Author Topic: Making the Boards Safe for Ms. Traviss's Return: An All-Around Pledge of Good Conduct
Bodknocks_  509 posts
Registered: Apr '04
14709_Luke's Hand
Date Posted: 10/17/05 8:11pm Subject: RE: Making the Boards Safe for Ms. Traviss's Return: An All-Around Pledge of Good Conduct
Umm... I think I liked that "Thank You" thread better.

Seriously. Did everyone, per chance, happen to read the title of this thread? Instead of resolving the conflict, it just got merged into this thread. I move for this thread to be locked before further flameing and arguements continue.

 

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GrandAdmiralJello  60052 posts
Title: Emperor
• EUC
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Registered: Nov '00
44644_Imperial Laurels
Date Posted: 10/17/05 8:24pm Subject: RE: Making the Boards Safe for Ms. Traviss's Return: An All-Around Pledge of Good Conduct
Yes, I agree that this calls for a serious look into how VIP communication is handled here on the JC. I'd hope that things could stay as they were, since it was more than ideal--it was an exceptional window that wouldn't normally be afforded anywhere else. It'd be an absolute shame to lose the chance to be able to directly communicate with the authors.

 

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Master_of_Ossus  457 posts
Registered: Mar '03
17651_ARC Commander
Date Posted: 10/17/05 8:31pm Subject: RE: Making the Boards Safe for Ms. Traviss's Return: An All-Around Pledge of Good Conduct - Date Edited: 10/17/05 8:54pm (2 edits total) Edited By: Master_of_Ossus
Master_Uxi posted:
Calling individuals out would certainly only lead to an escalation. Look how defensive you are in thinking he was even talking about you to begin with.


Which is better than insulting EVERYONE who was even TANGENTIALLY involved, right? Is it not better to call out two people than to insult everyone in a stadium?

Uxi posted:
Seeing your response, I would imagine your reaction to being named would have been worse rather than if others had been named.


I would have done the same thing: ask for a statement I made that I should apologize for but have not, yet.

Uxi posted:
The fact that you're openly derisive about the possibility of Karen's return is what demonstrates the problem this thread was meant to avoid, not your conduct during the GAR thread, which I thought proper for the most part (even if a tad obstinate).


Where have I been "openly derisive about the possibility of Karen's return?" Please quote me.

Uxi posted:
While I myself thought you provided some good points, you've apparently taken this far too personally, much less seriously. Note that I haven't, nor do I care to, see what exactly transpired on Karen's blog. Do you think so highly of yourself that you think that if the choice was between having you on the board versus Karen that you would be chosen by the majority, much less the powers that be?


Where have I asked people to make that choice?

Uxi posted:
GAJ spoke in discrete and vague terms. The only one who made you an issue in this thread was YOU. Catering to the overdefensiveness of random uknown people on the Internet who might unknowingly take offense certainly sounds like a losing proposition.


"Catering to the overdefensiveness of random u[n]known people on the Internet" is precisely what pleasantries and "civility" are. I have never once taken offense to being flamed on a web-board, nor have I ever taken anything on such a board personally, yet several users in this thread (and elsewhere on this board) are asking that no one ever flame anyone here because someone might be offended. That's all well-and-good, but you cannot turn around and insist that some people be forced to be civil while others get free-reign to insult and deride others just by using duplicitous language designed to avoid implicating any single people while simultaneously making it clear to everyone who the actual subject is.

Uxi posted:
It would seem that the only possibilities we're left with are either not having open VIPs or having any interaction heavily moderated. I'd much rather have the VIPs in an open discussion (even KJA and the other poorer authors of the Bantam line), but it's definitely sad that it's come to this.


I disagree entirely.

Before we go on, though, can you please actually QUOTE someone who flamed Ms. Traviss and "drove her off the boards?" Note that this requires you to find someone--anyone--who flamed her before she stopped posting. I don't think that such posts exist. I perused the thread, again in its entirety, and I saw not a single comment that I would regard as a flame prior to her leaving the thread. In fact, I saw nothing I would consider a flame until after she had posted her first blog, and even then the vast majority of the "flames" were directed at other (read: non-Karen) users even then. If you're going to say that this discussion encouraged Karen to leave for good, then I'd ask you to back up your opinion with evidence of bad behavior. I'll even let you leave the posters anonymous--I'm familiar enough with the thread that I'll be able to recognize what people did and did not say on it--so go ahead and give their statements without their names if it would make you more comfortable.

