Elim Garak

First off, I'm going to agree with the dissenting opinion here and voice of reason. I went to TK back when Lanz was running things because I was tired of this place. But their moderators fuck with rep there for their own fun and amusement; trolling the members. I don't like it when the staff fucks with posters--even unpopular posters--for their own fun and amusement.

That said, it is clear that this opinion, like the opinions of many posters more respected than me will have absolutely no weight with those in charge. "Oh, poor Volpone, still crying over rep. We know what is best for you stupid proles. Shut up and take your medicine." And I'll still be stuck here because I like using the Blue Room. And of the BBSs still extant, this is the one I hate the least.

There's that's two minutes wasted.

I repped you, because you made a clear statement: The one bolded above. I also pointed out that this disagreed with what John and Anc were saying, and you didn't clear that up -- and frankly, it's probably up to them to do so.

http://wordforge.net/index.php?posts/2623090/

http://wordforge.net/index.php?threads/discouragement-and-you.104054/page-8#post-2623102

Being the monkey in charge is different from being the monkey throwing shit from the trees.

Really? How many times have you been a boss or person of authority in real life? Because I have been for 14 years, rather than pretending to be one on the internet.

When you lose the support of the troops you undermine your own standing. A commonality between you and, it seems, your successors - save that this is early days for them and they have plenty of time for adjustment. Being the top person means you're always going to get shit. It's part of the deal. The real test is to show how fair and accommodating you are. You don't have to bow to every request, but equally you don't have to snub every proposal or objection because you either have pride issues, don't like the person making the suggestion or don't personally agree.

I'd accomodate the fact that you had shit in your life during your tenure, but when I had crap in my life you didn't care a shit. So, really, you are in no position to give wise words of wisdom to these boys. They are, all round, doing a much better job than you, despite this particular issue.

I've never understood why people care so much about rep. That being said, I think it's a fun toy to have around, and I'm disappointed it's gone as well.

Actually, Chup, that's not a very good description of authority at all.

I was a section supervisor for BAE Systems for eleven years. My section had up to fifteen people in it and was responsible for millions of dollars worth of services.

Nowadays, as a government employee, I'm usually the acting supervisor when my boss is absent.

So before you run your yap, make sure you know what you're talking about.

All the more reason then why you should be embarrassed over your attitudes here when in charge.

Out of interest, what does a "section supervisor" supervise?

DUH!!! The section.

fair enough.

I think his probably wins. Just a hunch.

Really? I'd disagree.

You could be right; I don't know what El Chup's stuff consisted of.

Ironic that a few posts after a "know before you judge comment" here you are deciding that you can make an informed judgement on my life.

Not only have you clearly not experienced deep loss, but there is a great deal that has gone on in my life since the last of my personal revelations here. Quite frankly I have been through the worst ever period of my life over the past five years, and little of that has to do with what you know. Deaths, health problems and financial worries as a result thereof. I am still going through the mill, and, despite having now set up my own business, am still suffering the after effects at a time in my life when I should be getting the most out of things. I put on a positive face every day and chug through but the truth is that I am fucking miserable in life. But I don't like to show that, because I think it's weak. I don't need the sympathy of others, because when I have needed it, no fucker has ever been there for me.

So don't fucking come in here and lecture to me about who is going through or has gone through shit just because you decided at some point that you had a disliking for a name on the internet.

Not based on disliking a name on the internet -- just on knowing the things that happened in Lanz's lift that sucked pretty hardcore. But I'll stand corrected.

Personal misery is not a pissing contest.

Usually one section = one task area. In my case, graphics and video production. Making sure the customer got the services they were paying for and were kept happy while also making sure we didn't run over budget and stuff. All while taking care of my staff (up to fifteen individuals at peak manning) and the standard administrative issues that come with that (time cards, leave requests, sick days, training requirements, etc.) Also acted as the technical lead for the section. Which also means I had input on writing proposals, statements of work, and staff evaluations.

All of which is why I've no interest in doing that kind of shit any more.

Unfortunately there have been douchebags here who have used real life info to manipulate me, so most of what I post online now is superficial.

