EBU White book 2010

[bluejak]

The first draft of the new White book has been produced. I asked permission to publish it on the web but this was not permitted. However, anyone who wants to have a look for helpful reasons, ie to proofread it or to check nothing is missing or wrong, is invited to write to the L&EC Secretary, John Pain <john@ebu.co.uk> and ask him for a copy. This applies whether you are from England or Wales or not.

 

I have included everything suitable from the thread in IBLF some eight or so months ago.

[bluejak]

Just to keep everyone informed, copies were sent out to anyone who showed an interest in reading them, and to all members of the EBU L&EC, late in January.

 

Apart from L&EC personnel, the people who have sent in stuff for me are Gareth Bartley and Peter Eidt of Germany, Eitan Levy of Israel, Liz Stevenson [my wife], Robin Barker and Jeffrey Allerton. Peter, Robin and Jeffrey post here.

 

I did not believe the number of changes I have had to make to my first draft!!!! It is also interesting how many fairly silly mistakes were only found by one person.

 

Anyway draft two will be sent out on Monday. However, since I have promised to finish this book by next Sunday, I really do not believe that most of the readers will be able to do too much in the time.

 

We had not told Peter Eidt we were going to ask him to read this. He told me in San Remo that this document appeared, 227 pages, just before San Remo. He read about 150 pages before he said "Why am I doing this?". But he finished it off after San Remo.

 

I also find I am fighting with some of my readers because I have different ideas from them. Compromise, compromise, compromise.

 

Anyway, am I going to beat my deadline?

[bluejak]

At a few minutes after 2330 I delivered one beautiful completed White Book, sans Index [i don't do Indexes] to the Secretary and to the Chairman of the L&EC. How's that for beating a deadline? :D

[bluejak]

The EBU White book 2010 can be found here. A small glitch late on means the Contents looks a bit poor, no doubt we shall correct that soon.

 

Interestingly enough, it does not say when it applies from on the website. My understanding is that it is 1st April, though most of it is not really oriented to a publication date.

[Rossoneri]

Congrats David :angry:

 

I'll probably find some time to read it soon now that term is ending.

[jeremy69]

The new book takes place with immediate effect. A statement has been added to the EBU site to say this.

[blackshoe]

What the heck is the Tangerine Book?

[WellSpyder]

What the heck is the Tangerine Book?

Obviously (?) a smaller version of the Orange Book... :)

[campboy]

I just hope the L&EC don't have any plans for a Lemon Book :)

 

(If you don't get it, you probably don't want to know.)

[barmar]

Would the annotated version be the Grapefruit book?

[NickRW]

What the heck is the Tangerine Book?

The Orange Book - though really not that difficult to follow if you study it - is really quite large for "Mr Average" club player who just wants a weekly game. The tangerine book is an attempt to make it simpler and shorter.

[jeremy69]

Quite a few playera and officials at club level commented over a period that the Orange Book was too detailed and complex for the Wednesday night duplicate or the club pairs etc. The L&E responded to this by producing something that was 14 pages instead of 72. There is no difference in regulation or licensed agreements between the two books. It needed a name. Tangerine came about slightly flippantly along with Satsuma and Clementine but for some reason stuck. One comment in favour of it remarked that the book should be a model in length for the new Orange Book whenever it is published.

[campboy]

One comment in favour of it remarked that the book should be a model in length for the new Orange Book whenever it is published.

I think that would be a bad idea. There needs to be something of the level of detail of the current OB, even if club TDs use something simpler. Having both Orange and Tangerine books available is surely better for everyone.

[bluejak]

One problem with editing the Orange book throughout the years is that I have always been under pressure to

• shorten it, and
  
• put more in
  

[paulg]

One problem with editing the Orange book throughout the years is that I have always been under pressure to

• shorten it, and
  
• put more in
  

Presumably this is your 'stretch' goal (in the US style of performance appraisal).

[jnichols]

One problem with editing the Orange book throughout the years is that I have always been under pressure to

• shorten it, and
  
• put more in
  

I suppose you could try using a smaller font :lol:

[Vampyr]

One problem with editing the Orange book throughout the years is that I have always been under pressure to

• 
   
  
• shorten it, and
   
  
• put more in
   
  

Well, now that the Tangerine Book is going to be available for those who want a shorter and simpler form, the Orange Book can be expanded a bit.

[jeremy69]

Well, now that the Tangerine Book is going to be available for those who want a shorter and simpler form, the Orange Book can be expanded a bit.

 

There are some who believe that 72 pages is more than enough for a set of regulations.

[Vampyr]

Well, now that the Tangerine Book is going to be available for those who want a shorter and simpler form, the Orange Book can be expanded a bit.

 

There are some who believe that 72 pages is more than enough for a set of regulations.