With respect, I think that this whole, "Karen got flamed and decided never to post here because of it" thing is an after-the-fact invention. I don't really think it ever happened. If you look back at her first blog entry, she INVITES people to flame her there, so I don't think that she was too bothered by anything that went on over here (unless you have reason to doubt her statement on her blog). If you look back over the thread which seems to be Exhibit-A in the minds of those who are blaming people like me for Karen's departure, I don't think you'll find flames there directed against Karen. While I did see an impassioned discussion--even debate--in the original thread, I never once noticed behavior that I would characterize as being of a nature that would drive someone to stop doing something they had previously enjoyed.

 

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Master_Keralys  6379 posts
Title: Manager Emeritus
Registered: Oct '03
39907_Obi-Wan Kenobi
Date Posted: 10/17/05 9:13pm Subject: RE: Making the Boards Safe for Ms. Traviss's Return: An All-Around Pledge of Good Conduct
While I haven't time to respond to aught else in your post, MoO: on your last paragraph, my thoughts are basically, Exactly! This is exactly what I've been trying to say for the last several pages, and emphasizing even more since I went back and reread all of it. IF and that's a big IF she stayed away because of this incident, it was because of things that came later, not as of the time she had left. However, I do think that making an effort to clean up the behavior on these boards is worthwhile and helpful in the sense that it'll keep the experience more enjoyable for everyone. More comments tomorrow, perhaps, after much sleep and medication.

- Keralys

 

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Borleias  918 posts
Registered: Dec '03
6289_A-Wing
Date Posted: 10/18/05 1:03am Subject: PGC: Keralys
OK, looks like I have some ground to cover. How about I do all of Keralys' first, take a bath, and then get on with Jello?

Master_Keralys posted:
The2ndQuest, thank you. I appreciate your work as a mod on this issue. I also appreciate the fact that as a board, we're not willing to put up with flaming.


Trust me, pal, we actually appreciate The2ndQuest as a mod too. While we clearly have some differences of opinion, I still consider him the best of the mods in TFN (an opinion I believe held also by all Saxtonites in TFN Lit), and that makes him precious.

Keralys posted:
Borleias - I may have time to respond to the rest of your post later. But as for your comment that I was just flaming without using flaming phrases - I apologize if that's how you took it. I was doing nothing of the sort. It seems to me that a lot of people in certain sectors of the board have a tendency to read way too much into a simple reply. Seems to me, in fact, that this is the basic cause of our current set of contentions at its most basic level. When I argue with you and poke holes in your premise aggressively, I am not flaming. When I insult your intelligence, I am. There's a difference.


It is just as I thought. In my opinion, you aren't even aware of what you have really done. But no apology was necessary. Not only because it'd hypocritical for me to seriously complain about you flaming after I said flaming ain't so bad, but in fact I thank you for your candor. It stung, which is what a flame should do. Whether a post is a flame is not only the incorporation of flame words like "idiot", but also in the general structure which can show respect, frustration and others. Here is one of the more specific ones:

Keralys, last post posted:
Please get it through your head.


Do you really think just because you added "Please" and skipped the "idiot", this is not a flame against my intelligence? I understand what you said just fine, just that I don't agree.

How about the word "Hogwash". If I replaced it with a particular 8-letter compound word that's a synonym that starts with B and ends with T, all of a sudden, I'd be flaming with a swear word. The mods (if they saw it) would swoop in to black out the word and issue a warning.

I said above I thank you for your candor. Now I'd tell you why. After the about 5 seconds that it stung (I'm not a Flamer, but I am a veteran of Flame Environments), I got over it and gathered valuable intelligence on your emotional state, which seems to be frustration, perhaps even anger that leaked through to your paragraphs. That actually allowed me to adjust my answer subtly by letting me know where you stand. If you left your prose perfectly calm, I would have been unable to obtain this data. That's the attitude we want TFNers to also possess.

Keralys posted:
Oh - and if people want to see what the real behavior of certain posters on these boards has been like elsewhere, and see just how out of line it's been, by all means follow the link posted by Borleias above, talking about Karen's allegedly attacking other authors' numbers. Read and learn. Makes it pretty clear how things really are.- Keralys


So it is OK to justify your work by attacking someone elses (In this case Saxton's), though Saxton actually took account of the galaxy's economy and got it approved through LFL in a DK definitive source. It is not clear what Traviss into account.

