General discussion

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #2242785

    To Everyone- Let’s take a sanity break

    Locked

    by tig2 ·

    I’m going to take a moment and remind those who may have forgotten why we are here.

    TechRepublic values each and every one of us that visit the site and feed back to them how the site can improve. Doesn’t mean that they will fix the thing that ticked us off lately. Just means that they value us all.

    There is a PTB. They make final decisions. Period. When we joined, we said that we would be governed by those decisions. This is NOT a democracy.

    TR is funded by traffic. Some of that traffic comes from a wide variety of countries. Anything that can be taken as an attack on those other peoples can become a problem.

    TR is not a playground for everyone. It IS a site dedicated to the IT professional. It is a site that not one of us pays to be a part of.

    A peer was booted. The PTB have a right to boot anyone they like for any reason that they care to espouse. I can speak to the PTB’s anguish that this peer was so insistent on being out of line. I can also speak to the PTB’s sense that they did too little, too late.

    Here’s the bottom line. Add constructively to the dialog or don’t add. Learn where you can post silliness and where you can’t. Understand when potentially off colored remarks will be understood, and more importantly where they won’t. Understand that this is not a playground, but a business. And that business has the right- even the responsibility- to fold up and walk away.

    There has been a great deal of disrespect here in the last year. If you care about keeping TR, I would suggest that you act like it.

    I told a member of the PTB today that the adults of TR not only know, but understand, that the PTB must act to preserve this place. And that we will understand that they are the final authority. I ask my peers to stand with me in that sentiment.

    It is late in my time zone. If I am out of line, I apologize.

All Comments

  • Author
    Replies
    • #2654981

      I admit

      by jaqui ·

      In reply to To Everyone- Let’s take a sanity break

      I’m one of those who pushes the limits, frequently.
      I never have, nor will I, question the decisions made by TR staff about booting a member. I’ve been in their position and know how much work it is to keep tabs on member submitted content. [ forums here ]

      Maybe I’ve been lucky, but I have never been reprimanded or warned about my more outrageous comments by TR staff, maybe I’ve just managed to stay on the correct side of the line. [ which I do try to do ]

      If a member is booted by TR staff, then the member went to far across the line, or crossed it to often. I won’t get on any Staff members case about that.

      • #2654978

        addendum

        by jaqui ·

        In reply to I admit

        When I do get more extreme in my comments, it is usually meant to get people to look at their own assumptions on a subject and to promote discussion on it. I do try to avoid personal attacks, since those are never called for.

        • #2654882

          I don?t like

          by nentech ·

          In reply to addendum

          The argument two wrongs make right

          It is used way too often around here

          Col

        • #2654872

          neither

          by jaqui ·

          In reply to I don?t like

          do I.
          I wasn’t trying to say that my own bad behavior was right, for any reason, only admitting that I do behave badly.

        • #2654860

          No probs

          by nentech ·

          In reply to neither

          Just checking

          Try not to go off the goddamn rails myself

          How dare any one ask me a question?

          Col

          Ps humour is slowly returning
          Will need it when I move home

        • #2654856

          humour returning

          by jaqui ·

          In reply to No probs

          faster when picturing twits in various positions causing extreme bodily harm. ]:)

          like having 45.7 litres of liquid nitrogen pumped into body orifices.

          ]:) such a pretty image that is ]:)

          danged typos

        • #2654850

          Lost me

          by nentech ·

          In reply to humour returning

          I have no hope of seeing that picture

          I know what happens when liquid nitrogen and living tissue meet

          Brrrrrrrr

          Have to go falling asleep

          Cheers Col

        • #2653715

          I do too on occasion.

          by tonythetiger ·

          In reply to neither

          In fact, seeing what MM got booted for, I’m surprised that I’m still here because I think some of mine were worse than his worst.

        • #2654091

          If so, you’ve kept them well hidden.

          by deepsand ·

          In reply to I do too on occasion.

          MM’s specific downfall was his inability to suppress his bent for open displays of personal bigotries, and insisting that they were merely reasonable differences of opinion.

          I’ve seen no such tendency in any of your posts.

        • #2653755

          but I do like

          by jdclyde ·

          In reply to I don?t like

          two wrongs to make a right, but three lefts do….

          [i]
          got my boys saying that now 😀

    • #2654979

      Yes, Tig, it is late

      by beth blakely ·

      In reply to To Everyone- Let’s take a sanity break

      It’s after midnight and I’m up checking the TR forums. What does that tell you? I care about the community and the people in it.

