Vacationers who move while their flag is up

Originally posted by colleman
I had no control over the time settings in these games as they were second round tournament games which I had no idea were even coming up.
Are you saying that I should have turned my vacation flag off, made my moves, and then turned it back on. That is ridiculous.

It's not ridiculous, it's honest. Whether you do or don't it's still down to your opponent's discretion as to whether to time you out if you're out of time.

Originally posted by Exy
It's not ridiculous, it's honest. Whether you do or don't it's still down to your opponent's discretion as to whether to time you out if you're out of time.

But the whole point of going to such lengths to make the moves was so that I would not be out of time, after all one of my opponents is skeeter!

I accept that if I had not been able to find an internet cafe then I may well have been timed out either by my opponent or automatically.

What is ridiculous is the suggestion that I should have turned off the vacation flag whilst I made the moves and then turned it back on.

What does that achieve?

Originally posted by colleman
But the whole point of going to such lengths to make the moves was so that I would not be out of time, after all one of my opponents is skeeter!

I accept that if I had not been able to find an internet cafe then I may well have been timed out either by my opponent or automatically.

What is ridiculous is the suggestion that I should have turned off the vacation flag whilst I made the moves and then turned it back on.

What does that achieve?

Firstly, I respected the vacation flag whatever.

Secondly, I got irritated when people who were 'claiming' to be on vacation moved against me with their flag on.

Now, because of repetive occurances of flag abuse I have a carte blanche rule of timing out asap.

I'm sure I'm not the only person who feels this way, as Sundown started this thread.

Originally posted by Exy
Firstly, I respected the vacation flag whatever.

Secondly, I got irritated when people who were 'claiming' to be on vacation moved against me with their flag on.

Now, because of repetive occurances of flag abuse I have a carte blanche rule of timing out asap.

I'm sure I'm not the only person who feels this way, as Sundown started this thread.

Well, that neatly avoided the issue. Please don't take out your irritation with others on me.

I was merely giving a scenario where I considered it perfectly acceptable to move whilst my vacation flag was showing and asking whether others think I did something reprehensible in those circumstances and if so, what they think I should have done differently.

Originally posted by colleman
Well, that neatly avoided the issue. Please don't take out your irritation with others on me.

I was merely giving a scenario where I considered it perfectly acceptable to move whilst my vacation flag was showing and asking whether othe ...[text shortened]... ces and if so, what they think I should have done differently.

I am not "avoiding the issue" I do not feel it is acceptable to move with your flag on and obviously neither does Sundown, who started this thread. Don't do it, take your flag off before you move, as you can see a green dot next to a vacation flag arouses people's suspicions.

Rather than avoid the issue I tried to illustrate the long term effect that people doing what you are advocating / defending has. It's like the little boy crying wolf, don't put your flag up unless you're really away and if you get a chance to move whilst on holiday then think about taking your flag off first to avoid confusion, failing that at least put a message in your move to explain to your opponent.

If you can't do this then I fully support anyone who times you out.

Not much to ask, really.

I thought at one time that if your vacation sign was on, you could not move in your games. You had to turn it off first in order to move. Or did I just imagine that?

regards, Marc

Originally posted by Exy
I am not "avoiding the issue" I do not feel it is acceptable to move with your flag on and obviously neither does Sundown, who started this thread. Don't do it, take your flag off before you move, as you can see a green dot next to a vacation flag arouses people's suspicions.

Rather than avoid the issue I tried to illustrate the long term effect that peo ...[text shortened]... eally away and if you get a chance to move then take it off first.

Not much to ask, really.

I was inclined to agree with Colleman that twiddling the flag in the circumstances he described is a bit silly, but I think you make a good point about the combination of green dot with vacation flag being a provocation.

I think anyone in similar circumstances should at least try to update the text associated with their vacation flag to explain what is going on. I wonder if there's any chance that Russ could make the vacation message appear as mouseover text associated with the vacation icon, on the My Games page at least?

Originally posted by Exy
I am not "avoiding the issue" I do not feel it is acceptable to move with your flag on and obviously neither does Sundown, who started this thread. Don't do it, take your flag off before you move, as you can see a green dot next to a vacation flag arouses people's suspicions.

Rather than avoid the issue I tried to illustrate the long term effect that peo ...[text shortened]... you can't do this then I fully support anyone who times you out.

Not much to ask, really.

This is not about being timed out - that is a separate matter. If I do not make my moves in the time allowed I would have no complaints about being timed out, indeed I have always advocated automatic time outs. This is about moving whilst your vacation flag is on.

If, whilst on holiday, one has the opportunity to make some moves to avoid being timed out, then you say the vacation flag should be removed, the moves made and then the vacation flag put back on.

I do not see any merit in that but would be happy to comply if that was the consensus view. I think that action could be viewed as equally suspicious.

I was not crying wolf because I was genuinely on holiday and that is the only time I put my vacation flag on.

Originally posted by colleman
This is not about being timed out - that is a separate matter. If I do not make my moves in the time allowed I would have no complaints about being timed out, indeed I have always advocated automatic time outs. This is about moving whilst your vacation flag is on.

If, whilst on holiday, one has the opportunity to make some moves to avoid being timed out, ...[text shortened]... g wolf because I was genuinely on holiday and that is the only time I put my vacation flag on.

I must admit when I went away for the weekend a few months ago I managed to use the internet cafe for 20mins, I took my vacation flag off made moves then put it back on, and one of my opponents questioned whether I was doing something dodgy, so colleman has a point. But if I moved with flag on thenmy actions still would have been questioned

This is why I think the vacation flag is of no worth. You obviously accept that regardless of whether or not you have your flag on time out is not avoidable, so what is the point of the flag?

I think the danger of the flag being available is that less experienced players will think (and have many times) that it actually prevents time out.

Wouldn't it be less confusing if the flag just wasn't an option?

Originally posted by eyeqpc
I must admit when I went away for the weekend a few months ago I managed to use the internet cafe for 20mins, I took my vacation flag off made moves then put it back on, and one of my opponents questioned whether I was doing something dodgy, so colleman has a point. But if I moved with flag on thenmy actions still would have been questioned

Exactly! - so what is the answer ? (which is what I was after when I joined this thread)

Originally posted by colleman
Exactly! - so what is the answer ? (which is what I was after when I joined this thread)

Not too sure, now if I know I am going on vacation I make sure not to take on anymore gams and try and clear the current gameload.
Its a case of if you do move with flag on it looks suspicious and if you take it off for a few mins and then put it back on again also looks suspicious. A rock and a hard place me thinks

The answer is get burnt a few times by not managing the correct time out / time bank for the speed you play and lose a few games through time out. Learn from that mistake and realise that the vacation flag is pointless and can't save you and manage your time features better in future.

(or spoil your holiday sitting in a net cafe pissing off your spouse!)

Originally posted by Exy
This is why I think the vacation flag is of no worth. You obviously accept that regardless of whether or not you have your flag on time out is not avoidable, so what is the point of the flag?

I think the danger of the flag being available is that less experienced players will think (and have many times) that it actually prevents time out.

Wouldn't it be less confusing if the flag just wasn't an option?

Well, you might have something there which is worthy of a separate thread.

Originally posted by Exy
The answer is get burnt a few times by not managing the correct time out / time bank for the speed you play and lose a few games through time out. Learn from that mistake and realise that the vacation flag is pointless and can't save you and manage your time features better in future.

(or spoil your holiday sitting in a net cafe pissing off your spouse!)

Its exactly the way I treat the vacation flag now, pointless. So I make sure I have no games when a vacation is coming up, excellent time-management is my middle name.