This is a good example, by the way, of the kind of problems that seem to appear when one allows the Means of Civility to override the Ends of Good Discussion. People seem to think as long as they hadn't stuffed words like "idiot" in, they can use sarcasm (see Kudzu's replies to me) or more veiled insults or even adding a "Please", and they are still showing "respect" or at least not flaming. Or just line up whining about the fact someone added a couple of choice words into their post (have you seen our ex-member LDB and his page-long trials of vultures?). So even civility as practiced here, I'd argue, is a bit warped.

Master_Keralys posted:
A few of us would still beg to differ to the contrary - that she did no such thing, did not in fact start any fight.


She actually started the fight when she decided the number would be 3 million. She can't be unaware that there are people who take this seriously - after all, they are the same group that eventually got the various sizes corrected - so LFL knows such people exist and possess considerable numbers and power. These people are precious, because they care. They are your best fans (see my first post). Arguably, over a period of time if you take their advice, Star Wars as a whole would be better for it because they'd ensure everything lines up - and a story is always better without the inconsistencies and illogical parts.

She also can't be unaware that there are people on this board that would defend EU to their deaths. When she says something like this, she's setting up those two sides for a confrontation. If she doesn't know, one wonders what she does here...

Master_Keralys posted:
That in fact, her replies were cordial, if - as we've come to expect from Karen - a tad sarcastic, and simply trying to answer the questions.


Maybe to people who are her friends already. You already know what it sounded like to us. I believe if you read those for the first time, your impression would focus on the "tad sarcastic". But I still think the first unforgivable crime is to try and escape by calling it a fantasy. The question is on realism and continuity grounds. It deserves a good answer. Instead, "It is a fantasy. Have fun..."

Keralys posted:
I've read everything she's said on the subject, and I really don't find a hint of venom or provocation. I find only answers to questions posed, answers that people didn't like/didn't care for.


Let me explain this. When you are asked a question on a Potential Major Consistency/Plausibility Error in your source that tries to add Plausibility, you don't tell them "It is a Fantasy (so plausibility does not matter) You see all these things that don't make sense. (That's why I don't have to make sense). Have fun!" Sarcasm is also highly inappropriate.

Keralys posted:
There's nothing inherently directed at any side, contrary to popular opinion.


Actually it does. Basically, she's defending with her WEGites. We "Saxtonites" are assaulting. She can't want her WEGites to stop firing first, because that means her number holds no water. Guess who she wants to stop firing. If we both stop firing at the same time, the fort is ruled as "Held".

Furthermore, one can argue in fact everyone was attacking her in a sense. The "WEGites" in this case try to build the pontoon on two ends. The pontoon, after trying to stretch it from the droid end by killing or sidelining 99.9% of them, can only be met by expanding in the other direction. So the I84 winds up being sealed off 7 ways to Sunday. The number itself becomes valid for the shortest possible time (Charlemagne for instance uses 1 year, which is way too long for 3 million but you get the point). Countless clones come from other refineries using other methods like Spaarti. Countless natives are assumed to be added. The GAR becomes a "show army" (Charlemagne here too). Countless other Armies are inserted, clone or not. The GAR becomes a speck of sand in a beach which somehow I still doubt is how they intended the dust to settle... Nobody thinks the number really works, and all the WEGites are doing seem to involve making it true in some microscopic, symbolic way. Perhaps a better way to describe it is that they are not arguing it is "true", just that it is "less false".

Keralys posted:
There's nothing specifically addressing the validity of either side's argument, nothing specifically addressing the argument at all, in fact - just a note that she finds it dumb to get so worked up over something so trivial. She wasn't trying to "stop a war," she was trying to tell people that it's not worth getting so worked up over. I happen to think she was right. You may not. That's your prerogative. However, it is in no way your right to insult/slam/bash her for having that mentality. It is a defensible and (I believe) logical mentality to have when it comes to any piece of entertainment.


It might be a defensible mentality, but only if you aren't the person who started it. In any case, she attacked the validity of what we fight for, by belittling it, which is more important.

[quote=Keralys]So in fact I'd have to agree with her assessment that the behavior regarding this 3 mil debate has been pretty childish, even from the outset. Yes, it started innocently, but quite quickly it was full-on throwing it out the window and insulting the concept - which basically is a thinly veiled attack on the author him/herself.[/quote]

Insulting the concept of 3 million men being a significant influence in a galaxy against quintillions of enemies? I'm really sorry, but somehow I just can't bad-mouth that motion.

