Issue about FREE BALL?

[The Statman]

True, but having ball in hand gives him a choice. If he prefers position A over position B, he can play from A. If the ball lands on B, he has no choice, he must play from B, he cannot play from A.

It is possible, with ball in hand, for his options not to be limited. In which case, why award a free ball? What is it being awarded for in that case?

I see what you are saying. But as APK says upthread, what if the last red is directly behind the black on its spot? Sure he can hit the extreme left, sure he can hit the extreme right. But he cannot hit most of the points in between. Where do you draw the line?

There will be times (not talking about from the D) where the player can only just not see the thinnest edge of the ball, but if he was able to it would not be the favoured shot anyway.

How can rule be determined by the desirability of being able to play a particular shot? Either it would have to be a subjective decision by the referee, or by reducing the option of the free ball would diminish choice in another scenario (such as behind the black as mentioned) where the extra option would be merited.

In fact, there is a good argument for scrapping the Free Ball rule altogether, or making it full frontal contact only. But I would envisage this would still apply to the D if in no place was full-ball contact available.

[vmax4steve]

Being able to hit the extreme edges of a ball on is the wording in the rules that clarifies a snooker. This should be re-written to state that if all parts of a ball on can be struck, then it is not considered a snooker. That would make the situation clear, and from the perspective of having cue ball in hand where all parts of a ball on can be struck from different positions in the D, wheras now the rule states from "a single position" it should state "from any position".
Because of the changes in tables, cloths, balls and tips etc, the game is in danger of becoming boring to those of us who play it and love it, it has already become so in the eyes of the paying and viewing public. I would suggest that the pros who make their living at the game would not like to go back to heavier balls, slower cloths and tighter pockets as their skills as coached to them, which makes them reach "that certain standard" in just a few short years, is not equipped to cope with such conditions. We are already seeing that now with the new Star tables.
It might be better to change a few rules to make the game a little harder and cut out some of the easy options that are in place now, such as rolling up behind a colour, taking a free ball when not snookered, having many attempts to escape from snookers, re-racks when it is not a stalemate situation etc.
For the free ball rule I personally would like to make it so that after a foul shot has been made the offended player would only get a free ball if there isn't a pot on. If he can see a pot anywhere and he doesn't like it then the option of putting the opponent back in should be the only option.