[ggriffin0]

While I applaud developments to keep BBO up to date with more features relevant to the needs of the constituents and also to the ever evolving nature of bridge, the latest greatest software update to the app seems to be moving backwards.

Without addressing the practice of self-alerting. The update to the app changes the nature of self alerting. (I don’t know if this affects android but certainly iphones). In the past, the bid is selected, the alert button pushed and a bridge player can post the explanation of the bid prior to submitting the bid to the table. This practice doesn’t apply anymore. Now, I have to submit the bid to the table alerted without any explanation. This requires the opponent to pause and ask or move along. Certainly this introduces a lack of transparency and ethical appropriateness to self-alerting.

Perhaps we are moving toward emulating the face-to-face world of bridge where the alert needs to be made, but inquiring is up to the defenders. Ok, but applying this to an FDCC where everything is auto-alerted sets up dualistic mechanisms for alerts and a third set of alerts on the download version/client web version where it has remained unchanged presents a third set of alerting. But if BBO is wishing to emulate the vis-a-vis method of alerts, perhaps add a toggle button to the table host/TM director so that the explanation box goes to the partner of the bridge player making the alertable bid? Obviously would only apply with established partnerships and if this is not the case, allow the default on the toggle to be self-alerting.

Regardless, It seems to me that providing a single set of alert procedures would likely be the most expediant route.

[steve2005]

Android version to be released later.
I too liked giving explanation at time of alert.