Why do you guess such a small proportion?

At the moment about 60% of the first page of online players are pawns.

Interestingly even though there are more pawns than pieces logged on the majority of players engaged in a BrainKing activity are pieces.

couldnt be a coinsidence could there?

What do you mean? I figured it was because of their game limits and cause they've no fellowships to visit.

maybe some of the payng members have multiple id's?

You can go to the "Players List", and sort by last action - so you can see who has done what recently. (That is where I got the number of 2,300 in the last month, and 1,700 in the past few days)

There are a total of 414 people that has above a "pawn" membership (Can be seen on the "Paid Membership" page) I know some paid members do not play here no more, and I don't have the time to go through the 2,300 to count all who activly play, so that is why I estimated 360-390 paid members are still active here - but again, that part is just an estimate.)

So far i have only gotten 4 entries - one with three-letter words, two with five-letter words and one with eight-letter words.

There is just under a month left to enter, but the more entrants the more winners, so go ahead and enter!

The details of this competition can be found at This page or message#87012 on this board.

bwildman: A new database server will be purchased. Liquid had defined the cheapest configuration, still powerful enough to solve all current and possible future performance problems. I don't know all details but it would contain two Xeon CPU's and some other nice features.

wow...google tells me 2 of them are expensive :(

one at 2800mhz ( whatever that means) 524 english pounds.....STEVE whats that worth

If a person uses more than one window at a time here, where would the view on-line players say you were at? What ever you did last?

524 pounds LOL

at the moment about 900 to 1000 dollars I think

smart "rear end"

It will always show yourself as viewing on-line players (since that is the last/current activity you are doing when you envoke that command) :-)

BBW, I know you usually use multiple windows, what I ment was where will it tell me you are at If I see your name on the Who is on-line?

it should show what ever he clicked on last ;)

I believe it will show you the last action I did. (or went through the system)

So for example, sometimes I may want to look at someone's profile but do not want them to know I'm looking, so I will open that person's profile, and very quickly make a move in another window - that way if they look, my last action was making a move, even though I'm back at the original window looking at their profile. :-)

now I know how to look at your profile without making you paranoid! lol

what?????.....does this improve the BK structure, features and future....how trivial....who cares who you are looking at?

why would you care if someone knew you were looking at their profile????????

after that post....I might start a "STALKER" fellowship....anyone interested..PM me....*JK*

Fencer... while BK has a strong social infrastructure it is still fundamenatlly a commercial concern.
It follows that the paying customer should take precedence over those being served "pro bono".
I noted when the new configuration was originally discussed that access priority would be given to paying members.
I cannot see why by the simple expedient of logging out pawns based on length of time logged on when the system gets busy cannot be used to ensure paying members can always get access.
Ultimately the loss of a few disgruntled pawns does not outweigh the possibility of losing just one paying member.
More a public statement that this was to happen may encourage some of those to take up paying membership.

So maybe $4000.00 was a ballpark figure?

I don't know about you, but as for me, and I suppose many other payers, many of the games are against pawns. so what would be the point in allowing us to play, but locking the pawns out?

Nobody is suggesting locking them out completely.

Just when the site is busy giving preference to the paying members

......ZETES

I'll still be taking questions for zetes for another couple of days, please send any questions to me, and state if you want your name put with the question or not!

I do not wish to speak out of turn, but as I understood it, there was 2 options that had different prices. In the condition that the database server currently is, the $4000 server is the better option. The other option was a higher price tag.

Actually, I don't like the fact that anyone can see what I'm doing - If I had the option, I would turn that off. It's really no one elses business to know which games I'm playing, which boards I'm reading, or which profiles I'm looking at. (I'm hoping it will be a feature in BK 2.0 to turn it off)

I hope it's NOT an option in the new version.
It is one of the things that makes this site feel like a real community. Sort of all being in the same virtual room.
I don't understand the need for secrecy here.

It is one of the things that attracted me to this place..

Not trying to argue with anyone, just stating my "vote"

... and for the people who like that feature, they can keep it on.

I'm the type of person who keeps their window shades down - I'm a more private person in nature.... that's just the way I am. :-)

(I'm not saying to take it away, but let it be an option to be able to turn off for who does not like it!)

I'm not going to take it away.

LJ - What the heck does that have to do with the discussion we are having????

