trouble by not putting in their location, because their regimes may interpet not putting in their location as "trying to hide".
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,979
So, in other words, you have a hope that you know how the current sign-up system works but since you haven't done it lately, you really have no idea how it works. Additionally, you also have an opinion of what should be released and not released but, since you are not at all observant or don't bother checking, you have no idea what this site does and does not release already.

Is that what your previous post says?
No, but since you seem to have problems grasping the concept of discussions regarding generic principles, I won't bother trying to explain it to you further since, whether I do or not, you will just whine and complain some more.
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
No, but since you seem to have problems grasping the concept of discussions regarding generic principles, I won't bother trying to explain it to you further since, whether I do or not, you will just whine and complain some more.
Unfortunately, even you know it is not true. You've made the same threat several times in this thread already. You'll be back. You know you will.
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
Need to know rules do apply here.
What does that even mean when CHANGING the rules is the center of the discussion? Did it just sound nice and powerful in your head before you wrote it or does it really mean something in this discussion? Please let me know.
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,285
I don't think I am circling the point -- I have asked a very simple question which no one will answer: Why should any non-essential personal information be made public on a non-opt-in basis just because a handful of members would find it useful? Or, put another way, why should they be required to opt-out of giving you information that you want to have instead of the burden being on you to convince them to opt-in to giving it to you? Right in line with that is, if you succeed in requiring everyone to opt out of giving you the information YOU want, why should others be prevented from requiring YOU to opt-out of giving everyone else whatever information they want?
You are indeed circling the point (or expanding it), as typical in a political debate.
We are not talking about general privacy issues as you keep pushing the issue towards, we are talking about one specific piece of private information on one specific forum (at least I am).
So to answer that specific question, I think the person's location should be an opt out because it helps the rest of us answer the op's question. Why should the burden be on me (who's trying to help them) to spend extra time and effort to beg them to post their location?
And I could good give a rat's ass if I'm required to also check such an op out for that specific piece of information when I join a forum.
Does that answer your question?
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
And... (hard to believe it is true, but) WBahn is absolutely right, only a small fraction of members want the location information, but, then again, only a small fraction of members actually ANSWER questions to posts. Interestingly, the two small groups contain the same people.

Also, if there is so much persecution of internet users from countries with oppressive governments, why does AAC keep those members' posts visible to the general public. Apparently, it is ACC's duty to protect them - we should hide those posts.
 

atferrari

Joined Jan 6, 2004
4,764
A lot of new users are asking questions that require respondants to have knowledge of the questioner's location. The LOCATION box can easily be filled out in the PERSONAL DETAILS section when joining.

I suggest that it be REQUIRED for the LOCATION details be filled out PRIOR to a new user being able to post a question. This way, they won't have to be asked "where are you?" when the answer requires this info.
That would be ideal. It seems that an interested (and powerful) entity could easily identify anyone since the moment of starting to surf the Web from a fresh MAC address. True or not, you should expect lot of people hesitating / refusing to mention their location.

The "post a schematic" request is by far more frequent than "what is your location?" It would be nice both to be a rare occurrence, but that would not happen in a near future. Such is life.
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
It seems to me that all unaddressed issues discussed by long-time members and problem solvers are unaddressed because the owner(s) likely profit from the irritation. Forums with more "activity" get higher search engine ratings. Questions like, "what country are you in" or "could you please post a schematic" all boost activity. Beneficial post count? Not for the users.
 
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KJ6EAD

Joined Apr 30, 2011
1,581
It seems to me that all unaddressed issues discussed by long-time members and problem solvers are unaddressed because the owner(s) likely profit from the irritation. Forums with more "activity" get higher search engine ratings. Questions like, "what country are you in" or "could you please post a schematic" all boost activity. Beneficial post count? Not for the users.
I've not seen any evidence that the forum owner has such a cynical motive in operating the forum. Contrarily, for a long time before the fairly recent monetization of the site, jrap funded it personally. Furthermore, AAC has no need for such gimmicks as it's already one of, if not the top rated site of it's kind, depending on nuances of categorization.

As to the matter of location reporting; I don't care much one way or the other. I choose to respond to help-seekers or not based on a host of variables, only some of which are under their control. I will note that I generally will not respond to posts that fail to make any effort at standard English sentence structure or where useful information is parceled out in dribs and drabs instead of fulsomely.
 
