1. SPS Accounts:
    Do you find yourself coming back time after time? Do you appreciate the ongoing hard work to keep this community focused and successful in its mission? Please consider supporting us by upgrading to an SPS Account. Besides the warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from supporting a good cause, you'll also get a significant number of ever-expanding perks and benefits on the site and the forums. Click here to find out more.
    Dismiss Notice
Dismiss Notice
You are currently viewing Boards o' Magick as a guest, but you can register an account here. Registration is fast, easy and free. Once registered you will have access to search the forums, create and respond to threads, PM other members, upload screenshots and access many other features unavailable to guests.

BoM cultivates a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. We have been aiming for quality over quantity with our forums from their inception, and believe that this distinction is truly tangible and valued by our members. We'd love to have you join us today!

(If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. If you've forgotten your username or password, click here.)

POLL: Potentially Allowing Ragusa and Darkwolf to Post in AoDA & AoLS Again

Discussion in 'Sorcerous Sundries' started by Taluntain, Nov 18, 2006.

  1. BlckDeth Gems: 7/31
    Latest gem: Tchazar


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Nov 5, 2006
    Messages:
    205
    Likes Received:
    1
    Gnarf's post are hilarious...some of the things that he says are so incredulous they leave me laughing aloud as I read them. I need more of this; bring e'm all back!
     
  2. chevalier

    chevalier Knight of Everfull Chalice ★ SPS Account Holder Veteran

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2002
    Messages:
    16,815
    Media:
    11
    Likes Received:
    58
    Gender:
    Male
    I think the problem with Ragusa is not so much what he says as the reception he gets. And maybe the fact that he won't stand away from posting even knowing what kind of reception he's going to get. And let me once again say that the feedback he gets sometimes is often in a bigger conflict with the rules than his posts are. I vote positive and I'm in favour of letting him back and applying to him all the rules that exist with no exception, but with no extrapolation, either. Monitoring his posts closely in the beginning will be a good opportunity to determine the appropriateness of the feedback he gets in his threads, so that he benefits from the protection of the rules himself as well, i.e. that other posters argue with him, but the judgment of his posts comes from the moderators only, that he isn't a target of ad hominem attacks, that he isn't hastily criticised for a wrong reading of his points, that he can still express his unpopular opinion if he keeps it civil etc etc.

    As for Darkwolf, I just don't know. I don't remember anything. It would be a good idea to give him a chance, I think. I would add the same caveat as in Ragusa's case: being a prolific poster with controversial ideas, he needs to protected from ad hominem attacks and the like as any other poster and should be judged only by moderators.
     
  3. Shaitan

    Shaitan Always forgive your enemies; it annoys them so

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2005
    Messages:
    1,323
    Likes Received:
    5
    I say: Let the Board decide, hard to be "democratic" about this topic, someone has yo be leaders and to decide do's and don'ts...
     
  4. Harbourboy

    Harbourboy Take thy form from off my door! Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

    Joined:
    May 29, 2003
    Messages:
    13,354
    Likes Received:
    99
    I voted Positive, because it's a no-lose option. If they break the rules again, then they can be banned again fairly easily. In the meantime, there is the opportunity that the rest of us may benefit from their view on things.
     
  5. The Magister Gems: 26/31
    Latest gem: Diamond


    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2006
    Messages:
    2,364
    Media:
    16
    Likes Received:
    7
    Gender:
    Male
    I haven't been here long enough to realy have an opinion of said BoM members, so I support the neutral option as a form of contribution.
     
  6. Faraaz Gems: 26/31
    Latest gem: Diamond


    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2003
    Messages:
    2,403
    Likes Received:
    0
    IMO, if they've been around for a year and still want to post in AoDS and AoLS, what's the harm?? Its actually heartening that any individual is that loyal to any forum out there...

    That, plus...as others have mentioned, you can always just ban them again! So yeah...positive!
     
  7. Rallymama Gems: 31/31
    Latest gem: Rogue Stone


    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2002
    Messages:
    4,329
    Media:
    2
    Likes Received:
    11
    Any chance of allowing political talk in #sorcerers again, while you're feeling magnaminous?
     
  8. Beren

    Beren Lovesick and Lonely Wanderer Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2002
    Messages:
    4,043
    Media:
    1,163
    Likes Received:
    258
    Gender:
    Male
    [​IMG] Ok fellas, this isn't about Gnarff. If you've got a problem with how he posts, take it up with him in PM or with us if you think he's violated the rules.
     
  9. Gnarfflinger

    Gnarfflinger Wiseguy in Training

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2004
    Messages:
    5,423
    Likes Received:
    30
    I voted positive, because I'm not perfect myself. I know first hand how personal some of these topics can be. From time to time we need to be able to take a step back, remember that they are opinions. I think that has stopped me from doing something truly stupid more times than I can count...

    There has to be some measure to forgive those of us that let our emotions get the better of us. Yeah, we all screw up, but we need the chance to learn from our mistakes.
     
  10. Abomination Gems: 26/31
    Latest gem: Diamond


    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2003
    Messages:
    2,375
    Likes Received:
    0
    Sure, let them back. The more people in there the better even if they are posting in the worst of circumstances since I'm rather thick skinned and even enjoy a good flame war.
     
