moving while on vacation

I just saw that it is possible to move even though my vacation setting is on. Was this always the case?
th

PS: not that I dislike it, but I play against s.o. who is about 80% of the year on vacation. 🙄

I don't think this has always been the case. I'm currently in a tournament with several people that have their vacation setting turned on, but they continue to move. To me, to have it on means that you are on vacation from RHP and are unable to move. It kind of gives a false impression to your opponents and makes T/O's a bit cloudy to have your vacation setting turned on yet you continue to move.

To add some light to this story, I go on vacation "once" per year and move quite frequently during this period. Although this year, with the added timebanks, I may have to go through physical withdrawal during vacation. Unless an old tourney I got into last year without time banks pops up right before its time to leave like it did last year. Then I well have to find libraries to get my chess fix.
Note: Last year I very put my vacation flag up because I did not see a point in doing so. I would have been in a hurry, with limited internet access, so why stumble around turning that feature off to make a move. All my opponents knew of my plans.

I have to put my vacation icon on more and more these days due to business travel. I use it to indicate that I may not be able to move, and so that if people want to know why I am inactive they will hopefull check my vacation profile which will explain.

Having said this I don't like being able to move while the vacation icon is on. Before, whenI got chance to move while away, I'd have to switch my vacation icon off, move, then switch it back on again and i was a pian. But at least it was an effort to do so; I fear being able to move while stated as being on vacation with no effort wil encourage some people to abuse the vacation icon whenever they are late for a few games. If this happens then people will be less inclined to believe the vacation icon, making it's presense worth less.

I agree that the vacation icon is useful and should be respected when used honestly. Personally, I won't T/O anyone if they are out on vacation unless it's a tourney game. I'm not suggesting that anybody is, but it can be easily manipulated now that you can move while you have your vacation setting turned on. Just looks a little suspicious when you move with your vacation icon on, but no message saying you'll be away. 🙂

Quick story here to indicate some possible circumstances. I had to take off this past weekend to visit a relative who was in the hospital in a distant city. I turned on my vacation flag as I left work (complete with a short explanation), but then was able to check in during the packing process. It would seem silly to have to turn off the vacation sign just to check in quickly. If I go off for a real vacation, I would hope to be able to use someone's computer when I'm away. What sense would it make to have to turn off the vacation sign just to use, say, my brother-in-law's computer for a couple of moves in the middle of my vacation? I'm still on vacation and unable to move as usual. I would want to be able to inform my opponents that I am not in my usual habit of moving frequently. The fact that I may be able to use a relative's computer or an internet cafe once or twice is not comparable to being at home.

It may be that I am interpreting the vacation symbol differently from how many of you do, but it strikes me as perfectly reasonable to use it to inform my opponents that I am away.

Paul

When the vacation flag was first introduced it was impossible to move when it was on. I have since changed this, expecting people to use it responsibly, as it appears most do, judging from this thread.

The main reason for this change was because it was possible for a user to return from vacation, turn off their flag so they could start to clear their (no doubt huge) back log of games, and then find that they were timed out by some over enthusiastic opponent before they had an opportunity to make a move.

-Russ

Originally posted by Russ
When the vacation flag was first introduced it was impossible to move when it was on. I have since changed this, expecting people to use it responsibly, as it appears most do, judging from this thread.

The main reason for this change was because it was possible for a user to return from vacation, turn off their flag so they could start to clear their (no do ...[text shortened]... d out by some over enthusiastic opponent before they had an opportunity to make a move.

-Russ

Maybe another option here would be to add a "catch-up" day for the person who turns off the vacation flag.

Once they clear it, they could move in each of their waiting games once before the flag clears on the opponents screen for that game.

just a thought,
Marc

proposed solutions:
a) Count the days that s.o. is on vacation. This number can be constraint by let's say 35.
b) this numer can be be shown in the profile (like "thire took 25 vacationdays in the last 365&quot😉
c) in the profile (or somewhere) else the info that he/she made a move since the vacation sign is on could be made
d) To little remarks could be added (automatically) to the vacation message: the start and the end date (a date has to be chosen from the player, if she/he is no back at this time I see that she/he is lazy - or there could be a penalty mechanism that starts to count)
e) moves during vacation time could be counted (I guess this is a bit complicated)
th

Originally posted by mwmiller
Maybe another option here would be to add a "catch-up" day for the person who turns off the vacation flag.

Once they clear it, they could move in each of their waiting games once before the flag clears on the opponents screen for that game.

just a thought,
Marc

I don't think that's the right solution, as someone could just turn on their flag for a couple of and hours, and then take it off again so to get a day without T/O's. (I'm talking about 1 and 0 day T/O's here)

Olav

I just saw that I did not post the first lines I wanted to... 😳

I really don't have ANY problem with moving during the vacation sign is on. I just dislike the abuse.
So what is abuse?
* If you move too often while in vacation
* If you have you vacation sign too often on.

What happened to Chrismo's code where he was going to give everyone 28 or so days per year of free vacation where you can't get timed out? Treat it like a time bank.

That way people will think twice about turning it on, since it runs like a clock. One month a year is plenty vacation....

Game timers and time banks take care of the rest... as well as just making moves on time and letting people know how long you will be gone.

P-

a) Count the days that s.o. is on vacation. This number can be constraint by let's say 35.
b) this numer can be be shown in the profile (like "thire took 25 vacationdays in the last 365"😉

Now I've heard Russ' logic for the change I like it. We've always had to rely on people using the icon fairly, and this is just a slight explansion of that.

I don't like the idea of counting or limiting someone's use of vacation icon - remember that really it is an "away from home" or "unable to continue playing as normal for a while" icon, and whereas for most people that means being on vacation, for others it means travelling for work, and some people travel for work a LOT.