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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

A Uncomfortable Question I Need To Ask,

Discussion in 'Communications' started by Gobi-1, Aug 6, 2003.

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  1. Gobi-1

    Gobi-1 Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Dec 22, 2002
    This is a touchy issue so I hope no one is offended.

    I was wondering what happens if a poster unexpectly dies? Is there any way to inform the other posters to the untimely death of another user. I would feel bad if a friend of mine here on the boards suddenly stopped posting and I didn't know what happened. It would also be sad if any of my friends on the boards wondered what happend to me if I stopped posting because I had passed away.

    Would the only way to take care of this is to inform your family, in case you were to die, of the places you post and give them your passwords so they could tell your friends of your passing.

    How has then been delt with in the past or has it even been discussed?

     
  2. YodaJeff

    YodaJeff Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2001
    First, someone would need to know that the member died (or someone would need to know that the person who died posted here). In other words, we'd have to somehow find out about the death.

    Then, I think the next step would be to try to verify that the person did die, and that it wasn't just a lame hoax by a friend, or by that person.

    Finally, I would imagine that some of their good JC friends would be notified first, to see if they can verify the information (since some people give their phone number, address, or other personal information away to good e-friends, which can be more reliable than trying to find something out using e-mail), and so that they can help decide if or how to announce it.
     
  3. Jedi_Nailbiter

    Jedi_Nailbiter Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 22, 2000
    This doesn't exactly concern administration policies or practicies. If you feel like you might die and wish to give your family members passwords so while dealing with the grief they can post about it on a star wars message board, go right ahead. The JC Administration or TFN has nothing to do with this. Its not like they're going to mandate that everyone give their passwords to a family member.


    And yeah, its been thought about many times before...just not in this kind of context.
     
  4. Maulfly

    Maulfly Moderator Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 23, 2001
    Yeah, not a subject that people often want to consider.

    I'm sure in a way it's kind of like having a provision in your Will (or like document) available to tell people what you want them to do/whom to notify and how. I've seen where people have claimed to be logged in on another's account to basically give such a message (one dealing with death, most with illness and so forth). The big question would be how to do it in such a way that your friends online didn't think it was a hoax or that your account had been hacked.

    Either way, I don't think there's much that the JC administration would have involved in actual cases like this. Their main concern would be moderation related issues...possible hacking, is the account being used to stir up trouble, and so forth. Spreading the word about a members death...maybe if an individual Mod actually was a close friend...


    Basically, if you know ahead of time that you might be very ill, probably take that time to notify those you feel should know. Maybe make arrangements with your family/friends to contact specific people (whether over phone, snail-mail, e-mail, IM, or whatever) either verbally, leaving a note somewhere, or something as formal as a Will. Depends on your situation. *shrug*
     
  5. Porkins in a Speedo

    Porkins in a Speedo Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    May 6, 1999
    this is a very tricky issue, considering that it's almost impossible to confirm anything about a member without personal info, particularly their first and last name. and we've had people such as Fluke_Groundwalker and YodaOfTheSith FAKE their death before. [face_plain]
     
  6. Maulfly

    Maulfly Moderator Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 23, 2001
    Exactly.
    Previous situations...like those...are why I mentioned the hoax bit.

    But if you actually knew someone well enough, it's possible that you might be communicating away from the JC with them...even over the phone...

    But PiaS is right, it would be hard in most cases to confirm and the information would be suspect...at least at first. Enough people have cried "wolf" to make others cautious. And it's not something to play around with lightly...people actually do get very close and worry about others, even over something like a SW message board. It would be like finding out a local RL friend had passed through word of mouth and after getting worked up have them hop out and say they were kidding just for the heck of it.
     
  7. TK_Four_Two_One

    TK_Four_Two_One Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 17, 2002
    wot happened to the above two mentioned? where they perm banned for the sick stunt??
     
  8. FlamingSword

    FlamingSword Jedi Knight star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 4, 2001
    I think most people will just dissappear. Few of us would really make a will and put in there that someone needs to tell the Jedi Council forums that they're dead.

    Unless you have a sibling, friend, or relative on the boards, it's doubtful we'll ever know.
     
  9. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 2, 2000
    I recall a hoax perpetrated in fanfic when an author disappeared for about a month and someone claiming to be related revealed that the young lady was dead. She wasn't of course and returned from a stay in the hospital to find that her story had been given nearly mythical status . . . you know, that thing about art increasing in value when the artist dies.

    I don't know this for sure, but I'll bet that once she finished the story it was a great disappointment to the readers, who were probably hoping for a Edwin Drood type situation to develop.

