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Irked and Chafed
Posted by Nick on 19 January 2004, 07:11 GMT

I've become somewhat irked and chafed at some of the things that have gone on lately, so I feel a need to step in and talk to you folks again. Many of you are still cool, but there have been a few incidents of, shall we say, morally questionable saliency that have occurred.

I need to reiterate the importance of the rules for posting comments on ticalc.org's message boards. The frequency of trolls and lamer kiddies has become intolerably, painfully high for all of us to deal with here. Over the past three years, my experiences in watching the boards and hearing of what's happened on the in-house staff list has caused me to lose a lot of respect for the folks that post here.

Recently, a ticalc.org staff member has been physically threatened on the comment boards. Don't bother trying to check for who did it; the offending comment has been deleted. We do not take this lightly. I personally do not take this lightly. Keeping in mind what's happened to me previously, you would figure that nobody here would take this lightly. You would be right. We do not take this lightly. At the very least, it is against US law to make such threats; I don't know about Swedish law, but you get the idea. It's bad. This is bad. The entire situation here, in this place, in the place where I am currently typing, is patently, horribly, stupidly, impossibly, staggeringly, manyadjectively bad. We are a non-profit, private group of similarly-interested individuals who are doing this on our own time and our own dime; if you don't like it, either leave or do it yourself. The last thing anyone - "anyone" being us and our visitors both - needs is some phenomenally flaming, foppish moron instituting destructive discourse on our primary method of inter-community communication. That does a disservice to us, for wasting our time killing off troll posts; to the community, for having to wade through a low signal-to-noise ratio on the boards; and to yourself, for presenting your persona as, quite simply, an immature dumbass.

After what's gone on in my time at ticalc.org, I've lost faith in the human race enough that I feel like the comment was all talk. Still, it's worth reminding you happy folks that our rules for posting here are non-negotiable because they result in the comment boards existing for their intended purpose: as a constructive method of discussion about news in the TI world.

We have tried to tool these rules to be as reasonable as possible, allowing for people to communicate what they want and read what they can without trolling. Still, we're more than open to any positive criticism; we recognize that we're fallible people just like you, and we're more than open to communication. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, feel free to email the news editors. We ceaselessly strive, both behind the scenes and in front, to make this site as good as possible for our users, and hearing from you is critical to our goals.

I hope you understand why I wrote this. I offered to write this when questions came up about how to handle the recent happenings. You know how often I post things to ticalc.org (read: you haven't read me in a while, right? *grin*); I feel very strongly on this issue because it's directly changed my life - for better and for worse - but I'd rather a similar incident not happen to my friends and colleagues.

I hope you all seriously consider what I've said.

Later,
nickd

  Reply to this article


The comments below are written by ticalc.org visitors. Their views are not necessarily those of ticalc.org, and ticalc.org takes no responsibility for their content.


Re: Irked and Chafed
incider  Account Info

I have been a visitor to this board for about 3 - 5 years. As an educator, I have benefited tremendously from the information here, as well as downloading a few games :D . IMHO, people who are not using the site appropriately should be blocked, as other forums have done, and a complaint sent to their IP. There is no excuse for misbehavior, and no need to tolerate it. A little humor is fine, but threats should be immediately and severely dealt with. Let's keep this place nice.

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 19:45 GMT


Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
George Limpert  Account Info
(Web Page)

Ticalc.org does everything in their power to block abusive users. They do track IPs and do remove comment posting priviliges from accounts that are used to post obnoxious comments. Unfortunately, a lot of ISPs dont' care about trolling and childish behavior online and will immediately direct complaints about such things to the circular file. Abusive users tend to just go create another account when one account gets banned. If the trolls don't respect ticalc.org's rules on comments, they won't respect the one account per person rule, either.

Ticalc.org does everything in their power to curtail abuse. Despite their efforts, they still need help from the users to act responsibly and make their job easier.

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 19:59 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
BlackThunder  Account Info
(Web Page)

"Circular file"... Okay, I know that's most likely a humorous reference to something else, but I'm not sure what... A paper shredder? The trash?