      I read Thumbs’ message and just want to say that I did what I thought was best every step of the way. I have technical limitations, just as all of you do in your day-to-day work. It all looks simple from the outside looking in.

      If you choose to leave, Thumbs, I’m sure your expertise will be missed. If you choose to stay, you’ll be a part of a healthier community than we’ve had with MM as a part of it. I stand by my decisions and my actions.

      • #2653805

        Beth, good job.

        by charliespencer ·

        In reply to Yes, Tig, it is late

        Did you receive a bottle of “Dr. Johnson’s Patience Pills” for Christmas? You cut him a lot more slack this time than you did in his previous incarnations.

        Who’s “Thumbs”? I don’t believe I’ve met him. Is this a reference to another discussion?

      • #2653745

        Thanks, Tig for starting and thanks Beth for doing a sensitive job

        by dadspad ·

        In reply to Yes, Tig, it is late

        very well. You have more patience than I do, at least some of the time 🙂

        Anyone that gets a warning should email Beth back asking how to improve, if they really care. Since MM did not respect Beth’s responsibility, he pays the consequeces.

        (Did MM come back as G-man?)

      • #2654362

        Thumbs – whaddaya doin?

        by boxfiddler ·

        In reply to Yes, Tig, it is late

        Removing all the help you have offered since your arrival on TR isn’t hurting TR. It’s only hurting all the folks who need help and might search the archives out here for that help.
        Given that ManiacMan spent a lot of time in the questions attempting to help the folks he thought were seriously looking for help, is removing all your help an appropriate way to protest?
        Slap, spank. beat me if you must. But I think I need to say something.

    • #2654963

      Sanity? Did I miss something, again?

      by deepsand ·

      In reply to To Everyone- Let’s take a sanity break

      “[i]A peer was booted.[/i]

      No one tells me anything anymore.

      • #2654962

        yup

        by jaqui ·

        In reply to Sanity? Did I miss something, again?

        Maniac Man was booted, after repeated warnings about his behavior.

        • #2654957

          No surprise.

          by deepsand ·

          In reply to yup

          I had my doubts about his recent professed intention to refrain from stepping on his dick, owing to his contention that such was the result of there being others here who are “overly sensitive.”

        • #2654956

          nope, no surprise

          by jaqui ·

          In reply to No surprise.

          on the banning.

          the surprise is that anyone took offense at Beth doing her job.

        • #2654934

          Missed that as well.

          by deepsand ·

          In reply to nope, no surprise

          Did all of this happen in the same discussion?

          Have you a link?

          BTW, thanks for bringing me up to speed me re. this.

        • #2654926

          link?

          by jaqui ·

          In reply to Missed that as well.

          the message has been deleted thread is where I saw that maniac had been booted.

          http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-6230-0.html?forumID=102&threadID=250901&messageID=2404299

          It’s Beth’s own comment in this thread and Tigger’s thread starter that leads me to think people have taken offense to it.

        • #2654916

          Ah-ha.

          by deepsand ·

          In reply to link?

          Which in turn originated at http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-6230-0.html?forumID=101&threadID=250126&messageID=2398570 , where MM dumped on the OP, a member hailing from [b]India[/b], MM’s favorite target, who used the DD/MM/YY format, rather tha MM/DD/YY, such that 03/01/08, meaning the 3rd day of the 1st month, or JAN 3rd, was taken as meaning MAR 1st.

          From there it went downhill.

          Much thanks; I feel back in synch now, even if it’s just for the moment.

        • #2654899

          Someone thought that Beth had overstepped

          by tig2 ·

          In reply to link?

          And made comment. This thread started because I was ticked off and wanted to share.

          I think too, at the time, I thought that the individual that had the heartburn might have a moment and understand that perhaps they didn’t have all the facts in the case. In retrospect, I find that I am truly more concerned with how Beth is impacted.

          I know how much she cares about this place and the people in it. This whole situation has been out of control from the beginning. The hardest thing is that the person who caused all the problem will be back next week with a new name and a new line of crap.

          Some days, I am just sure that I am way too old for this…

        • #2654886

          Tigger

          by jaqui ·

          In reply to link?

          I understood why from the beginning, and posted in the thread in support of that. 🙂

          When Sandy had questions, I answered them.

