[davekeene]

I sort of like the feature but I don't much like the autocratic nature of it. Moving the mouse, for instance, doesn't let the other players know that you're active.

I always thought it would be nice for the non-host players to gang up on the host and remove them if necessary (sort of X-factor, three votes and you're out, style). That way the host generally controls the table but you can get rid of a sleepy host or an overbearing one.

On the plus side, it does save people having to do the nudging but I do think that the host should be able to set the two timeout values you mention.

Just my $0.02 (and many thanks for the site/software by the way)

DK

[Rain]

Right now we're thinking of keeping the autoboot, but exempt people who are playing at tables that look like games between friends or where the host looks like he knows how to manage table options.

The autoboot has been removed while we tweak it. Comments welcome.

http://webutil.bridg...tch.php?id=1376



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+slow+ must be written in the table's description to give 3X as much time as the usual. Usual is 80 seconds to boot (warnings begin around 50 seconds of inactivity). If you write this command, it will give 240 seconds with warning at 150 second mark.

If the tweaks we intend to make are not enough, we'll continue to play with this feature. It is not about speeding up games - this was about helping to remove players who are unlikely to be around.

[sooner_1]

I think this is great! I doesn't kick you off as I understand it, it just reminds you to do something, like move your mouse...

[myfish]

nice suggestion with the restricted table
it solves many problem indeed

[suokko]

Rain, on 2012-November-09, 18:12, said:

Right now we're thinking of keeping the autoboot, but exempt people who are playing at tables that look like games between friends or where the host looks like he knows how to manage table options.

The autoboot has been removed while we tweak it. Comments welcome.

The friend detection sounds good idea to me.

Another group that should be allowed extra thinknig time are new players. New players often have to think a lot longer even in situations that are automatic to experienced players. If new player gets kicked out of table because of slow play it hugelly reduces likely hood that the person continues the hobby. For everyone else it is simple minor annoyance.

Also going out of computer to door or something may take easily over 90 seconds. Is there some way to prevent kicking during that time? That makes me thinking kick should be vote between other players instead of automatic. Automatic feature can't coup with all cases where a kick would just cause bad feelings.

If you think 90 second thinking break is completely out of question I think you aren't actually ever defending part-scores with skill. IMO option most of part-score defense require very long thinking breaks to weight between possible defenses early in hand. I can easily play in game that average 4-5 minutes per board in live bridge. That is even the ussual speed of play. But if the session has multiple hands were I need to decide between different defenses early in hand I can easily raise the average to 7 minutes.

[Bbradley62]

suokko, on 2012-November-13, 13:58, said:

Also going out of computer to door or something may take easily over 90 seconds. Is there some way to prevent kicking during that time?

Mark "be right back" and the clock stops.

[barmar]

suokko, on 2012-November-13, 13:58, said:

If you think 90 second thinking break is completely out of question I think you aren't actually ever defending part-scores with skill.

Just move the mouse or type "thinking" and the clock is reset.

[wamaker]

Twice in 24 hours I have been removed from a table by this mechanism. Both times I was waiting for a new partner before bidding (so I could say Hi and see their system). Both times I was with friends and was just ejected.

If I follow the BBO advice and mark myself BRB why would anyone thing I was ready to play?

In addition, I WAS chatting to the table and I was ejected mid sentence.

I can see the point of this software but the cure is worse than the disease.

[barmar]

We log when this happens, and I don't see any logs of you being booted by this.

[Bbradley62]

barmar, on 2013-January-18, 10:55, said:

We log when this happens, and I don't see any logs of you being booted by this.

And myhands shows no hands played by her in the past month. Maybe people just make stuff up?

[barmar]

She's not using the same username on BBO as she is in the forum.

[pjlees53]

uday, on 2012-November-07, 10:27, said:

I'm willing to add an option to tables to say 'don't force timed plays' or something if people want this, and find another solution for these tables if the host seems to be stuck.

Yes, please do this.

BBO in general is great, but this "feature" is not.

Philip

[CSGibson]

My biggest problem with this is that it is not obvious how to turn off this feature. I don't read the news items in BBO except once in a great while, so this change was fairly new; additionally, I automatically restrict tables where I am hosting, so I had no idea this was going on until other people hosted me & didn't do this - it automatically booted people & gave really annoying messages, and when the host tried to scramble to find an option to turn it off, nothing was there.

I love BBO, but this change made me yell at my computer how much I hate this feature - its even worse for those who are unaware of what they need to do to stop it, because then all sorts of random players jump into the spot that was previously your friend who had a tough problem.