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PaperclipPerfector  7mo ago (text post)   3598 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for May 5, 2024

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

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I am back from my digital Lent. What have I missed? Have any regulars been permabanned while I was away?

Hlynka got permabanned.

Here's the permabanned list.

I think Ahh French was banned for a few days, and FarNearEverywhere was banned but is back? I am not sure. Apparently someone named boo was banned forever. Capital Room was also banned but is back. I do not keep track of this but there it is in the moderation log. (I assume everyone can access this, as I can by going to the Changelog and tabbing over.)

@FarNearEverywhere isn’t technically banned right now but she set her account to private. I think she’s chosen to leave of her own accord.

IIRC there was a (bad) tempban that may have led her to conclude that the place is beyond hope.

I think that the ban was perfectly reasonable. When a moderator says "hey cut that shit out", "no I won't" is not an acceptable response. It's fine to argue why you think the mod's decision is in error, but to flatly refuse to abide by the decision crosses a line.

Whatever man -- that's the reason, and she's not wrong. "Turn up the heat" is an interesting approach to dealing with evaporative cooling -- if there were a (metaphorical) retort somewhere capturing all of the quality people who've had enough around here, it's getting to the point where that would be a better place to hang out.

On the one hand, I think you raise valid concerns that are worth considering. On the other hand, people have been saying "pretty soon you'll have banned all the interesting posters" since like, 2020. And I think this place is still doing pretty ok.

Looking at the list of people who have been permabanned on the new site, the only posters on there who I consider to be serious losses are Hlynka, fuckduck, and we can add FarNearEverywhere on a technicality until she decides to come back. So that's not a huge list. Most of the accounts that get permabanned are literal trolls or spam accounts.

With all due respect, "I do what I want" is not a viable approach to building a quality space. FNE was given a warning, not a ban straight off (presumably because she is a good poster and it wasn't a serious infraction), and that's all that it needed to ever be. It was because she chose to escalate things that she got banned temporarily, and it was perfectly reasonable.

With all due respect, "I do what I want" is not a viable approach to building a quality space.

You are focussing on this part because the initial warning was indefensible -- the content was polite, just that the other poster didn't like it. She should absolutely continue 'doing what she wants' -- the mods are not gods.

But it is a private space owned by Zorba. This isn't a democracy. If you don't behave the way the owner likes, then you can either knuckle under, leave or continue to disobey until they kick you out permanently.

You don't get to do what you want in someone elses house. That is basic etiquette, whether you agree with their rules or not.

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I'm focusing on this part because it's the part which matters. Reasonable people may disagree on whether the initial warning was right, and if FNE had chosen to politely argue that she wasn't in the wrong then all would be well. I think that the initial warning was a bit harsh, though I think "indefensible" is far too strong a claim. But the way you take up your cause with the mods matters a great deal, and nobody gets to just go "nah I'm not listening to you". That's not ok.

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She's left in the past and come back. Hopefully she comes back again, she is someone I really enjoy hearing from.

I hope she returns. I prefer being part of a discussion where at least a few women are involved, and I often admire her posts and writing flair. Thx for the info

I agree. She’s welcome to return at any time, but I imagine she might be too proud for that. If she doesn’t return, it’ll be a deep loss to the forum.

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