          I know I’m not perfect, but I don’t knock anyone for doing their jobs, not when there are way to many people who don’t do their jobs.

          when I was doing the same tasks Beth is, it was on a site where content was often borderline illegal, and adult in nature.
          I would get flack for not pulling something, because a member didn’t like the content.
          I would get flack for pulling it, because a member loved it.
          This is why I learned the TOS and laws about the content applicable to the site, and just stuck with that.

          I can’t help but support Beth, and all other TR staff, when they have to take the action Beth did.

        • #2654089

          We may be old, TT, but we’re also well seasoned.

          by deepsand ·

          In reply to link?

          With sufficient life experiences comes the ability to not give a damn if some a$$hole gets the point or not.

    • #2653758

      All good and well

      by the listed ‘g man’ ·

      In reply to To Everyone- Let’s take a sanity break

      but it is not for you to say. This kind of message should only be posted by site admins.

      I don’t disagree with what you are saying but I feel you are in no stronger a position to tell others what to do than any other member around here.

      Perhaps there is need for delegated “HALL MONITORS” now?

      • #2653731

        Lets talk about over stepping positions?

        by jdclyde ·

        In reply to All good and well

        Tig has as much “right” to say what she has, as you have to complain about her saying it.

        Are you a delegated hall monitor, that you say what should and shouldn’t be said?

        Step back, your out of line.

        • #2653694

          I will go further

          by jamesrl ·

          In reply to Lets talk about over stepping positions?

          There is much to be said for self regulating communities. The police can’t and shouldn’t be everywhere.

          I’ve take members including the booted one and others to task. If I get outta line someone will do the same to me. Sometimes its warrented, sometimes not.

          The PTB should be concentrating on larger issues, not babysitting. Clearly there was an issue that wasn’t getting resolved through peer pressure, and it threatened the life and reputation of the board, so the PTB rightly inserted themselves, as they should.

          James

        • #2653517

          I see

          by the listed ‘g man’ ·

          In reply to Lets talk about over stepping positions?

          Just as much as you now are, for telling ME I am out of line :-). We will leave it there.

    • #2653659

      It really makes no difference

      by dmambo ·

      In reply to To Everyone- Let’s take a sanity break

      First of all, I’m with sandy. I missed the offensive content.

      Secondly, if I were an obnoxious pissant (keep your opinions to yourself 🙂 ), and I got booted and if it was my life’s desire to continue to stir up TR’s sensibilities, I’d just create a new user ID and resume my nastiness. We’ve seen it before. I suppose after a while, the assclowns will get tired of it, but there’s really nothing stopping them.

      • #2653633

        Beth has been tracking them – edit

        by jdclyde ·

        In reply to It really makes no difference

        XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
        she does have the ability to seek and destroy (again).

        OBJ/MM had a big issue with people from India. I guess he thought that just because a lot of the help desk jobs have gone over there and everyone always makes the comments about how many have no IT skills to speak of (level one helpdesk NEVER has any real skills) and the difficulty in understanding some of them, that it was A-ok to slander the entire race.

        At least he wasn’t as annoying as the punks at the beginning of summer last year…. man…. :0
        [i]
        Edited to remove trade secrets

    • #2654361

      Thumbs – whaddaya doin?

      by boxfiddler ·

      In reply to To Everyone- Let’s take a sanity break

      Removing all the help you have offered since your arrival on TR isn’t hurting TR. It’s only hurting all the folks who need help and might search the archives out here for that help.
      Given that ManiacMan spent a lot of time in the questions attempting to help the folks he thoughThumbs – whaddaya doin?

    • #2648775

      Sorry for bringing this up again, I just had to comment

      by bizzo ·

      In reply to To Everyone- Let’s take a sanity break

      Unfortunately I missed all the “excitement” because I decided to be ill for those 2 days or so!

      To be honest, I quite liked ManiacMan, didn’t agree with everything he said, but respected him for his knowledge and what he brought to this community technically.

      I often missed the nasty side of him due to the diligence of the moderators, so my opinion is obviously one-sided.

      From what I’ve read in this thread and the other linked, fair play to Beth for keeping this site clean.

      But if ManiacMan’s reading this, hope you find a job soon and sort your demons out, it can only make you a better person. And anyway, I miss your humour.

      And to Beth and the other mods. Keep up the good work, you’re obviously needed here.

Viewing 6 reply threads