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| | | Author: | StormChaser  | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 05:05 | | Subject: | Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 348 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | | Status: | Discarded | |
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| I made this suggestion shortly after Dan died, but it was not heeded then. I'm
making it again because Admin currently has 61 catalog change requests pending
approval.
My suggestion is that whomever is using the Admin account to do catalog work
should do so using a different user account.
I consider it almost a certainty that you're a different person than the
creator of this website. It seems to me that, for numerous reasons, the work
Dan did should be kept separate from the work which others do.
If I lost control of my account for some reason, up to and including my death,
then I would not consider it right for someone else to use my account/username
to do catalog work.
Thanks for considering this suggestion.
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| | | | | Author: | Brickwilbo | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 05:11 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 77 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| Isn't Site Admin someone else than Catalog Admin?
In Suggestions, StormChaser writes:
| | I made this suggestion shortly after Dan died, but it was not heeded then. I'm
making it again because Admin currently has 61 catalog change requests pending
approval.
My suggestion is that whomever is using the Admin account to do catalog work
should do so using a different user account.
I consider it almost a certainty that you're a different person than the
creator of this website. It seems to me that, for numerous reasons, the work
Dan did should be kept separate from the work which others do.
If I lost control of my account for some reason, up to and including my death,
then I would not consider it right for someone else to use my account/username
to do catalog work.
Thanks for considering this suggestion.
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| | | | | | | Author: | StormChaser | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 05:14 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 75 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, Brickwilbo writes:
| | Isn't Site Admin someone else than Catalog Admin?
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Yes. Catalog Administrator is a title. Admin is an account/username.
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| | | | | Author: | StormChaser | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 05:39 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 109 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, StormChaser writes:
| | My suggestion is that whomever is using the Admin account to do catalog work
should do so using a different user account.
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Perhaps I was not clear enough on what is occurring. Look at the username at
the top of this list:
http://www.bricklink.com/catalogMembers.asp?viewAll=A
The person who added these 11,273 items to the catalog was the site founder (at
least as far as I am aware). He used the Admin account to add sets, add images,
make catalog changes, etc.
If someone (or multiple people) use the same account to add items or otherwise
make changes to the catalog, then the work which Dan did is muddied and, I would
argue, diminished. In ten or twenty years a new member could legitimately ask
if Dan only contributed 1,000 items to the catalog and the other 10,273 items
were contributed by others who used the Admin account after he died.
Who will be able to answer that question? Someone could go back and check dates
for every single item, I guess, but why make anyone go to such lengths? I know
that example's a little extreme, but it illustrates one of several problems
with using the Admin account for catalog work.
Current site administration could easily create a new user account for catalog
work.
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| | | | | | | Author: | StormChaser | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 06:24 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 71 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, StormChaser writes:
| | Perhaps I was not clear enough on what is occurring.
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I would've saved myself some extra work if I had given these reasons in my
initial post:
1. There is no accountability when multiple people use the same account
to make catalog changes/additions. Is it okay for me to give my password to
a handful of trusted BrickLink members so that StormChaser may be used as a group
account for catalog contributions? How will anyone know if it's me or RobErNat
submitting something to the catalog?
2. The person making catalog changes/additions does not get credit for
the contributions when multiple people use the same account for catalog work.
3. The Admin account being used was not originally a pool account to
the best of my knowledge. It was an account/username used exclusively by a single
person (Daniel Jezek). Therefore, nearly all of the catalog contributions currently
credited to Admin were made not by a collective, but by a single person.
4. Dan's contributions have a higher value, I would argue, than contributions
of others. They show his intentions for the site, among other reasons.
5. I hope that when I die BrickLink members will have the courtesy not
to use my account to make contributions to the catalog. I feel like it would
diminish the work I did while alive. This is a nice way of saying that I feel
it's morally wrong to use the Admin account to make any catalog contributions
whatsoever.
