'Membership'

[euclidz]

I am truly grateful to BBO for this fabulous resource/service which I have enjoyed for the past 5 years. I know the staff are currently all working very hard throwing buckets of water on overheating servers.

 

Last night was another night of frustrated attempts to play a few hands. And I know the reason those servers are overheating is because the 'membership' doubled overnight. What I don't understand is why I should be happy about that?

 

When CV19 hit us and the world started lockdown I went on-line to sign up for grocery deliveries only to find that all of the supermarkets denied registration to new applicants. Notwithstanding that the supermarkets' core objectives is selling more groceries they understood that they could not cope (their staff and servers could not cope) with the massive increase in numbers. BB0 made the decision to continue to allow unrestricted registration. I (of course) don't know why but I presume the owners of BBO believe pursuing that policy will increase profits now or in the future (and of course that is their absolute right to do so and none of my business). As an ordinary Bridge player, what I don't understand is why I should be happy about my (BBO Club) being flooded by new members crashing the system of causing pandemonium when the system's online?

 

I play in the Acol club and the owners of the Acol Club (Lawrence, Sue and Andrew) have, on several occasions, in text to the members, expressed their delight at the increased numbers i.e. they are clearly delighted by the massive increased volume of new members. Clearly I am missing something, tell me why I should also be delighted?

[pescetom]

One reason to be delighted is that BBO is now under unprecedented pressure to improve and complete the software. The new members are making it embarassingly clear that the Emperor is scantily dressed. The chasm between the expectations of people coming directly from face to face competitive bridge and the reality of what is available online and how it is documented is evident. The challenge to BBO management is to narrow that gap significantly before face to face bridge resumes.

[jandrew]

I play in the Acol club and the owners of the Acol Club (Lawrence, Sue and Andrew) have, on several occasions, in text to the members, expressed their delight at the increased numbers i.e. they are clearly delighted by the massive increased volume of new members. Clearly I am missing something, tell me why I should also be delighted?

 

Although we do not own the Acol Players' Club we are very happy to give our time and effort to support, maintain and expand the club. We have been doing that for over 14 years (when we were lucky and thankful to get as many as two or three tables in the club).

 

Of course we welcome the increased number of members:-

• 
   
  
• It is a welcome recognition of the effort and work put in during those 14 years.
  
• It offers the hope of players enjoying their time with us sufficiently to maintain their membership after the current emergencies are over.
  
• It provides a better base (a critical mass) for the activities in the club and an expansion in the variety and expertise in the club.
• It provides an influx of new talent.
  

 

On a personal basis, I am not averse to fielding objections or disagreements with my views. But I do prefer to hear from people who check their facts - Lawrence and Sue are valuable members of the team but nobody who cares calls me "Andrew" because it is rude and inappropriate to refer to friends by their surname.

 

John K Andrew

[euclidz]

But I do prefer to hear from people who check their facts - Lawrence and Sue are valuable members of the team but nobody who cares calls me "Andrew" because it is rude and inappropriate to refer to friends by their surname.

John K Andrew

 

Wow a bit OTT?

 

Clearly you cannot believe that my reference to you as Andrew rather than John was intentional, it was a simple (and arguably understandable) error and not an intent to offend.