Some questions about exile

[Tshern]

Tshern, our forum P.I.
Those are our two new moderators.

I have a feeling the job is reserved.

I noticed it on his status... so this was an invitation to discuss the topic since no announcement was made.

No playing the logic game on me, man!

[AfterCrescent]

Meg has made an announcement here, it seems.

Tshern, P.I. => private investigator.

[Tshern]

Oh... Sounds like it would require groundwork, I might be too lazy for that.

Btw, I totally missed that thread and just stumbled across the new moderators...

[Ubernoob]

I'd just like to clarify a few things:
1) The ban had nothing to do with the panda fu thing.  Even though I'm disappointed our Dear Leaders so grossly misinterpreted both intent and effect in the chain of events, I'd like to make everyone very clear that the Fu issue is a completely separate issue than what got the ban.
2) I was banned for douchebaggery pure and simple.  The fact that JaronK is a close minded fool is a completely separate issue from how I treat close minded fools.  As it turns out, we don't want TGD level of howling against Idiocy (might want to make a note about that, Meg, because that's different from the initial discussions).

What have we learned?
A) Howling is not allowed on the levels it has in the past.  We've gained enough members that are not of the old mentality that we need to keep it somewhere between TGD and Gleemax.  TGD is too far and Gleemax is too little.
B) Any projects you do for the good of the boards need to get the Mods in on them.  If you don't notify them of what you're doing then your project could get your freedom of speech limited.

[Meg]

Something else we've learned:

1) Don't ever assume that we'll see your motive or intent.  Frankly, it doesn't matter.  It doesn't matter if you've told us about it ahead of time.  It matters how it is presented in public.  Unless everyone is clear on your motive, don't reserve it for a few select folks.  We judge actions, not what you want your actions to be. 

2) If you think you are doing something for "the good of the boards" and are asked to stop and you continue, don't try to pass blame and use the excuse "I was just trying to help and look at what I got" if you continue and we take action. 

And the

B) Any projects you do for the good of the boards need to get the Mods in on them.  If you don't notify them of what you're doing then your project could get your freedom of speech limited.

Let's be perfectly clear here- being moderated has nothing to do with freedom of speech.  That gets my dander all up.  This is a private site- you agree to play by the rules we set.  Freedom of speech don't enter into it.  And to equate a ban or an addition to your signature or deleting your signature to limiting your freedom of speech is 1) not taking any responsibility yourself and 2) asinine. 

Now that that's been said- Welcome back Uber.  It's nice to have you around again.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Found when I said to cut out the neg'ing fu:

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=305.msg78107#msg78107
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=305.msg78117#msg78117
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2507.msg78129#msg78129
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2557.msg81978#msg81978

And posts that support that:
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=305.msg78003#msg78003
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=305.msg78059#msg78059

So you posted new forum rules in a thread about:

    * Ideas about improving the gameology-fu system. We'd love to hear them. Let's discuss these
    * If anyone has coding experience and wants to help make any modifications for the system. Let us know. We don't have coding experience so any help would be awesome.
    * If you experience any glitches with the system or anything of that sort, let us know.
    * There is an option in the profile settings that you can receive a pop-up or PM upon having your gameology-fu altered if you are interested in that.
    * Do NOT complain about a point or two change in your gameology-fu.  If your gameology changes drastically (10 or more points) in a relatively short time, do NOT post it here. PM Meg about it.

And a thread with someone asking if we should have general guidelines.

Please excuse me for not reading the forum bugfix/suggestion board.  I assumed that any additions to the forum rules would be posted in the "meta" board.  You know, the one that describes itself as the forum where you "read the posting guidelines and any updates".

I still note no rules regarding fu in the official rules thread ( http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2.0 ).  Perhaps some errata is in order?

[BowenSilverclaw]

Would be nice, yes

Also, how long will the 'no fu for you' thing last?
Is it a permanent thing (seems a bit harsh) or just temporary?

[EjoThims]

Would be nice, yes

Also, how long will the 'no fu for you' thing last?
Is it a permanent thing (seems a bit harsh) or just temporary?