I'm sure there are other reasons which I'm too tired to think of at the
moment.
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | WoutR | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 06:31 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 70 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| Looking at the current submissions, they are all part-color codes being added.
Maybe the Admin account has better support for adding these in bulk.
Currently it is so much work matching codes in my list to parts in our catalog
and making individual catalog change requests that I have not yet started adding
them.
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | StormChaser | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 06:37 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 62 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, WoutR writes:
| | Looking at the current submissions, they are all part-color codes being added.
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Who is adding them?
| | Currently it is so much work . . . that I have not yet started adding them.
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Let me know when you're ready to start. I'd prefer you to add them under
my username.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | WoutR | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 07:00 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 66 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, StormChaser writes:
| | In Suggestions, WoutR writes:
| | Looking at the current submissions, they are all part-color codes being added.
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Who is adding them?
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I agree to that one!
It just could be a reason why it is easier to use this account (IF it makes entering
bulk data possible). I think the work was seen as "for BrickLink" and not as
"using Dan's account". That could be a matter of perception.
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| | Currently it is so much work . . . that I have not yet started adding them.
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Let me know when you're ready to start. I'd prefer you to add them under
my username.
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | bb414973 | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 06:33 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 69 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, StormChaser writes:
| | I would've saved myself some extra work if I had given these reasons in my
initial post:
1. There is no accountability when multiple people use the same account
to make catalog changes/additions.
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Reason one is enough.
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Jan_K | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 15:23 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 41 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, MarieA writes:
| | In Suggestions, StormChaser writes:
| | I would've saved myself some extra work if I had given these reasons in my
initial post:
1. There is no accountability when multiple people use the same account
to make catalog changes/additions.
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Reason one is enough.
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I disagree.
Assuming(!) multiple individuals perform similar actions in the catalog with
the admin account, it may still very well be possible that it's internally
logged who did it.
And even if not: The site owner (as employer of the non-volontary adminitrators)
is responsible for the staff - so why not address him if you need "accountability"?
I do not understand why someone would need the name of an individual for that
purpose.
(Even if you want to sue anyone, you can sue the company in such a case)
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | Jan_K | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 08:27 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 100 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, StormChaser writes:
| | In Suggestions, StormChaser writes:
| | Perhaps I was not clear enough on what is occurring.
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I would've saved myself some extra work if I had given these reasons in my
initial post:
1. There is no accountability when multiple people use the same account
to make catalog changes/additions. Is it okay for me to give my password to
a handful of trusted BrickLink members so that StormChaser may be used as a group
account for catalog contributions? How will anyone know if it's me or RobErNat
submitting something to the catalog?
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I'd suggest not to compare your (personal) user account with the functional
account of the site administration - be it Dan alone in the first place, then
Eric (formerly user "nseric" iirc), now the administrative team.
Accountability within the administrative team is nothing we users need
(or have!) to care about - it's an administrative task, imho.
| | 2. The person making catalog changes/additions does not get credit for
the contributions when multiple people use the same account for catalog work.
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Who cares, if the inidividual contributors don't care? It's their issue,
not ours... Using the Admin account for all those contributions makes it easy
to separate administrative from user additions/changes.
| | 3. The Admin account being used was not originally a pool account to
the best of my knowledge. It was an account/username used exclusively by a single
person (Daniel Jezek). Therefore, nearly all of the catalog contributions currently
credited to Admin were made not by a collective, but by a single person.
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and...? I don't see a point here. It's a pool account for all contributing
activities performed by the site administration, to separate it from user contribution
(and to keep it separate from the "honoured store" competition)
| | 4. Dan's contributions have a higher value, I would argue, than contributions
of others. They show his intentions for the site, among other reasons.
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That's a tough one. I'm no fan of this "almighty Dan" view of the site
founder.
Respect is appropiate and absolutely warranted, but much has been changed after
he passed away and not all of his ideas for this site turned out to be the best
solution.