[quote=Keralys]If you will stop getting angry someday, why not do it sooner rather than later, like, I don't know, maybe now? That's basically what we're asking for. Not that you stop arguing it, but that you stop getting angry about things that aren't worth getting angry for.[/quote]

I already told Havac that I'm willing to sign a mutual cease fire involving not harassing Traviss for this point. As for stopping my anger, do you know I still groan at Stackpole for Ch.1 Isard's Revenge and Bacta War, even though I've already "placed" those sources already? Stop flaming her I will (not that I ever had a chance to get started on this - and I know that this board is not that tolerant of flaming), real forgiveness she has to earn! grin

[quote=Master_Keralys]Neh, you've got to clarify that. It's not just looking at the screen. It's staring at it for hours, doing complex numerological and most particularly scalar analyses, to the point where the normal human being's eyes start to bug out, or (s)he falls alseep... What kind of genetic manipulations do they put Saxtonites through, anyway? tongue [/quote]

Some scalars over the years are easy. Which is why the Ex error was particularly heinous. One good look should have destroyed the idea of 5. One minute to grab a ruler, freeze the tape and make a rough measure. Maybe 9 minutes of getting the best fit. Ten+ years of pain and grief eliminated by ten minutes of effort... If only, if only they knew that some people will take this seriously as well as for fun! Boo-hoo!

[quote=Keralys]Side note: you're correct in that you flame a lot less than some of the others around here. It's still too much for the tastes of the people who post on these boards, which is just as important in determining how effective your post may be. While your style may prove effect at SDN, it proves dramatically less so here because of the culturally different views of civility and general courtesy on this board as opposed to that one.[/quote]

I'm taking that into account. Fortunately, my style is suitable enough to both boards I don't have to make any real changes in behavior. I'm a bit gruff on TFN, a bit soft on SDN... and everything more or less works grin

 

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Sinrebirth  19002 posts
Title: Sith Emperor of the SWC
Registered: Nov '04
47748_Dath Vectivus
Date Posted: 10/18/05 1:23am Subject: RE: Making the Boards Safe for Ms. Traviss's Return: An All-Around Pledge of Good Conduct
*ponders*

Deep thoughts, no?

Or insulted parties arguing over nothing more than wounded pride?

The tactics and strategy of either side are just as much on trial as your intentions.

What if Ms. Traviss did return and apologise for insulting anyone?

How would you react?

Would you respond with courtesy, or with pride?

Points that relationships between VIPs and TFNers do need examining, are valid in so much as structuring a system of etiquette that was informal. Is it necessary to have such minutinae?

*folds arms over chest*

 

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clonewarseu  907 posts
Registered: Feb '03
5999_Anakin
Date Posted: 10/18/05 1:48am Subject: RE: Making the Boards Safe for Ms. Traviss's Return: An All-Around Pledge of Good Conduct
If Karen Traviss won't come back here, those who genuinly wish to interact with her in a civil manner could always go to where she is. She does post on other message boards.

 

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PainRack  442 posts
Registered: Jan '04
24168_Aayla Secura
Date Posted: 10/18/05 2:52am Subject: RE: Making the Boards Safe for Ms. Traviss's Return: An All-Around Pledge of Good Conduct
Ender_Sai posted:


I should point out for the benefit of you and Borelias that as VIP, she is entitled to respect. Being a VERY IMPORTANT person affords her that right, and this has been a facet of Western society since you were born, and beyond.

Correction. We do pay her respect. However, that doesn't mean one cannot disagree with her, especially when the above person is wrong. I respect President Kennedy, but if he screwed up in the Bay of Pigs, then I'm going to say he's screwed up. Its as simple as that.


Note. There was no insults, there was no "OMIGOD, THE WORLD IS GOING TO END" hysteria in any of the related threads. It was a simple statement made not by a Saxtonite, that the 3 million numbers doesn't fit the scale of the SWU.

Havac posted:
All I'll say is, from the posts that have been made defending the Saxtonite POV, they seem to believe that civility is irrelevant, and if soemone disagrees with them, that person lacks inteeligence and deserves their direct disrespect.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

I repeat myself, and others will do so again.

