[antir-heralds] What's it conflict with? (general musing)

[Teceangl]

Running a conflict check just now I realized we heralds sometimes talk
upside-down.  If the client preparing a submission asks, "What's in
conflict with it?" the answer is, "Nothing."  When we find a conflict
we should never say that the registered armory conflicts with the
proposal, becahse the proposal isn't official and therefore it is the
one presenting the conflict potential.

We protect the registered items from conflict. The proposal conflicts
with registered stuff. We sometimes create an illusion that some other
jerk had the audacity to register something two decades ago that
conflicts with the precious proposal we're checking. (Harsh
terminology intended - think how many people get angry when being told
about conflicts and you'll see the mindset.)

I've taken to reminding people that we promise to protect registered
items from conflict so their proposal needs a change because it
presents a conflict to this or that protected registered item so let's
fix that, honor the registration, and assure that when this gets
registered it's equally protectable. It takes thought at first but
eventually the answer to, "Whoops, this is in conflict with X," is
acknowledgment that the change is needed for the sake of someone who
went through this stuff before. Some people have even been worried
they'd step on others' toes armorially when translating lack of
conflict to their own chivalrous ideals of the Society.

"This is on conflict with X," is quite valid. Just remember, and
hopefully then you will present, the idea that we're protecting
someone who has already done what your client is doing now. It'll
clean up your phrasing and perhaps present the process in less of a
feeling of personal rejection ('no you can't' versus 'someone else
deserves protection').

- Teceangl
-- 
Heraldry is designed to be easily reproduced by anyone who sees the arms. -
http://www.s-gabriel.org/docs/clichelist.html