[thelist] Smart DB Development (request) ... names

Marcus J. Coles mar at asitis.co.uk
Thu Jul 12 03:56:58 CDT 2001


With respect to firstnames lastnames etc ... I wonder why we need to try and
split peoples names up at all, the only reason I can think of is that a
snail mail shot can have their full name on the envelope and 'Dear
firstname' on the letter inside, but if you have a single fullname text
field input (or name as it appears on your credit card!) for a name the user
is going to type it as they want it to appear, so 'Dear fullname' isnt
actually going to offend them .... the reason being that the discussion
seems to be very US centric and at the moment Im running an international
conference site and I would not like to play with peoples names for fear of
offence, best just to leave it as they typed it surely??? its just as
searchable in a DB surely?

Try these names for size ..

CHADALAVADA RAMACHANDRA PRABHU <-india

yo-shimizu <-japan ... this is a good example as the Japanese naming process
is very arduous for the parents in that the name must tie in with the
correct Kanji and the Kanji must be very positive ...suggesting light
positive future prosperity blah etc... thus in my experience very easy to
cause offence...

and what of countries where Lastname Firstname is the convention ....


Mar





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