[Some still block development processes in the catalog, actually - because no
one dares to chance the main directive on certain topics]
| | 5. I hope that when I die BrickLink members will have the courtesy not
to use my account to make contributions to the catalog. I feel like it would
diminish the work I did while alive.
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You are a user. No one will take over your account.
Admin is a function - incorporated by different individuals over the time.
Nothing will be diminished here, imho.
| | This is a nice way of saying that I feel it's morally wrong to use the Admin account
to make any catalog contributions whatsoever.
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But the admin account is to be used for administerative activities.
If Dan had preferred to keep his work separate from that of future admins, he
would not have used the user name admin for his account, I'd say. It was
his decision to keep the account anonymous. [Did anyone complain when Eric began
using it?]
| | I'm sure there are other reasons which I'm too tired to think of at the moment.
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Maybe these are helpful to understand your motivation a little better.
Jan
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | WoutR | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 09:56 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 84 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| I think it might depend on the type of catalog work.
When new part-color codes are added, credit is not important.
When existing entries (such as inventories) are changed, you would want to know
who is responsible. Some changes might raise questions that need an answer in
order to keep the catalog reliable.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Jan_K | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 15:16 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 45 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, WoutR writes:
| | I think it might depend on the type of catalog work.
When new part-color codes are added, credit is not important.
When existing entries (such as inventories) are changed, you would want to know
who is responsible. Some changes might raise questions that need an answer in
order to keep the catalog reliable.
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What's the issue with addressing the site administration for all changes
made with the admin account? Why worry about a (theoretical) internal issue within
the administrative team? We don't need a name to address these, imho.
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | RobErNat | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 12:57 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 64 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, StormChaser writes:
| | In Suggestions, StormChaser writes:
| | Perhaps I was not clear enough on what is occurring.
|
I would've saved myself some extra work if I had given these reasons in my
initial post:
1. There is no accountability when multiple people use the same account
to make catalog changes/additions. Is it okay for me to give my password to
a handful of trusted BrickLink members so that StormChaser may be used as a group
account for catalog contributions? How will anyone know if it's me or RobErNat
submitting something to the catalog?
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1. Thanks for (still) considering me as a trusted BL member  I feel honered
reading that from you 
2.It would only amplify the issue, as RobErNat technicly *might* be accessed
by 3 people if one checkes my 'ME' page 
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2. The person making catalog changes/additions does not get credit for
the contributions when multiple people use the same account for catalog work.
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True
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3. The Admin account being used was not originally a pool account to
the best of my knowledge. It was an account/username used exclusively by a single
person (Daniel Jezek). Therefore, nearly all of the catalog contributions currently
credited to Admin were made not by a collective, but by a single person.
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True, and a long time ago, when Admin Eric became Admin I suggested to have a
clear seperation between Admin Dan's account and Admin Eric's account,
this was not done, and next Admins just kept using the same account...
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4. Dan's contributions have a higher value, I would argue, than contributions
of others. They show his intentions for the site, among other reasons.
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Agreed.
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5. I hope that when I die BrickLink members will have the courtesy not
to use my account to make contributions to the catalog. I feel like it would
diminish the work I did while alive. This is a nice way of saying that I feel
it's morally wrong to use the Admin account to make any catalog contributions
whatsoever.
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Personally I wouldn't mind if one day my son (for instance) would take over
my account (and technicly he is allowed, as he's being part of the username
since many years), but I would indeed be favorable to a clear 'break'
on contributions/owner runnings between more then one accountholder. Right now,
the BL system isn't set up for that however...
This issue has been raised in the past when SimplyBricks was Inventory Admin:
Simply Bricks is being runned by 2 people: Emma, the IA and Mike, the second
person behind the SimplyBricks account with his own opinions as a pretty regular
member, always clearly identified by his signature, but also always 'tagged'
as being an IA (because the ID card said so), while he was not...