And there are some who believe otherwise. In a thread not so long ago, an item that really ought to be in the Orange book was found buried in the White book. Also, since the White Book is not available in published form, no club without internet access is likely to have it, so a few other relevant items (notes on the application of the most commonly-used or difficult Laws) could be included in an appendix.

[jeremy69]

Also, since the White Book is not available in published form, no club without internet access is likely to have it

 

Quite true that the new White Book is electronic only as is the recently published Tangerine Book and as will the Orange Book be as soon as the dwindling stocks of the originally printed version with update supplement runs out and that will be the pattern for all L&E publications from now on. There may be clubs without internet access but a club, and its committee all being without would be a rarity these days. and bearing in mind all affiliated clubs will be uploading their data electronically from next month it suggests that this deprived number will shrink even more drastically.

One advantage of having publications electronically is that they are easier to update than previously and likely therefore to be accurate for more of the time. They are also easier to search.

 

A set of flow charts has been put on the EBU website to help deal with some of the most commonly applied laws likely to be the subject of a call at the local club. These and also a host of other information is also available in the booklet given to all directors attending an EBU Club TDs course. The Orange Book is directed for the most part at players. Many club players are intimidated or just plain bored by such lengthy regulations hence the attempt to reduce the amonut of reading by producing the Tangerine Book but even so when the next OB comes along some thought, IMO, ought to be given to reducing it's length. You may need to stand for the L&E if you want to make more popular the view that the document should be fuller and longer.

[jallerton]

There may be clubs without internet access but a club, and its committee all being without would be a rarity these days. and bearing in mind all affiliated clubs will be uploading their data electronically from next month it suggests that this deprived number will shrink even more drastically.

I suspect that you are correct, but unfortunately this drastic reduction will be achieved as a result of the EBU's policy of encouraging clubs to disaffiliate.

 

If the Orange Book is not going to be available in printed form, what will happen in the future when pair A calls the TD claiming that pair B's system may be permitted? Is pair B supposed to have brought a laptop so that it can show the TD the relevant permission in the on-line Orange Book?

[blackshoe]

I think it is the responsibility of a TD, at whatever level, to have at hand the tools he needs to do his job. So if there is no printed OB, he better have it available in electronic form. I do not ascribe a similar responsibility to players.

[jeremy69]

If the Orange Book is not going to be available in printed form, what will happen in the future when pair A calls the TD claiming that pair B's system may be permitted? Is pair B supposed to have brought a laptop so that it can show the TD the relevant permission in the on-line Orange Book?

 

So no club will print it out because the TD finds that more convenient? If you buy software these days you rarely get a printed manual. You can rely on an online help file or print the pdf manual as you prefer. Do you seriously believe that at present where there is a disagreement about what can be played either pair A or B could produce a printed copy? I think not.

 

the EBU's policy of encouraging clubs to disaffiliate

 

Sounds as if you don't agree with universal membership but calling that a deliberate policy to get clubs to disaffiliate is both wrong and disingenuous. No-one wants any club to disaffiliate. The current scheme of membership is not a sustainable model and membership is falling and has been for a while. Of course there are many possible solutions and this is only one. The elected members of the board supported by it's shareholders have voted to try this solution and have worked hard to get it going. That's the way the organisation works.

[campboy]

Whatever the purpose of universal membership, it is certainly true that some clubs disaffiliating was a recognised consequence of that policy, and one that the people who voted for it decided they could live with. So Jeffrey is not too far off the mark.

 

Speaking as someone who is trying to keep a university club affiliated, it does seem like the EBU is making it needlessly difficult for us to stay affiliated.

 

So no club will print it out because the TD finds that more convenient? If you buy software these days you rarely get a printed manual. You can rely on an online help file or print the pdf manual as you prefer.

 

Strangely enough, when I buy software I tend to use it on a computer, so an electronic manual is more convenient. When I direct, I do so in a bridge club, so a hard copy of the OB is more convenient. It is, if you'll excuse the pun, a case of apples and oranges. Of course, I could just print it out and staple it together, but why not distribute hard copies to clubs rather than expecting every TD to do that? I would even be happy to pay some reasonable fee for one, as I did for my lawbook.

[jeremy69]

why not distribute hard copies to clubs rather than expecting every TD to do that? I would even be happy to pay some reasonable fee for one, as I did for my lawbook.

 

There are two reasons for this. The first is that some will be more reluctant than you to pay for a copy. With previous OBs they have also gone to the tournament players as well as clubs and directors. The second is that it is easier to keep it up to date in online form. The Laws being worldwide change only every 10 years. The OB typically has some minor modification each year.

All the laptops taken by directors to EBU congresses have electronic copies of both White and Orange Books on them and I think that many clubs will find it easier to use it this way(searcnig, for example, being quicker and simpler) if they use a computer for scoring.