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cfraser · Member

I think it would be nice to have that displayed under the users name so we could put responses in context. Optional of course. What do you think?

Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

Yes I agree cfraser, it does make a difference to the context of the post also you can formulate replies easier knowing where the poster comes from.

AL

AirGunEric · Site Admin

You guys are correct- it is definetly easier to place people/topics in context with that sort of information.

It's also easier for 'authorities' to monitor where people are from and what they are discussing. Not that this is really a concern or an issue- but uninvited scrutiny being more difficult to conduct is probably a good thing. The only way any "authority" could put together information on anyone here is by detailed analysis of the posts, comparing this to userids on other forums and a getting a search warrant to seize IP logs. Having a location for each member posted blatantly and obviously seemed to make scrutiny of people just a bit too easy. Of course, maybe that's just my warped point-of-view. Shrug

Also, and purely coincidentally- this forum template is not set-up for 'location' input. Not that this couldn't be modified- but I'm not a professional programmer and my skills are perhaps not expert enough to start adjusting such things. Huh?

If people would like to post their location- they can certainly do it in their signatures- just like they can their email addresses (notice no one except the Admin id has a viewable email address. This is to protect peoples privacy and avoid 'spam' email address collectors- I might add that the Admin email address already has a few spammers sending emails- so 'bots' are indeed scanning the forum for addresses).

Personally, I think there's far too much information "out there" on people that is far too easily accessible by anyone with an internet connection. "Google" the userid you use here and see what pops up- you might be surprised. Because of this- I've taken the view that protecting users privacy and security is something the forum should help, not hinder. As I mentioned though, anyone can put anything that isn't vulgar, obscene, illegal, immoral or against a board policy in their signatures- including their full name, address, telephone number, birthdate and government i.d. number if this turns their crank.

cfraser · Member

Understood. I was thinking location wasn't displayed maybe for the reason mentioned in your second paragraph.

But just casually reading a few posts by a few regulars, and having a general idea of the difference in regs, I can place some people into the UK/US/Canada/elsewhere categories. Now that is, but not at first.

Of course using the sig is quite doable.

As far as legality of using any info info within a jurisdiction goes, the best thing is not to have a "jurisdiction", be worldwide in scope. That way anything goes, and people have to know their own laws.

Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

What I was thinking about was just country of origin nothing more. But I do think Canadian airgunners seem to be a bit paranoid about big brother watching you, and I get the impression of this on most north American forum's especially if you mention silencers or over 500ftp, it maybe that over here in the UK we tend to look on things differently. And if someone in authority wants to find out who you are it can be done very easily through your isp.

AL

cfraser · Member

It's not so much that in Canada we're paranoid. We can easily own powder firearms after all. It's just that we have kneejerk politicians. And many airguns that we can buy at the "corner store" can easily be converted into firearms that we're supposed to register. People on Canadian airgun forums typically don't like that talk much, it can hurt everybody. Having a "global" forum means whatever you discuss, it's probably legal somewhere. Smile

Anyway, I'm going to try my location in the sig. Never used a sig on any forum ever before, why I didn't think of it...

AirGunEric · Site Admin

I hear what you guys are saying- and it seems both Canadians and Americans might be viewed as a bit "paranoid". The post-911 world is fear-driven it seems, and politicians definetly are "knee jerk" reactors to say the least- no one designs legislation from the ground-up- it tends to be created as a reaction to someone crying "and what about the children" and very little else.

As for ISPs releasing info on users- Yes- that can certainly be done- but in North America any ISP that hands over that sort of data without being provided a search warrant to do so is going to face a multitude of civil lawsuits- which, despite the sometimes lawsuit-happy culture- can be a good deterrent to people being over-cooperative where they perhaps shouldn't be.

StevieLaner7777 · Moderator

Ever heard of "GeoIP" or "HostIP"!!

http://www.hostip.info/index.html

Stevie Thumb Up!

AirGunEric · Site Admin

I'm sorry Stevie- I'm not sure what you're pointing to specifically at that site.

IP numbers can be tracked to geographic locations and ISPs no problem- from a number of sources. But, IP numbers are not displayed around here. Sure- they are logged- but not visible to anyone but the host service provider, and the forum Administrator/Moderator. Your ISP also logs everywhere you've gone online.

But maybe I'm missing something at that site (not just IP locating)?

StevieLaner7777 · Moderator

Hi AirGunEric

What I'm trying to point out on this website is that it can find almost your exact location based on your IP address and a few other bits of info.

I'm well aware that this website does not display user IP addresses but you'll notice that others do.

Stevie Thumb Up!

P.s If any of these two post don't make any sense, It probably has something to do with the fact that it's 3.30am over here!!

StevieLaner7777 · Moderator

I think it might be a good idea if the forum had a link to a frappr map or something, So members of the forum could post they're location so other members could get and idea of where they are coming from and also to see how closely knitted together some of the members actually are!!!

Also:
It will be up to the members whether or not to post they're location, Or just choose not to be too specific, For example just the city in which they live or maybe just the state.

I would defiantly participate in this! Is anyone else with me on his one???

www.frappr.com

Stevie Thumb Up!

leadman · Veteran Member

id be there

AirGunEric · Site Admin

We could do something like that. Anyone know of other "map" services like the one Stevie posted? I'd like to have a few to select from to make sure it's workable.

I won't get to this right away- I'm still trying to get "back end" things sorted out after the recent host service f-up(s)- so it won't happen for at least a couple more days.

StevieLaner7777 · Moderator

Hi AirGunEric

I found the frapr map service when I was looking through TOG (Talon Owners Group), It seems to be the one that they use and I think another airgun forum uses that one as well (though I cannot remember which one), So this one (Frapr) might just be the most workable one then, Though I will search for more of this type of service anyway.

Stevie Thumb Up!

AirGunEric · Site Admin

All right, after thinking about this a bit and getting some consultation from a lawyer 'associate' I know- I think I will have the "Location" field reinstalled in the Member Profiles- but I think it'll be called "Country or Region". Maybe this "gun paranoia" was affecting me a bit too much in the colder months or something. Shrug

As well- this map thing is kinda neat- but I need to get more details on it's layout and construction so it can be setup on our own specific webpage- i.e. something like "airgunhome.com/membermap".

All this is going to take a few days- I haven't got all the time in the world to re-program the forum and add new pages. Heck- that raffle page took me two days of poking at it here-and-there to put together and it's a pretty basic page.