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I'm sure there are other reasons which I'm too tired to think of at the
moment.
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Responsability, credebility, legacy.
Analyse everything on those words, and you'll have *all* the anwsers
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| | | | | Author: | viejos | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 14:11 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 79 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, StormChaser writes:
| | I made this suggestion shortly after Dan died, but it was not heeded then. I'm
making it again because Admin currently has 61 catalog change requests pending
approval.
My suggestion is that whomever is using the Admin account to do catalog work
should do so using a different user account.
I consider it almost a certainty that you're a different person than the
creator of this website. It seems to me that, for numerous reasons, the work
Dan did should be kept separate from the work which others do.
If I lost control of my account for some reason, up to and including my death,
then I would not consider it right for someone else to use my account/username
to do catalog work.
Thanks for considering this suggestion.
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I was greatly encouraged to see the site adminsitration take a more active role
in the catalog. Whichever account gets used, I think it's a step in the right
direction, as the proper understanding of how the catalog works is essential
when reprogramming the site and improving it.
As for the Admin account, when changes are logged with a date, it's easy
to distinguish who contributed what. Unfortunately, PCC changes are not logged,
but their date can be somewhat inferred by the order they are added.
When it comes to PCCs, to me the most important thing is that they are correct,
and so far they have been.
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| | | | | Author: | yorbrick | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 14:21 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 44 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| The family sold the site, and hence sold the account. It is up to BL what to
do with the account, so long as they don't do anything against terms in the
sales contract.
As for accountability, accountability to who? The only person that the account
has to be ultimately accountable to is the owner of the site. Remember this is
not a community resource, it is a privately owned business.
If the owner wanted to have all admins sign off all their work as admin in public,
that is up to him. They could have a private mechanism for identifying who did
what while not making such info public. Sometimes companies do not want contributions
of individual workers made public.
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| | | | | | | Author: | StormChaser | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 14:37 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 44 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, yorbrick writes:
| | Remember this is not a community resource, it is a privately owned business.
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I find it difficult to forget.
My opinion on the use of the Admin account is clearly in the minority, but, as
you say, it doesn't really matter much what any of us think since the catalog
is not community-owned.
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| | | | | Author: | ghyde | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 14:32 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 46 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, StormChaser writes:
| | I made this suggestion shortly after Dan died, but it was not heeded then. I'm
making it again because Admin currently has 61 catalog change requests pending
approval.
My suggestion is that whomever is using the Admin account to do catalog work
should do so using a different user account.
I consider it almost a certainty that you're a different person than the
creator of this website. It seems to me that, for numerous reasons, the work
Dan did should be kept separate from the work which others do.
If I lost control of my account for some reason, up to and including my death,
then I would not consider it right for someone else to use my account/username
to do catalog work.
Thanks for considering this suggestion.
|
Did you consider the possibility that it might be for legal or technical reasons?
"Admin" as far as I can recall, is simply a generic term for the Site Administrator.
They might also want to use this username for legal reasons, so that when user
account data has to be modified or a store is suspended, that it's done under
this username for legal reasons, as it's quite clear that there's an
administrative decision made when someone's store gets suspended, for instance.
All of this site maintenance and certain higher level catalog changes might have
to be made by someone with the privileges only the "Admin" account would have,
therefore I can see why they wouldn't stop using it.
Hope this helps.
Cheers ...
Geoffrey Hyde
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| | | | | | | Author: | StormChaser | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2016 14:41 | | Subject: | Re: Please Stop Using Admin Account for Catalog | | Viewed: | 47 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, ghyde writes:
| | user account data has to be modified or a store is suspended . . . site maintenance and higher level catalog changes
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I wasn't referring to any of those actions. I specifically spoke of garden-variety
submissions or changes to the catalog which can be done with any user account.
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USA, Oklahoma
Netherlands, Gelderland
Belgium, Flemish Brabant
Germany, Nordrhein-Westfalen
United Kingdom, England
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