It was said to have been temporary ('a week or so'), but the duration was likely reset when the forums exploded.

[Kai]

That I can tell, there is not a place to set a duration, you're either a part of a member group or not, but a week does sound familiar...I PMed Meg about it since I don't know who was placed in there because of what, so don't know whose time should be up.

[Meg]

I believe everyone's powers are back-- let me know if for some reason you can't give fu points.

The boards crashing distracted me- thanks for the reminders!

[anomalousman]

Just an observation:

Statistically, any kind of numerical rating tends to take over the brain of a certain fraction of the populace.  Every forum site* I've seen that had one has had some people get overexcited, and then bad blood has been produced.  Not enormous amounts, but I'm just saying that the entire fu system is going to do this kind of thing occasionally. 

If I were giving out unwarranted advice, I'd get rid of the fu system all together.  If it wasn't there, I can't help thinking there'd be less jostling for position.  Of course, it's not important enough to deserve advice.

And this smiley is for my son, who wants to see it in action:

 




* Sample size is only four, but the demographics would have been nearly identical.

[Prime32]

I've seen people get similarly worked up about postcounts, though, to the extent where forum contests gave out +1000 posts as a prize.

EDIT: This was a place where there was a post-rank for over 20,000 posts.

[altpersona]

er, what sorta shmuck even wants to have a 1000 posts.. or even half that..


 

[veekie]

Beats me, posts are dead easy to get.

[Meg]

An update- I figure I'd rather put the information out in full then have backlash from gossip and rumors which will happen anyway, but being as preventative as I can.

In the last month we've had 12 reports of poor, deconstructive and abusive behavior and 10 were all related to Sunic Flames.  When asked if there was a good reason to keep him around, he admitted to not caring for the site and had no remorse for his actions and again claimed that the targets deserved it.  As such, he has been placed on a temporary ban.

This brings to light a good point- I have no interest in debating minutia and optimization when it comes to behavior.  Your behavior is either contributing to the site or it isn't.  And if it isn't, it's either neutral or it's deconstructive.  I don't care if someone made a poor build or once got a rule wrong.  I don't care if your optimization skills are unbelievable.  If you can't talk to other people and only know how to abuse and drive people away, your skills really aren't all that valuable, are they? 

Arguing such facts is childish and immature.  I'd like to surround myself with people here I feel comfortable around and who I'm not anticipating shitting all over the cake I just baked.  We're getting closer to that population, and I'm interested to see how this temp. ban affects it as well.  I want people here who have a good head on their shoulders and have a sense of reality and how the world works.  I have little patience for judging someone based on imaginary criteria and those who do that.  How they represent the imaginary world- well, now, that is a skill that translates into real life. 

[altpersona]

is this the wrong place to mention we like it when you use your angry voice?

[Meg]

  no, this is the right place. 

Oh!  I mean: 

[Meg]

Oh, just another point of fact- the reason of posting this is to learn as we're going and have everyone learn with us.  Feedback is just an opportunity for learning- temp bans included.  But I feel in this circumstance there was plenty of warning.  Take a look at the trash bin to see the number of posts that were deleted.

If you have a post deleted, that should be a cue.  If there is no reasonable explanation, please ask.  Many times a post is deleted just because of its relationship to another post or for some completely benign reason all together, so if you are curious and we don't give an explanation, please ask.  But if you do something that you know is crossing or close to the line and it's deleted, take that as a warning.  But still keep an open mind and ask for feedback.  If someone was honestly trying and cared, I'd keep them around.  *coughcoughJoshcoughcough*

[InnaBinder]

If someone was honestly trying and cared, I'd keep them around.  *coughcoughJoshcoughcough*

[Meg]

And something else-- of the 6 people total we've banned (not including spambots of course), either perm. or temp., 4 are in the top 5 list of having the most negative fu points given to them.  The 4 most recent bans in fact. 

So yeah, the system is very flawed, but it does give me a good indicator of who is valued and who is disrupting everyone else so I know if it's just my hangup or not.