If you are more private person BBW, how come you find it so easy to post etc? LOL

Yeah LJ he doesnt want people seeing he is here but not taking moves LMAO

LJ - I've explained this to you many times, can't you remember?

I have a slow internet connection now - which means I have multiply windows open. I read and post on the message boards while other windows proccess my moves.

EVERY time that the site stays up when I have faster internet connection, I have always had more moved than you.

I think you are the one that need reminded since you can't seem to remember this!

Ugh...... getting very old very fast...

Steve R - I have admited many times that when I learned I was losing my fast internet connection, I completed many of my games.

BK went down, and we lost 3 months worth of game - 3 months of my finished games, which now meant I had all my games back without fast internet connection. Yes, it's my fault for having that many games - and I will get them played, but I did everything I could to get them played - I'm sorry I have no control over BK and it's backups.

And I'm all for Fencer not removing this privancy issue, I'm just hoping it will be an option for the people who like to stay more private.

Heck, if you want to be so open - why not let Fencer also post your Credit card numbers, and all your other personal information!

LJ - It's just getting old. You can believe what you want, that is fine - but it's getting really old that you feel the need to watch over me and stalk me and post about me "making moves" every time I make a post.

Another reason to have the privacy issue removed - to keep people from stalking you!

BBW = BIG BAD WOLF

BBW. connection seems quick enough to set up tourneys in one window (4 more just appeared) , post on boards on another window, and play the odd game in another. Maybe if you only had one window open at a time like most of us, the site may run a lot quicker and youd get your moves done, and LJ would be happy ;oÞ

Credit Cards - It was to make a point about privacy. Some people like it more than others.

Come on BBW, that's silly about publicly posting CC #'s... it is NOT the same thing at all..

If it WERE an option to turn it off (which I also hope ISNT an option), then I would hope that person would also NOT be able to see what others are doing while they have it turned off.

Days like today, I'll average around 100-150 moves. A lot more then most people (if you really want to know.)

alot also manage 300, you could move them all LOL

rod03801 - Good idea - if a person does have it turned off, that means they can't see what others are doing also - Great idea!

Someone posted that they would leave this site if that feature was removed - well I wonder how many people have already left because that feature was here??

I get 400+ moves when I have fast internet connection (which is about 1-2 times a week)

But out of the past 5-6 times I had fast internet connection, only once was BrainKing not down! It will all work out, and soon I'll be down to 100-150 games total (that is my goal)

You know, if people are so worried about me posting here, if you quit posting messages to me, then I would also stop posting! :-)

There are plenty of sites where you can play in complete secrecy if you so desire.. It is something unique to this site, part of its personality.. It would be a shame to make it just like the rest..

Please stop posting about how many moves a person makes, or that they should get back to their games. Its off-topic and not particularly nice either.

I have some great news. MORE PRIZES
Each section winner will receive a 6 month brain knight membership. This applies only to pawns.
Your chances to win are great. Please enter.;•)
As we say in my area the pot just got sweeter.

*Note* If you are a pawn or a knight you can still enter this tournament even if you are already in a tournament.

rod03801: One of the most popular (and irritating) myths today is that the desire for 'privacy' equates to 'secrecy'. Just because I don't want anyone who feels like it to go nosing into my business (or personal life) does -not- mean I'm trying to hide things. Perhaps some people just don't like feeling like they're under a microscope.

LJ: No one suggested it be removed completely, just that it be an option to turn it off. For those mentioned in the paragraph above.

And please stop with the 'get back to your games' BS. I have games that aren't played. I'm not going stop reading just because you're in a hurry. BBW isn't under your requirements, either.

I also use multiple windows (tabs, actually, in my case). Just because you look when he's posted doesn't mean you know what he's doing, nor give you the right to call him a liar. It's his business.

I also agree with the 'if you turn on privacy it's a two-way street' idea. It's kind of like some of the MUDDs ... If you want to ask where someone is, you must let them know where you are, as well.

i agree with you Lythande in so far as I would be very annoyed if I was being scrutinised as it appears that BBW is being.

Make it an "option" of being invisible, that way all benefit except those that track others:)

BTW..thanks :)

So...even though 'game time is suspended' ... The time continues to run out on games?

Thanks :)

I was thinking Fencer said the time would be turned back on Monday - so anyone with 0 time left at that time, the games will time out.