    I believe the perpetrator was banned.
     
  10. Maulfly

    Maulfly Moderator Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 23, 2001
    In other cases, I believe banning was involved...I'm sure at least one perm-ban.


    FS, I think, is right. In most situations, none of us will ever know. People "disappear" from the JC all the time. Some fade gradually way, others leave suddenly. Sometimes they let the world know they're leaving and why, usually you're lucky if they even realize they're never coming back. Others "retire" their old SN only to come back as an old or brand new sock, taking on a new identity. You just don't know.
     
  11. Malz4JESUS

    Malz4JESUS Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 12, 2002
    I remember seeing that thread Rogue1. That was weird :(

    I don't know if family or friends would think to look up what sites they used the most...they might go to the computer and look but I don't know ?[face_plain]


    God bless!

    -Malz
     
  12. -Lord-Vader-

    -Lord-Vader- Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Jan 15, 2003
    I remember a thread in the YJCC on this topic. But, I've got plenty of siblings and friends on the boards, so Im set for death.

    *Dies*


    Ah crap.
     
  13. jedi_master_ousley

    jedi_master_ousley Manager Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 14, 2002
    I was thinking about this the other day, actually.

    The easiest way to know for sure is if someone is in a fan force, because a lot of people would wonder what happened. Outside of that, it depends on who they know that lives near them that might happen to see something about it.
     
  14. mac-nut

    mac-nut Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 14, 2001
    The best way is to look after each other. I've already clued my "best friends" on the board that if they haven't seen me in the JC for over a week or two without having notified them of my absence in advance, such as vacation, hospital stay, working O/T, family visiting, then to please call my house or call my time keeper at work (I gave them her phone number/email addy already). If something happened to me, it's up to them to mention it here.
     
  15. xie

    xie Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    May 25, 2002
    PiaS, I thought with Fluke it was his girlfriend who was in the "car crash"?
     
  16. jp-30

    jp-30 Manager Emeritus star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Dec 14, 2000
    We had an incident in games a year or two back where someone faked their death. It took a while to get to the bottom of, but a phone call put it beyond reasonable doubt that it was a hoax. Permban(s) resulted.

    There was much grief at first, then much anger when the hoax was revealed. Now there's just pity and an ongoing in-joke.
     
  17. Porkins in a Speedo

    Porkins in a Speedo Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    May 6, 1999
    that was a different story he made up, xie.
     
  18. HellSpit

    HellSpit Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 25, 2000
    We just used it as an excuse to swear on the message boards, we werent really angry! :evil
     
  19. BobaFrank

    BobaFrank Jedi Youngling star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 17, 2001
    I remember this exact subject was brought up after 9/11 when the Towers fell, because some of us feared we had lost some members in the collapse.

    I'm in agreement. Unless users are known personally by other users on the board it's virtually impossible to know.

    It'd be interesting if we could come up with a code or some easy way for family or friends to notify the JC if something did happen, which I hope never does.
     
  20. TK_Four_Two_One

    TK_Four_Two_One Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 17, 2002
    without trying to sound harsh- i think that notifying the JC would be the last thing on friends and familys minds.
     
  21. BobaFrank

    BobaFrank Jedi Youngling star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 17, 2001
    Hey, I know, really. When my Mom died in 94' she had a book with about a 100 numbers of her friends and I had to call every one of them and give the news.

    Lets just say it wasn't a fun experience, and one I don't want to go through again, but it was necessary.
     
  22. TK_Four_Two_One

    TK_Four_Two_One Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 17, 2002
    sorry to hear about your mum dying, BF! :( i jus checked yer age and when your mum died your were younger than I am now. i cant imagine a life without my parents.

    ANYWAY.. back on topic... i guess it really boils down to how seriously each indvidual takes these forums. i dont really.
     
  23. SPACEMONKEY20

    SPACEMONKEY20 Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 13, 2001


    I'm very sorry for that Boba.... My Mom is terminally ill and probably won't be around this time next year.


    As for the topic at hand, My Wife knows how to get a hold of my JC friends in the event of my untimely demise.

     
  24. BobaFrank

    BobaFrank Jedi Youngling star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 17, 2001
    TK and Spacemonkey,

    Thanks. :)

    I guess in a perfect world we'd have all the answers.

    I've given info to my family also on who to contact when my time comes as well.
     
  25. flying_fishi

    flying_fishi Jedi Knight star 6

    Registered:
    Mar 26, 2002
    How about I shoot someone and we can experiment?
     
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