Our Opentalk forum provides a great place where newcomers to Perl and PHP, Python and MySQL can ask questions that they can't find answer to in the books they have, or where they can discuss which of two ways of tacking a problem would be best. I encourage past course delegates to sign up (it's free) and then ask questions - the questioner gains by getting an answer, and we gain by getting a database of questions answered - a dynamic FAQ.

Like all good ideas and systems, there's a tiny minority who wish to abuse a forum such as ours, so we have a number of basic ground rules that you sign up to when you join. No personal attacks, no "spamming", no advertising (though a single announcement of a product of yours if you declare your interest is very welcome) and no copyright or illegal stuff.

Funny, though, how even with the ground rules in place holes occasionally come to light, and so it came today that I felt I should add another rule - only one account per person. You may ask who on earth would WANT two accounts, and you may ask "what's the harm ..."

Well - I've been around on forums for a while. I've always felt that it's not a good idea for the same person to sign up for a forum under two different names. I've seen maverics arguing with themselves in an attempt to draw others into a flame war on other boards, and I've seen people wishing to have two "persona" - to both have their cake and eat it, or to sign up under a new name when they've managed to build up a healthy disgust for their activities or views under their old one - (again, that's elsewhere and not on Opentalk - on Opentalk we don't mind if you're an adult who dresses up in oversized babies nappies although that's something that would be so off topic it wouldn't be appropriate on any of our boards!)
  
However, even if there is no malicious intent, registering a second name confuses the other members of the board and misleads them so I'm putting this slight tightening of the rules in place.
(written 2006-03-19 21:27:52)

 G903 - Well House Consultants - Running and moderating forums
G305 - Well House Consultants - Post Course support

Back to A person of few words

Previous and next or Horse's mouth home

Forward to Morning Post

Can some food be TOO different?
Making use of disabled facilities
Easy feed!
Morning Post
Please Register with Opentalk - but just once!
A person of few words
Denial of Service ''attack''
West Wilts Railway Users Group and trains to Lacock
Checking for MySQL errors
PHP - London course, Melksham Course, Evening course