1. There was NO FLAMING OF MISS KAREN. To this day, nobody has quoted ANYTHING that was remotely flaming. There was no accusations of her character, no accusations of her behaviour, no NOTHING to her face. Indeed, the only time that she was even mentioned to have behaved badly was when she went away to sw.com and the banning of fans over there started while she made her statements about fantasy(this after saying that she was a hard science author)

2. Borleais is saying that the focus on civility has reached the level where PC has overriden the purpose of civility. Civility is meant to foster a meaningful, good discussion. However, on this board and on others, it has mutated into civility AT the cost of discussion. In fact, I dare say it has already went beyond that at sw.com, because there, to disagree with the official line is considered flaming and "not nice behaviour".

That, is what me, Borleais and any others here who has commented is talking about.

We all want to be treated nicely on the internet. Its a web community. That means, nobody here likes to be treated badly. This isn't a bullying ground.

However, what you fail to understand is that this isn't license for the reverse. Mainly, everybody must be held accountable for their actions, including their mistakes. I see no reason not to point the finger at the Emperor and says that he has no clothes.

 

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PainRack  442 posts
Registered: Jan '04
24168_Aayla Secura
Date Posted: 10/18/05 2:56am Subject: RE: Making the Boards Safe for Ms. Traviss's Return: An All-Around Pledge of Good Conduct
Sinrebirth posted:

What if Ms. Traviss did return and apologise for insulting anyone?

I point out that there was nothing to apologise for. Just that she was mistaken in thinking that she was being flamed, hounded or anything, and that her actions were wrong.


 

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Borleias  918 posts
Registered: Dec '03
6289_A-Wing
Date Posted: 10/18/05 3:11am Subject: PGC: Jello ... bit of Sinrebirth
GrandAdmiralJello posted:
I'm an empiricist. Whatever the facts display is whatever I support (sorry for the passive voice). So in this instance, yes, I'd put me on the side of maximalism.[/quoter]

"Empiricist". Sounds good, but a little presumptious, because probably everyone thinks that of themselves. Still, maybe I'd steal it grin

Jello posted:
Who says they're arbitrary? They're quite established rules of conduct that have been developed for use in polite society for millennia--I'd argue there is more impressive to me than someone who is unable--or unwilling--to do so. Any child prodigy may throw a tantrum, but that child would not be put into a position of importance by anyone.


I didn't say they were not established. I said they were arbitrary. There is a difference. All one needs to do to start seeing the arbitariness of politeness is to ... for instance, look at what is considered polite in another country! In some countries, there are entire subsets of languages (Japanese keigo for one) that are used for talking to different people in your life, and incorrectly using them would be considered rude (nevermind their intricacy challenges even the natives to master them). To an American for example, this would seem rather arbitrary. Yet they would call them "established rules of conduct" that they would find hard to live without, even though there are obviously many out there that live without them just fine!

If I and you both agree not to use "Please" with each other, what would change? Arguably nothing once we've agreed on it. Suppose we decide to call each other "Idiot" and "Numbskull", what changes? Nothing once we've agreed to it. We can continue to have pleasant, and more importantly constructive conversations.

If the world decides tomorrow that it is OK to show up at weddings in T-shirts, what truly negative effect would it have? Hard to see any. In fact, a wedding might get slightly more pleasant because we aren't in uptight tuxedos! When one thinks like this, one wonders how arbitary the established rules of conduct can often be. There are probably some useful rules - like the rule for non-violence, but which I'd actually count as "ethics". But outside those few... their true usefulness without the rest of the cards is questionable.

If the world decides it is OK for people go to to specialist work untrained, there will be a negative effect.

Jello posted:
You can advocate Teutonic barbarism if you'd like, but I'd recommend that so long as you're in polite society (e.g. TFN, rather than SDN), then you'd best follow their standards.


I personally prefer different stories like the Inquisition or the suppression of science by the church, the persecution of people holding different viewpoints even if their's is more logical. It'd be a sad world indeed if science is ruled by rhetoric rather than logic (Kansas).

Besides, I really don't think language can be compared to brawn.

Jello posted:
An engineer is a person who follows orders. He's directed to design/research/develop something, and he does it. There's nothing beyond sheer brainpower involved. An engineer is not an impressive person because they've got a limited scope. Here's a better example.


