Want to see who is using DTRPG?

[BSF]

Well, that does help explain why they wouldn't follow any of my suggestions for clearly outlining their privacy policy back in June. *shrug* I don't use them. Now I have even more reason not to use them.

Dragonlancer,
They automatically sign you up on their browsable forums with your real name. I notice that you use a screenname. Why not just use your real name? The point is that you don't have a choice. Whether you want everyone to know your real name or not, the user list will display it.

For somebody like me, I also question if they are using a shared database. If they are, are they storing credit card information? Can this database be hacked through the forum software to display financial info? It is a potentially bad situation and lowers my confidence level further.

 

[Rasyr]

I'm a software developer, and what you're seeing is pretty common.

From the developer's standpoint, the best design for them is one user table.

I understand this and have no problems with it, had I been informed beforehand. However, they added the forums after opening the site, and then added in the bit where you are automatically registered on the forums when you log in.

I think the real negative is in that they're not giving you a screen name, and seem to effectively be revealing your real name to people when you might not want not.

That, and not asking if I want to register to their forums, nor giving me a choice about it in the first place.

Some variation on that theme would protect your privacy, give you custom screennames, and still get the efficiency of design.

They could also add a checkbox or radio button on the log-in page asking IF you want to be registered on their forums. They could have also added a text box asking for your screen name as well. And kept it all optional. Instead they force this upon you, and the way they are doing it provides a list of their customers to the public.

 

[Psion]

Your real name and location on the website without your permission. *NOT* cool.

I don't put my real name down as the username for sites I voluntarily join.

 

[Jaws]

I have GOT to wonder if White Wolf's Online Site does the same thing?!

No. Their setup is more ed up though.


j.

 

[Rasyr]

Here is a link to a thread on the DriveThruRPG forums.

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/catalog...php&t=11&sid=f228a8b4aeba5124c1c5683637112be7

In this thread, the Admin basically says that if you don't want to use your real name, then create a second account on the forums. However, it is pointed out to him that this totally ignores th fact that the first time somebody logs into DTRPG to purchase something that their real name WILL become listed on the members page.

It has also been pointed out (by myself and another) that this violates their Privacy Agreement to not share personal information.

What a mess!!

 

[BrooklynKnight]

Look what the Admin has done in the last few minutes.

Due to the concerns voiced here, as a temporary solution I will be making everyone's profile simply be a number, and remove all email addresses from the forum listing. We will be working on a more permanent solution that will let you use some name other than your user ID. Our sincerest apologies to anyone who feels that their privacy has been violated.

I wonder if anyone knows who the Admin is? His privacy sure seems protected.

DTRPG continues with one blunder after another.

 

[johnsemlak]

It appears that DTRPG has changed their forums to give each user a user number, and no personal info (name, email addy, etc) is displayed.

I'm no techie. Does this fix the problem satisfactorily?

 

[Jaws]

It appears that DTRPG has changed their forums to give each user a user number

Figures. We are just a number to them.


j.

 

[JoeBlank]

Looks like they fixed the problem, for now, but this speaks volumes about the general demeanor of the site. I have picked up a few freebies and actually purchased one module, but will not be doing either any time soon.

 

[Henry]

Figures. We are just a number to them.

To me this sounds a little unfair, to be honest - they just worked to correct the problem, with an eye toward fixing it for real later.

I've got to call the original mistake kind of careless on their part, but I can't fault them for trying to make amends.