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 23:02 GMT

Re: Irked and Chafed
Magnus Linderoth  Account Info

Oh my god!!! I read this article and about Nick's history. I didn't realize these people exist, that really threaten people just like that. It's pure madness.

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 22:00 GMT


¤
burntfuse  Account Info

Especially the one who stole his parents' car and tried to drive it...it is pretty scary.

Reply to this comment    22 January 2004, 01:11 GMT

Re: Irked and Chafed
Jeebis  Account Info

Hi, this is the first time I have ever posted anything on this site. I have been visiting this site for the last 5 years, in that time I have learned to program my calculators. I would like to thank you folks for all the help. I would also like to say that the people who post such ignorant comments are complete morons and should do the rest of us a favor and just leave.

Reply to this comment    20 January 2004, 00:04 GMT

Re: Irked and Chafed
Frank A. Nothaft  Account Info
(Web Page)

IF you don't want people to complain to you about your programs, don't publish them. Its as simple as that. I mean, its a fact of life, if you do something, someone will complain. i mean, i think some of us dont get exposure to the real life enough. you need to learn to live with stuff, or not complain about it. i mean, as much as the idea of a "community" where everyone is nice is great, its never going to exist for more then a short time. if it does, you woln't get anything out of it. some of you need to go out into the real world, and have to stick up for yourself. i mean, yeah, im in highschool, but i live in a real world, where there is conflict and i cant fall back on someone always. i mean, daily, i get threatened, and i threaten. im lucky that im big, because then i can bust any bitch that comes my way, but its something that some of us need to learn to live with. my message to some of you: grow some balls

Reply to this comment    20 January 2004, 03:29 GMT

Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
Frank A. Nothaft  Account Info
(Web Page)

just to clarify, this isnt to flame anyone, its just to give a reality check.

i mean, some stuff that offends me doesnt offend other people and vice versa

Reply to this comment    20 January 2004, 03:30 GMT

Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
nyall Account Info
(Web Page)

This is confusing.

>>I mean, its a fact of life, if you do something, someone will complain.

So it is acceptable for other people to complain.

>>you need to learn to live with stuff, or not complain about it.

But it is not acceptable to complain yourself?

>>because then i can bust any bitch that comes my way

Your mother should soap your mouth.

Reply to this comment    20 January 2004, 05:40 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
Ben Cherry  Account Info
(Web Page)

...or his keyboard. I agree with you on those points being confusing.

Reply to this comment    20 January 2004, 06:29 GMT


¤
burntfuse  Account Info

You're right about the soap.

Reply to this comment    20 January 2004, 22:56 GMT

Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
Daniel McGee  Account Info

It is true that people are held accountable for their work. However, programmers here do not do this for work--they do it for their own fun and possibly to help others out. I have been visiting this site since 8th grade along with many other TI sites, and the community has definately changed. I am now a freshman in college, but still enjoy looking through the various TI programs on this site. You, however, are still in high school, and are trying to tell many other college age kids to "man up" and get in the real world. I would say the real world is better known to college age kids, and the real world does include laws against threats. I'm glad the editors here keep up the hard work and effort making this site, and I see no reason why this 'community' should not be able to get along and reap the great benefits.

A side note--Before I get comments asking why I have no programs posted, it is because I have never felt the need to post my many "my use only" programs. If I mearly make refinements or small improvements to those already posted, I feel no need to upload these files.

Reply to this comment    20 January 2004, 05:43 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
Michael O'Brien  Account Info
(Web Page)

Your right about the high school college thing. I'm a sophomore/freshman (units thing) and boy, 99% of high school students live such sheltered lives. Then comes college and then they get a taste of the real world, only after we are out of it will we truely be in it.