They might be specialists, but that does not make them any lesser, if you ask me. Besides, a good engineer also takes into account ethics and economics to some extent in his design. If he does all that, and is willing to go head to head with his boss, a boss who knows about economics but not engineering, I'd gladly forgive him for being rude.

Jello posted:
Do you want a Chief Executive Office who's sole virtue is economic knowledge?


No, but I don't want one who has no economic and management knowledge even more.

Jello posted:
A rude genius and a polite idiot are both deficient and they're both inferior. If we want to get into hierarchical standards, since they seem more understandable, I look down my nose at the both of them. Neither of them are worth my time.


I wouldn't agree. If it is between the rude genius and the polite idiot, I'd take my lessons from the rude genius. I'd actually learn something that way.

Jello posted:
A mod, for instance, could easily call someone that posts a silly thread a "dumbhead". The reason they do not is because they hold themselves to higher standards.


Remember certain PMs we had Ref:Genghis12?

[quote=Jello]To be superior is to be better in all or most things, that is what characterizes a superior individual.


I'd disagree. By being superior at the important things, a person can be a superior individual as well even if he has what society considers to be weaknesses.

Jello posted:
You seem to think that giving respect to a person who doesn't prove themselves more intelligent is dishonesty.

I call it courtesy.


Which is honestly a kind of dishonesty, a "white lie". Besides, the point is not that they are "more intelligent". It is that they have "reasonable intelligence".

Jello posted:
I respect X as a user. I give additional respect to X on the basis he's courteous. I give even more respect to X on the basis that he sometimes, though not often, says something right.


That X wouldn't be Thrawn McEwok, would he? grin

Here's the difference.

I hand out some courtesy to Jello or AdmiralNick to encourage conversation, but you don't get real respect for free (you are getting the fake, trial version). He answers me in an intelligent manner. You gain value and respect in my eyes. I give you more courtesy (the real stuff), which you use. You give some back. We have a fairly nice exchange. You tell me you like a little more courtesy. Your respect allows you to "buy" that courtesy.

I hand out some courtesy to LDB. He flames me BUT he answers in an intelligent manner. The fact that he flames does not cost him many points (a few definitely, but not nearly as many as he gains from his answer's core). I get used to the fact (part of that "restraint" stuff you were talking up there) he flames. I answer him. He gains more respect from his counter response. I use my normal tone from there on. He does not get to buy extra courtesy from me - he didn't use the right currency for that, but he probably doesn't want to anyway.

The mistake would be to take too many points off LDB for the flame. Or to stop communications, or be bothered by it. A common mistake does not mean it isn't!

I hand out some courtesy to McEwok. He gets about two points for being courteous (maybe, if I don't think his courteousness hides a blade). But he loses about 20 for saying something so badly wrong it is hard to imagine how he even came up with it. I hand out more courtesy. He continues to squander it. It goes on for months... years... courtesy is simply not in infinite supply and obvious his respect debt increases to about one million...

[quote=Jello]Being friendly isn't dishonest, it's what is expected. Pretending to like someone may be dishonest, but I am perfectly respectful of those I dislike.[/quote]

Do you really "respect" (the stuff that is real and comes from your heart), or are you just courteous (the stuff that is really fake by itself and comes from your mouth or typing hands)?

[quote=Jello]Rhetoric and reason are inextricably linked. Reasoning is unimportant if one does not have the rhetorical skills to demonstrate them. One most "Show work" in math and write reports in science--rhetoric is as important as--and sometimes is a part of--reasoning.[/quote]

Yes, and as long as the report is clipped, it is adequate. There is no need for fancy rhetoric in this, just a basic level of moving thoughts to word.

[quote=Jello]But like I said above, he's not wrong because he swore. He's right, but it doesn't mean much if one has to resort to swearing to do it. He must have pretty crummy skills if he has to use crude terms as a substitute for better demonstration.[/quote]

And who decided really, certain words are crude? Is "oh, less than optimumly brained one" really so much better?

[quote=Jello]I think 3 million is silly and ridiculously low. However, here's a problem. Ms. Traviss isn't a normal user: she's a user with authority.[/quote]

Yeah, I know. I sigh when I think of that... I'd like to answer you on the below, but other than to say that in a SoD sense there is a difference between observable reality and a claim (related to Painrack's differentiation between events and numbers) and noting that the solution may be that all the facts (which includes facts from elsewhere) involved cannot be true, I can't say any more because I don't think we were supposed to debate 3 mil itself here.

