This line of thinking leads me to the options that I'm considering...

Verified Ax User

• We would allow people to signup for Verified Axer status. If they signed up, we would request their phone number, address, etc...and use the necessary means to verify who they are. In their profile, their "Real Name" field would be hardcoded...in other words, they can't change it. Their name would show a "V" next to it, or some symbol that denotes that they are a Verified User. The contact information that they supplied would be for internal Ax use only and would not be made public. Since this is an optional thing, there would be many people who would be not-verified. The theory being that people with a verified account would be respected more on the forum and in the community. Oh, also, all Verified Ax users would have a profile with at least their real name and Ax name listed.
  

Reserved Fighter names

• We'd create Ax accounts for all of the fighter names that we can think of, thus reserving them. On the registration page (which really needs to be revamped anyway) there would be a blurb of 'Are you a fighter? Your name might be reserved...click here'. That would send them to the list of fighter names where they can claim one. Then they will see a page page to supply their contact information so we can verify them.
  

With verified Ax users and Reserved fighter names, there is a potential for things like sponsorship and such. If a Ax-trusted trainer says "This person is that fighter" then we would take the trainers word for it. If they are lying, then the trainer loses his/her Ax account. It's sort of like co-signing a loan. If they are lying, it comes back on the trainer.

Or, I could do this...
Revamp the entire Ax website to make it all verified users.

• Initially, this would drastically reduce the number of people that are on Ax. The number of registered users would probably drop from the thousands into the hundreds. There would probably be many people who would boycott Ax just for this. But then again, do I care? This would provide an opportunity for a competing website to take Ax place in the free-for-all Kickboxing forum discussion market. To that website owner, I would say 'good luck and have fun'.
  
  
• In all honesty, if I had a website with only 15 really cool, level-headed and intelligent contributors, I would be content.
  
  
• I would be taking a chance of losing almost all opportunity for generating revevue. But then again, this site was never intended to generate revenue. Making money wasn't the point of this website when it started. It was intended to provide a service to the community. Then again, I'm led to believe that only a few dozen people truly appreciate what this website brings. The rest would only appreciate it after it is gone, or changed drastically.
  
  
• Do you have any idea how much of a resource it would take to verify all of the people that regularly visit Ax? Ouch. I've got a new dayjob where I'm just now starting to make some ok/decent money, but my wallet would empty quick. Aside from money, it would take a tremendous amount of time. I would have to find volunteers to join up with the Ax team in verifying people in their particular country or region. To be honest, I have had mostly bad experiences with people volunteering for Ax and then not showing up for the job. (Pick any Ax project). I understand that people have legitimate reasons and that I can't complain about people that are volunteering, but just the same, I can't count on Ax volunteers in most cases. There are the few diety-like beings that keep actively involved in the Ax team, like Andras Kadinger, Dave Jackson, Helen Lu, Rob Cox, and Gareth Yeulet.
  

Of course, there is always the fourth option of shutting the whole site down. I've considered that more times than you'd know. Someone once asked me how much it costs for me to run Ax. The answer lies not in currency but in hours, days, weeks, months and years. I'm spent so much time dealing with Ax bullshit, you wouldn't understand. In some ways, the only thing I've achieved is a small, fragmented feeling of satisfaction that I made a difference in the community. The truth is, I've had empty pockets and a long-lasting feeling of disappointment from the lack of achievements with Ax. I know that if I grew up in a rich family or I didn't have bad credit from school loans, and many other convoluted circumstances were different, that things would've turned out quite differently with Ax. If I were a money-oriented type of guy, I would've used my computer knowledge to generate the revenue to do something with Ax. I've only recently decided to go that route with my computer career. Before, I never cared about money. But now, I accept the way that the world works. Even relationships can revolve around issues of money. I've been rejected by a girl before because I wasn't 'career oriented'. You and I both know what 'career oriented' means. Making money just never turned me on before.

But enough of that...let's get back to the point. What do you think about the ideas above? Perhaps you have your own ideas. Let's hear em. In the history of Ax, there has been a ton of criticism but very rarely workable and constructive ideas for solutions to the problems. I assure you that none of you think as deeply about Ax issues as I do. I've asked you to think things through more in depth, but very few people do. I spend hours thinking about Ax problems and how to solve them with very the very limited infrastructure that I have. Many of you think up these complaints in a flash and stand up and complain, but when the microphone comes to you for an answer, I don't hear anything. I expect that is exactly what will happen within this thread. Let's find out.

I'm curious who has even read this far. This was a long post :-P

Brian