QT3 Reporter wrote:

Or "community runner" (isn't that what the President did?)

jerri blank wrote:

jerri blank
Social Worker

Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: XBL: Big Sist3r
Posts: 3,051

Here's the thing - how can anyone who runs a community like this NOT be arbitrary and biased by personal feelings? Tom's a human being. I run a MUCH smaller community of grown-up gamers (others here probably run other communities), and there's simply no way, once you get to know people, to deal with them in an absolutely objective manner.

For example, a remark from one person has a completely different meaning than a remark from someone else, because people's motivations differ. I have a guy on my forum who has a history of flame wars with a Sony fanboy, so everything he says, no matter how innocent, gets viewed through that lens. Is he making an offhand observation about some graphics problems he's seen with the newest PS3 game, or is he trying to bait the fanboy? (Either way the fanboy gets pissed and sometimes needs a time-out himself.)

Or you might have one person who has a bad day and has a huge, nasty flameout that probably SHOULD get them banned, but because of their generally good history you let them stay.

Or you have the guy who continually walks up to that line, just to see where the line is, and soon becomes more trouble than he's worth just because of all the drama he causes. (Sure enough, as soon as you ban him, his defenders will come out of the woodwork and call you arbitrary and capricious and point out that Someone Else did something MUCH worse. And his defenders will pretend not to be his defenders, meanwhile slapping the guy's back on another forum.)

At the risk of sounding like a kiss-ass, Tom deserves a little slack. These communities are actually a huge PITA to run, because there's no handbook - just a series of small decisions made based on one's gut.

Tyjenks
How To Go

Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Up in the gym, workin' on my fitness
Posts: 14,396

Let's all go find Jerri's forum and mess with her as to her rules. ;)

jerri blank
Social Worker

Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: XBL: Big Sist3r
Posts: 3,051

My forum is pretty locked down to prevent reprobate spillover. :)

Nice try, but her forum is pretty locked down. Good luck trying to post something there. :) Just kidding guys ;).

Elsewhere, in the thread that exists for the sole reason of discussing bans, Lorini has just had it with people questioning Tom. I believe that Lorini is the person who was told to "suck a cock" or something by another poster, and that poster was banned and had to apologize to her, Tom and everyone. I forget who it was. Point being, ever since, Lorini has thought she was the deputy in charge of forum language.

Lorini
New Romantic

Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Pasadena, Ca
Posts: 6,273

Maybe it's too early for me but jeezus, do people just want to be banned or what? This is not a street corner folks. You don't have 'rights' here, including the right to disagree with him if he doesn't want you to. Tom can run this place however he wants. I'd advise if you have an issue either leave or take it to PM. I realize that you think you should be able to disagree or whatever but really he doesn't have to let you do that. Call it 'real life', not 'should life' or even 'second life'.

And I would really appreciate it if the C word could be used less and not more. It's disgusting to me. That's my request, it's about me and not this forum nor is it about Tom.

http://www.quartertothree.com/game-talk/showthread.php?t=51849&page=36#1078