[quote=Jello]Canon is our factual record. Canon says 3 million clones.[/quote]

Let's get technical. A source claims 3 million clones. There is a difference between observable reality and a claim like this (we've discussed this too). In general, we don't pull this move, though.

[quote=Jello]I'm sure that Ms. Traviss doesn't have any personal stake in how many clones there are. She's just trying to explain why so little clones are around from an official perspective.[/quote]

But her explanations are of inadequate magnitude. If an "official" explanation does not work, it gains more animosity than if nothing was tried.

[quote=Jello]What makes a VIP different? The fact that they're VIPs. They're guests of the board management and the management saw fit to give them special status. By the rules of this very board you've agreed to follow by registering, they automatically and unquestionably are worthy of more respect. Forget the Enlightnment theory and classical virtues I preached earlier, even--this board is private property and whatever the management says goes[/quote]

Fine. How much more courtesy, then? Respect can only be earned and internal in any case, so their rule is unenforceable, but how much more courtesy? grin

[quote=Sinrebirth]What if Ms. Traviss did return and apologise for insulting anyone? How would you react? Would you respond with courtesy, or with pride?[/quote]

If she does do that, I would like to think I will accept her apology with courtesy and the best of grace. That act might even buy back a bit of lost respect for her and ease some of my rage. I'd like very much to see such a result, which I think would be as happy for everyone as possible given the present circumstances.

 

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FTeik  4074 posts
Registered: Nov '00
39843_Palpatine
Date Posted: 10/18/05 3:38am Subject: RE: Making the Boards Safe for Ms. Traviss's Return: An All-Around Pledge of Good Conduct
I'm not in the mood for long posts, so i'll make this short. Also i'm adressing nobody special with this post.


1) About SD.NET:

a) the majority of people over there on average are very rational. If you make a claim or disagree with somebody and you can back up you position no problem. If you can't, prepare to be toasted. For me that is no problem: If you can't stand the heat, stay away from the fire.
Many at SD.Net have also waited a long time for some mistakes or miconceptions that contaminated the EU to be corrected. Certainly enough time to become (very) frustrated.

b) I think it to be very pathetic, that it is OK if a VIP vents his frustration by talking about "ripping trachea out" or "inventing new curses" in an artificial language of a fictional universe, but if some fans do the same at a place, where they can do that it is supposed to be the end of the world. I don't know about you, but for me that smells of hypocrisy and dishonesty.


What brings me to my second point:

2) Flaming at TFN.:

Apparently some people here suffer from the illusion, that Mrs.Traviss was flamed at TFN. and left because of it.

For once this is not true and as a second - despite numerous requests to do so - no evidence was brought up.

The only thing remotely close to this was a link to another board - one i'm sure Mrs.Traviss isn't even aware of - brought in by a member of the accused party instead of one of their opponents. If that isn't ironic, i don't know what. And that long after Mrs.Traviss was already gone.


So i have to ask:

Prove, that Mrs. Traviss or Mr.Kaufmann were flamed or stop making such claims. Otherwise you'll make an idiot out of yourself and i won't hesitate to treat you as such (hope this was civil enough).


Which brings me to my last point:

3) Idiots:

If you say something idiotic, do something idiotic and behave like an idiot, then yes, i'll think you to be an idiot.

At that point i'm faced with two possibilities:

Nr.1: I'm "civil" and say nothing and allow you to keep your blissful ignorance. In that case i am not honest with you and you will see no reason to change or correct your behavior and my impression of you.

or

Nr.2: I'll call you an idiot AND explain WHY i think you to be an idiot and THEN you can say or do something, that will either change or confirm my view of you.

If you ask me, that is hardly flaming. Certainly not the same sad kind of behavior, that caused R.A.Salvatore to leave.

 

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Quiet_Mandalorian  8380 posts
Registered: Apr '05
40335_Boba Fett
Date Posted: 10/18/05 5:19am Subject: RE: Making the Boards Safe for Ms. Traviss's Return: An All-Around Pledge of Good Conduct - Date Edited: 10/18/05 5:30am (1 edits total) Edited By: Quiet_Mandalorian
FTeik posted:
the majority of people over there on average are very rational.
That doesn't neccesarily mean they're civil as well. Even amongst themselves, they're pretty rude 'n crude.

FTeik posted:
Many at SD.Net have also waited a long time for some mistakes or miconceptions that contaminated the EU to be corrected.
Interesting choice of words there.