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jrap

Joined Jun 25, 2006
1,125
I do get tired of that, "Jameco (Mouser, Digikey, Allied) doesn't exist here. Why didn't you guess correctly where can I buy the parts?":rolleyes:
One possible solution, that does not require a 'Location' is if I built a new Octopart? (ex: LMP7731MF/NOPB" target="_blank">LMP7731MF/NOPB. Or it could link directly to the manufacturers page, or to the datasheet. I feel as long as someone knows a part name, it's their job to be able to figure out where they can purchase it locally.

It seems to me that all unaddressed issues discussed by long-time members and problem solvers are unaddressed because the owner(s) likely profit from the irritation. Forums with more "activity" get higher search engine ratings. Questions like, "what country are you in" or "could you please post a schematic" all boost activity. Beneficial post count? Not for the users.
Save the drama, please." target="_blank"> tag, that, rather than link to a specific distributor, links to an aggregator like Octopart? (ex: LMP7731MF/NOPB" target="_blank">LMP7731MF/NOPB. Or it could link directly to the manufacturers page, or to the datasheet. I feel as long as someone knows a part name, it's their job to be able to figure out where they can purchase it locally.

It seems to me that all unaddressed issues discussed by long-time members and problem solvers are unaddressed because the owner(s) likely profit from the irritation. Forums with more "activity" get higher search engine ratings. Questions like, "what country are you in" or "could you please post a schematic" all boost activity. Beneficial post count? Not for the users.
Save the drama, please.
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
I've not seen any evidence that the forum owner has such a cynical motive in operating the forum. Contrarily, for a long time before the fairly recent monetization of the site, jrap funded it personally. Furthermore, AAC has no need for such gimmicks as it's already one of, if not the top rated site of it's kind, depending on nuances of categorization.

As to the matter of location reporting; I don't care much one way or the other. I choose to respond to help-seekers or not based on a host of variables, only some of which are under their control. I will note that I generally will not respond to posts that fail to make any effort at standard English sentence structure or where useful information is parceled out in dribs and drabs instead of fulsomely.
I've not seen any evidence either but bringing up Search Engine Optimization usually gets a response from the right person. Now, after two weeks of discussion with no progress, he is involved.
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
Where did I say that it was dead?
I meant to address this one because it was so funny to me but I somehow forgot.

@WBahn. You didn't say it was "dead" but you did say that I "resurrected" this thread. Now, what kind of religion would base their faith resurrecting an undead person?
 

bertus

Joined Apr 5, 2008
22,270
Hello,

I do not think the location should be a must.
There are countries that will have a restrictive regime.

It could be handy to show a timezone.
That can help to see when the user could be online and also have an idea in wich region the user is.

Bertus
 

shortbus

Joined Sep 30, 2009
10,045
I do not think the location should be a must.
There are countries that will have a restrictive regime.
That again is a baseless argument. Any "regime" that is hunting on the internet for people posting to this or any other forum does not need the location posting in a members information to "find" them. A members IP address is already "giving" them away.

And just how is asking or answering electronic questions subversive?
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
Why are you being unpleasant? You don't own this board, nor do you run it. Neither do we (the moderators) when it comes down to that. We have given reasons why we think it should be run this way, you do not agree, but we can still be civil with one another.
 

Thread Starter

SLK001

Joined Nov 29, 2011
1,549
Why are you being unpleasant? You don't own this board, nor do you run it. Neither do we (the moderators) when it comes down to that. We have given reasons why we think it should be run this way, you do not agree, but we can still be civil with one another.
Who's being unpleasant? You are correct in that we do not own this board. However, I would believe that we do add to this board. Your arguments as to the reason to not require at least a pass-by a LOCATION box are specious, at best. This board, no matter what it does, cannot hide/protect individuals from the claws of a repressive regime. The regime knows who is here, and knows what is being posted way before any MOD does. All we are requesting is that an individual's LOCATION be presented to a new member when s/he signs up. A "NOT DISCLOSED" option could be available to those who really need to feel safe by hiding theirs.

Another thing that would be nice to know is a member's POWER (both VOLTAGE and FREQUENCY) delivered to their residence.
 
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