  11. Yoshimo's Heart Gems: 13/31
    Latest gem: Ziose


    Veteran

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    517
    Likes Received:
    17
    Gender:
    Male
    It seems to me that it is useless to bring back Ragusa if people are unwilling to tolerate his posts. I agree with an earlier poster that what he said actually was not all that bad and that it was really the reacters that made it a real problem. I think it is prudent to remember that if you dont like what one person posts so much that it makes you super angry then just ignore that person it helps keep your blood pressure down :) .

    If Ragusa understands that you should deliberate and discuss what other people write in a thread if you want to have a real discussion (debate) then I say yes bring him back as discussion is a very good thing and you need differing views to have one (he does not have to answer other people I just want to make sure he knows that if you want a good discussion you need to actually talk to them rather than making long speaches every time).

    On Dark Wolf I cant say yet as I have yet to see what he did.

    (this has to be the worst post ever from me can anyone even understand what I am trying to get across?)
     
  12. Montresor

    Montresor Mostly Harmless Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2005
    Messages:
    3,103
    Media:
    127
    Likes Received:
    183
    Gender:
    Male
    I don't remember reading any of their posts, so it is not possible for me to have an opinion. Hence my "Indifferent" vote.

    In the end it is the board's decision, not the users', but I appreciate your asking us. I don't like any kind of censorship as a general rule but of course you have to lay down some ground rules - and enforce them - to keep the forums useful.
     
  13. Morgoroth

    Morgoroth Just because I happen to have tentacles, it doesn'

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2003
    Messages:
    2,392
    Likes Received:
    45
    Well Tal did mention in his opening post that it's in the end up for the mods to make the decision. I get the feeling that this poll is searching more fot the negative votes, since it's quite obvious that most won't mind. The problem to begin with as I saw it was because there were a few of those who would simply leave the boards when they saw some of the political debate in the alley or participated in it and in the end got frustrated enough to leave.
     
  14. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2000
    Messages:
    23,665
    Media:
    494
    Likes Received:
    574
    Gender:
    Male
    Rallymama, I'm not really sure how that would benefit the chatroom... Let's reserve it for the boards instead for now. Even with the constant moderating here things sometimes slip our attention, but in the chatroom it'd be happening way too often.

    Morgoroth, actually, I had no idea that the outcome of this poll would be so overwhelmingly positive, but for a different reason. I haven't realized that so many people actively posting now haven't been around for much more than 15 months, which have elapsed since Ragusa and Darkwolf have been asked to stop posting in those forums. But still, even this is a helpful indicator for us - it tells us that most of the people who had issues with Ragusa and Darkwolf's posts have moved on regardless of the fact that we've asked them not to post in AoDA and AoLS for the sake of community harmony (and I can't think of any absent old regulars that have returned as a consequence).

    But it's early days yet, let's see how this thread unfolds over the next few days.
     
  15. War Nerve

    War Nerve And it took me back to something that I'd lost

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2001
    Messages:
    241
    Likes Received:
    0
    While I remember being annoyed and offended at some of Ragusa's posts containing any sort of politics, it's something that can be shrugged off by now with ease.

    Darkwolf did not bother me.
     
  16. Felinoid

    Felinoid Who did the what now?

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2005
    Messages:
    7,470
    Likes Received:
    6
    Gender:
    Male
    Ohhhhhhh... I hadn't really remembered why they were banned in the first place, but it's starting to come back to me now. Damn that was annoying. :shame:

    What was Darkwolf's problem, though? I have a vague recollection of him being overly condescending without answering points, but that could just be my memory playing tricks with me.
     
  17. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2000
    Messages:
    23,665
    Media:
    494
    Likes Received:
    574
    Gender:
    Male
    Darkwolf and Ragusa had (have) diametrically opposing opinions on the US foreign policy (and more or less everything else in politics), so their debates would pretty much spiral into infinity. Near the end, they got into this so often and so heatedly that we had to put a stop to it. So, like it or not, they were linked in the good and the bad.
     
  18. Argohir Gems: 10/31
    Latest gem: Zircon


    Joined:
    Feb 8, 2004
    Messages:
    397
    Likes Received:
    0
    Positive; because I think ragusa is innocent and his posts aren't bad, except their incredible length.
     
  19. Shaitan

    Shaitan Always forgive your enemies; it annoys them so

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2005
    Messages:
    1,323
    Likes Received:
    5
    "innocent"??? That's a big word. He's definitedly biased, but innocent? I agree with the length of the posts still
     
  20. Morgoroth

    Morgoroth Just because I happen to have tentacles, it doesn'

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2003
    Messages:
    2,392
    Likes Received:
    45
    I think the thing that should be made clear to Ragusa when he comes back that he can't treat this forum as his personal blog or anything. If he wants to discuss an issue then it's fine but posting dozens of threads practically about the same subject really does not do any good. What it does however is invoke extreme annoyance with those who have opposite views and in the long run even in those who share many of his views begin to find it tiresome. If he understands this then it should be fine.
     
Sorcerer's Place is a project run entirely by fans and for fans. Maintaining Sorcerer's Place and a stable environment for all our hosted sites requires a substantial amount of our time and funds on a regular basis, so please consider supporting us to keep the site up & running smoothly. Thank you!

Sorcerers.net is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products on amazon.com, amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.