You still need the PIN to register for access to the website, and one of the things that is being proposed by Bill Goichberg is to stop sending out membership cards, which is one of the other ways we send out PINs.
If we also stop sending out magazines to members who take a lower-priced membership rate for net-only access, we’re running out of ways to get the PIN to members reliably.
How about simply publishing the PIN-generating algorithm; then all members could simply generate their own PIN.
Even better, put a “USCF PIN Calculator” on the non-member part of the website (actually - this probably qualifies for the FRONT PAGE). Just plug in your info, and out pops the PIN.
Problem solved.
Why don’t we publish the list of PINs on the website too?
Because you don’t like the naming scheme for files on the website.
Better make it a link to a volunteer site.
OK I’ll bite. Isn’t the PIN on the magazine label so that it gets to that member only and not to everyone else?
Well, its gets to anyone who sees that member’s magazine, and not to anyone else. If they wanted it to go only to the member, they might, I don’t know, send it with the membership card.
If we stop sending membership cards, that method of sending out PINs is out the window too.
Ken Sloan is right that having it on the magazine was a bad idea, probably made worse by the current uses for the PIN, but nobody’s come up with a better (ie, reliable and secure) way of sending something like the PIN out.
We have no other information about members which could be used to authenticate someone that isn’t easily obtained from other sources, and even the PIN is currently something that would not be too hard for someone with cryptographic or hacker skills to crack.
“Why do you play in that poker game? Don’t you realize it’s crooked?”
“Yeah, I know - but it’s the only game in town!”