[scrawnybob]

hi all

I dont think Tim has been warned specifically - but you may have received PM's etc which point out our password rules etc and also I have expressed my dislike of sites (any sites) who encourage or allow posting of any private passwords - that isnt singling out "that" password site as there are many many "general" forums which only really get any visitors because of the passwords they allow to be posted

As I have pointed out to members before - witch hunts and / or specifically pointing out things about specific members isnt the way to do things ;-)

Anyway on a general note ...

I try to deal with all issues / password problems personally and on a case by case basis

this means that people who have crashed our games by obtaining and using a password which they shouldnt have + then join the forum + maybe post 10 maybe not ... get a chance to address the issue depending on the level of the problem

this is because others crash games and dont join (and possibly cash) etc

some of these non members take the olive branch - give me the information I need and are able to stay in the forum and make amends

others get sh*tty and dont co-operate so they get banned and possible further action by the poker rooms

this is all about having clear disincentives for non members (or members who did not get the password legitmately) - to deter them from playing our private games

however I DO make a big disctiction between people who use passwords they have found / given (I dont approve or condone it) BUT the BIGGER problem and the INEXCUSABLE people are those that GIVE OUT or POST or private passwords which they are legitmately getting and then abusing

I would happily give a 2nd chance to ten password users who then join up and try to go legit in exchange for the NAME and info on ONE password poster (ie. a disloyal member of the forum) as I want to get rid of the people giving out the passwords - this is where the problem is

illigitimate private password users are part of the problem - but they are NOT the source of the problem ... that unfortunately sits with members who give out our passwords - and everyone knows our games are 100% private so there is ZERO excuse on that front

Alot of forums are going down the ban anyone who is in that password sites - I'm not, at least not on a random basis - for a start alot of the big offenders are not stupid enough to use the same usernames everywhere ... so you dont catch them anyway

I do look at who is posting passwords from other sites at other site who allow it ... and I do ban them

now that isnt guilty by association ... it's guilty of posting others passwords so very likely to post ours if they have access to them

Whilst it creates alot more work for me as the two wasted days last week will atest sorting out password abuse ... I do try to be even handed and sure I ban the right people and not the wrong ones

cheers scrawnybob