I think it's a sad testament to the state of Wordforge and the internet I general that you can't reveal stuff without people abusing that trust. But l, alas, that is the way of things. It's a shame, because in recent years I would have killed to have extra people to speak to.

Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!

fair enough.

Hold on, there. I did not say it would be fun because it will be frustrating for him. When I made the "funny" comment, it was sarcasm, and I certainly didn't say anything about it being fun to frustrate him, quite the opposite. I don't want people to try to cause trouble, I don't want them disrupting the board, and I don't want them doing everything they can to make my life harder. When that happens, I'm more than likely the first person to deal with it. It is not fun for me, nor do I find it entertaining.

While I have filled these gentlemen in on how the tool works, each one does go about explaining it their own way, but it's like telephone, where a few details change because they haven't actually used the tools themselves. It does allow for posting, although the ability is severely restricted. You can't be under Discouragement and not know it, because search will not work, newsfeeds will not work, page loading times are very long, and the flood control time is 10x that of anyone else. Discourage is far more effective than a simple IP ban because of its identification and execution methods (I say for what must be the 20th time), which is one of a number of reasons why it's being used. The settings are very high, and are only used on two types of species: The spambots that manage to break in on (now) rare occasion, and previously banned members who have posted illegal or disruptive images/posts. Currently, the latter number is one. That is the highest I'd like it to ever go.

Thank you for a clear and starightforward answer. I appreciate that.

From your answer, I'd say that Anc's plan to use this in order to give Elim a chance to become a better poster while under Discouragement, so that he can prove himself with lots of high-quality posts and then eventually be released, is not at all compatible with what the software is actually doing: He can hardly use the board and to the extent that he can, he is likely to be aggravated, rather than encouraged to join in with serious debate. Would you say that's a fair summary?

He can still post, but he'll have to be very choosy. He will have to decide whether he wants to post more illegal/disruptive twattery, or whether he will post something that contributes positively to the board, so Ancalagon is correct. Of course, he has more faith in Elim than I do, but he's still correct.

Oh dear. And we were doing so well two posts further upthread.

See, this is the kind of thing that makes me want to rend my clothes, pull my hair out, and bark my sorrows at the moon. I'm believing you're serious here, I'm hanging on to that belief with my teeth purely because it's you, but it seems nigh impossible to me that you don't see this enormous, glaring contradiction in what you're saying. I don't even care that much about the issue at hand; but I don't see how I can let go of such an obviously illogical argument. It's just not in my nature. If I could, I guess I would never have gotten stuck in TNZ back in '99.

So we're hoping -- or Anc's hoping -- that posting under duress will make him more likely to engage in debate, rather than stick to disruptive stuff? Doesn't it seem obvious that this is the opposite to what any human being is likely to do?

And in passing, have we just established that this software will still allow him to post disruptive stuff?

Don't you see that each of the three different descriptions of what this software is supposed to do that your game of telephone has produced underscores the concerns voiced about Discouragement, and that it is only by meandering from one version to the next that you're illuding yourself into thinking they've been answered?

"Won't this still allow him to disrupt the board?" -- Only in Anc's reality, but we'll answer this as if we're living in gul's reality!

"Couldn't you do the same with a permaban?" -- Only in gul's reality, but we'll answer this according to John's reality!

"Won't that create an even worse poster through frustration?" -- Only in John's reality, but in Anc's reality, it will teach him to be good!

You would make a fine lawyer, Packard. Though I fear that not using 24pt bolded bullets will provide enough wiggle room to not understand your points.

No, what we're doing is making it exceedingly difficult for him to do what he did before, because he is permabanned, and is trying to circumvent that ban. The idea is, well okay, he's found a way around the IP ban, but Discourage has got him. He can either try to make amends, or cause trouble. If he causes trouble, he will have a difficult time doing so. If he chooses to make amends, he has just enough leeway to make it possible.

[/Bonz][Bon]
You might find that while you'd have to deal with some douchebags, there are genuinely helpful/supportive people online. Sometimes you need to take a chance. As for the douchebags, fuck 'em.[/Bon][Bonz]

Don't ever change that avatar, T'Bonz. It does things for me.

I could have lived without knowing that.