Banning nuisances

I was reading over the "Speck rejoices at WF's troubles" or whatever the thread is in the gray room, and I though to myself,

Why do we let these people post here? I mean, really, it isn't like they contribute to the overall discussion on this board. Zodiac, Speck, et al...why not just ban them, if all they want is to pester us? It's a message board, after all, so why not be "unfair" and just get rid of them?

Certainly it wouldn't HURT anything. And who knows, we may even still have the champagne room around if we just banned and refused admittance to anyone who came from or primarily posts at TK.

I agree that posters who are mere nuisances should be banned.

And I think it is obvious to anyone whose opinion matters (meaning: me) that I am the best placed to determine which posters are just nuisances.

I will submit the list to Elwood for immediate execution (note: Pay attention to the context. That is not a death threat! Well, not very much...) once I get done with it.

It will be long...

​

Here's a better idea:

DON'T FEED FUCKING TROLLS!

I've never understood why at any board I've ever been at that no one can do this.

Is this because I posted "Fuck you, Crosis" after you negged me?

Eh. I just don't see the point in keeping around people who say outright they're only here to cause trouble. I don't really enjoy the drama, and I come here for enjoyment, not to roll my eyes at the stupidity of people trying to be nuisances.

Who cares what they say about WF?

All that banning them would do is make what they say closer to true.

I don't really care if what they say is true. I don't care if they think we're a bunch of Nazis.

Why should any of us care, really?

Due to the precedent it might set. Are Face and JohnM also on the list?

Well, have either ever stated they're only here to cause trouble for the board, IE shutting it down and hunting down private info et al?

There's a difference between riling people up by saying something offensive (I did that in my college classes all the time) and going out of your way to disrupt the board as a whole.

Have I?

Sorry Crosis, I already barked up that tree loud and long. No go.

Not that I know of but several people here accuse them of being troublemakers only here to casue problems.

You want to start down that road because those accusation have been leveled at others as well?

Champagne Room?

Everyone needs to remember how and why this board was founded in the first place. One could argue that banning 'nuisances' is the first step towards super-moderation. And human nature being what it is, after the first 'nuisance' is banned, then we are all at the mercy of mods who will ultimately decide what constitutes 'nuisance' behavior.

So fuck that. Not feeding the trolls is the best idea I've heard. Unfortunately, too many people are just too weak willed to avoid taking the troll bait.

Wordforge is all about freedom. Let's keep it that way, not start banning people just because we don't like them. Shit, I'd have already banned a few myself if that were the case.

Keep on thinking free!!

*Impales Marso, and leaves him in the square to terrorize the others*

Nope. Face is often amusing and sometimes engages in some good debates. And of course, we need JohnM to keep us safe from the aliens.

Who decides where the line is drawn though?

MEEEE!!!!!

*Trumpets*

[t]http://www.wordforge.net/images/smilies/king.gif[/t]

Have I ever stated I'm only here to cause trouble for the board, IE shutting it down and hunting down private info et al?

BTW: I do try and contribute to this board.
But noone seems to be interested in philosophy or psychology, just Joke-and-runs. Which I'm happy to do.

And, I make a shitty troll because i take things personally.
Zodiac (gagh, Tamar, Menty, jack) know this and that's why they hound me sometimes.

So, if you think I'm just here to troll, ban me.

Hey! That would be a cool poll!

I disagree. I think you're a great troll, especially when you go out of your way to bait others into calling you on your claims, and then turn around and act completely innocent when receiving negative attention.

(Since Speck saw fit to drop names, citing his actions might be apropos.)

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oops, this is the help desk

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Aww, shit, it was good too.

I liked the part where once you built up a head of steam, it was just an unbroken chain of MF bombs until you went hoarse.

Zodiac just qualified with his 'hanging' thread. Well over the line. Ban his ass.

As much as I don't particularly enjoy having Zodiac around, I don't think he deserves a ban without acquiring any warnings. That's the way we have done things for so long, and I don't think that we should change it for an obvious troll. Let him do what he wants and the staff will warn him when he crosses the line.

Until then, just ignore him. Don't post in his threads. Don't leave him reputation comments. Don't acknowledge his presence at all, even if he posts a halfway decent thread. He isn't here to be a part of our community, he's here to cause trouble. Any post that he makes, even if you agree with the contents of the post, is part of his plan to "take down Wordforge."

If anything, the standard for banning someone right now is "We just plain can't trust the sonofabitch".

Let's get things straight: Zodiac is not a nuisance. Face is a nuisance. JohnM is a nuisance. Sokar is a nuisance. Zodiac is a vandal. Vandals should be banned. Period.

This is a no brainer. Don't defend Zodiac by calling him a nuisance. He deliberately vandalizes the board and causes trouble. He does nothing else. Defending him is preposterous and unworthy of everyone here. It's not a question of freedom; it's a question of maintaining the functionality of the board by keeping vandals out. The most libertarian among us must agree that there is a place for criminal law; Zodiac is, in effect, and in the context of this being a purportedly well functioning bbs, a criminal. Lock him up, or, as is a more appropriate word under the circumstances, out.

The problem with Zodiac is not the substance of what he has to say; it's that he's trying to take down the board. Banning him would be nothing whatsoever like what trekbbs did to cause the emigration to wordforge to the first place, and it is either idiocy or a complete denigration of wordforge to claim otherwise.