FTeik posted:
Certainly enough time to become (very) frustrated.
Thereby justifying the rage?

FTeik posted:
b) I think it to be very pathetic, that it is OK if a VIP vents his frustration by talking about "ripping trachea out" or "inventing new curses" in an artificial language of a fictional universe, but if some fans do the same at a place, where they can do that it is supposed to be the end of the world. I don't know about you, but for me that smells of hypocrisy and dishonesty.
I don't know about you, but that's simply the way Karen is, especially (I would think) being a military sort of person, and all that sort of thing. She's not directly attacking anyone by it.

On the other hand though, it seems vaguely pathetic that you attempt to justify the sort of vicious, math-fueled flamethrowing that goes on at SD.Net by comparing it to Karen's occasional comments. thinking

 

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Commander5052  3504 posts
Registered: Aug '05
45237_Mando'ade
Date Posted: 10/18/05 5:26am Subject: RE: Making the Boards Safe for Ms. Traviss's Return: An All-Around Pledge of Good Conduct - Date Edited: 10/18/05 5:26am (1 edits total) Edited By: Commander5052
I mentioned earlier that I was the one who said Karen was flamed.
In this thread, I said earlier i neglected to mention it also occured on her blog and TOS according to her.

 

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FTeik  4074 posts
Registered: Nov '00
39843_Palpatine
Date Posted: 10/18/05 5:55am Subject: RE: Making the Boards Safe for Ms. Traviss's Return: An All-Around Pledge of Good Conduct
Quiet_Mandalorian posted:
FTeik posted:
the majority of people over there on average are very rational.
That doesn't neccesarily mean they're civil as well. Even amongst themselves, they're pretty rude 'n crude.


Perhaps they value substance more than style?

And as already said, nobody is forced to go there.

Quiet_Mandalorian posted:

FTeik posted:
Many at SD.Net have also waited a long time for some mistakes or miconceptions that contaminated the EU to be corrected.
Interesting choice of words there.


On purpose. We had to live with 120 kilometers for DeathStar1, 160 kilometers for DS2, an eight kilometer long Executor and those domes atop the bridge-tower being shield-generators for twenty years or longer WHEN already back in 1983 it was clear from interviews, production-notes and so on how things really were.

You didn't even had to be an employee of LFL or one of their licencees to get your hand on that material. It were ordinary fans, who found those materials and used them for analysis.

Quiet_Mandalorian posted:

FTeik posted:
Certainly enough time to become (very) frustrated.
Thereby justifying the rage?


I see you failed to comment on the "ripped out trachea" or the new curses in Mandalorian. Nice double-standard you have here.

Speaking for myself i'm less angry about the 3million-clone number, but how the authors first tried to justify it and then, when that didn't work tried to put the fans into the corner of the obsessive fanatic sitting in his parents cellar, who has no idea about "expert-territory" or real life or the starving children in africa.

Quiet_Mandalorian posted:

[quote=FTeik]b) I think it to be very pathetic, that it is OK if a VIP vents his frustration by talking about "ripping trachea out" or "inventing new curses" in an artificial language of a fictional universe, but if some fans do the same at a place, where they can do that it is supposed to be the end of the world. I don't know about you, but for me that smells of hypocrisy and dishonesty.


I don't know about you, but that's simply the way Karen is, especially (I would think) being a military sort of person, and all that sort of thing. She's not directly attacking anyone by it.

On the other hand though, it seems vaguely pathetic that you attempt to justify the sort of vicious, math-fueled flamethrowing that goes on at SD.Net by comparing it to Karen's occasional comments. thinking [/quote]

Nice try again: If Karen is so good at giving out, why is she so bad at taking in?

And since we are at it, why do you think that five posts by five different people are different from a similar post by Karen?


@Commander5052:

Flaming at TOS? It is impossible to get at that point. Every discussion over there is stomped out the moment one dares to differ from the party-line.

 

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Silver_mane  646 posts
Registered: Jun '05
44114_Carth Onasi
Date Posted: 10/18/05 6:35am Subject: RE: Making the Boards Safe for Ms. Traviss's Return: An All-Around Pledge of Good Conduct
*raises hand* What does TOS stand for? The SW.com forums?

I still want Ms. Traviss to return though, I love the insight writers give us on their novels, besides how often do we really have authors interact with fans on such a wide level?

 

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