Reply to this comment    20 January 2004, 23:37 GMT

Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
TheGreatOne  Account Info

Well you stated that you live in a real world (and I mean if this isn't the Matrix who doesn't), but what you say implies that you know what the real world is like and you simply can't say this because

1) You're still in high school so not only do you not have a real job where you are totally on your own supporting yourself just to get shelter, water, food, etc. but the high school environment is nothing like the real world and

2) Unless you have traveled the world and seen first hand the success that can be achived or the rugged conditions of people living on the land or a war zone that has decimated lives or a basic happy family then none of what any of us say, including me, can be true about the real world and still...

Reply to this comment    21 January 2004, 00:43 GMT


Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
alow27182818  Account Info
(Web Page)

If you would rather people be without programs, then that's ok. Also, many of the complaints are generally not allowed on these boards. As NickD said in his message, "the comment boards [exist] for their intended purpose: as a constructive method of discussion about news in the TI world." Flames and threats are definitely not constructive. Neither are simple messages saying that a program sucks.
To me, constructive means something that will be benificial. For example, if an improvement is wanted to greatly improve gameplay such as optional keys, then the message should politely say so. "YOUR D*** KEYS SUCK!" would not be constructive. As for threats in any form, the people who make them should realize that this is all done for free, as a voluntary service to the community. If everybody on this site was threatened, there might not be any programs here.
To address the "real world," there is a limit as to what is right. Threats, and physical threats especially, benifit nobody in the end. Also, high school does not count as the real world. In some ways, it is still sheltered. In other ways, it is not because of the behavior of many kids at that age. So far, I have found the environment at my university much more different than at high school - it doesn't seem as violent. Past this, when a job is needed to support oneself, it is very different than living in a dorm or at home with your parents. A whole other "world" exists in the countries where people are always in fear of dying. Being in high school does not merit you to tell others what the "real world" is like. There is no definite "real world."
That is all that I have to say and I am sorry if this message is long.
-alow27182818

Reply to this comment    22 January 2004, 01:32 GMT

Re: Irked and Chafed
generationxyu  Account Info

I feel your pain, nickd. I don't know if you remember me, but I had a few drinks with you our friend A*******'s house (names masked to protect the innocent) over the summer for her graduation party (in Elmhurst). Thought you had pretty much left ticalc forever, it's good to see you back.

Reply to this comment    20 January 2004, 08:25 GMT


Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
Nick Disabato  Account Info
(Web Page)

Is it weird that I actually remember that?...

Hi! How's life treating you? :)

Reply to this comment    21 January 2004, 00:59 GMT

¤
burntfuse  Account Info

I agree with many of your points....what I really want to know is-who was the threat from?

Reply to this comment    20 January 2004, 23:04 GMT


Re: ¤
burntfuse  Account Info

I'm not asking this to embarrass whoever did it-it's because I had posted an angry message about comment deletions, and to know if it was my message that was referred to (though I don't remember any threats...).

Reply to this comment    20 January 2004, 23:07 GMT

Thanks!
Neo_Coel  Account Info

Good for you Nick D. Ive watched this community from the safety of my keyboard for a few years now, and personally I dont know what to say about this community and its actions. I dont think the people who post here deserve the benefits of ticalc.org if they are willing to act like this. I came here looking for some info on my calculator, and I never expected then to become so involved into this website. Now I usually dont check out more than the first few posts.
Thanks Nick for all that youve done for this site.
Thanks to the entire staff of ticalc.org, may the community return to how it should be.

Reply to this comment    21 January 2004, 03:35 GMT

Re: Irked and Chafed
Chivo  Account Info

Yeah, it's a shame when things come to this. Flames here, death threats there... It's sad that you've (NickD) become a victim of that kind of treatment.

I really hope from now on, for awhile at least, that things will change for the better.

OT: jrock7286 and 343GuiltySpark, I think both of you have contracted the "Beagle" worm. I just got an e-mail from each of your addresses, and I know you guys didn't send them.

Reply to this comment    21 January 2004, 03:38 GMT


Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
no_one_2000_  Account Info
(Web Page)

Or it could be somebody who has the ticalc.org mailing lists. From there, you can get a LOT of e-mail addresses. I used to get spam/virus mail from what appeared to be ticalc.org members a lot. I still do somewhat, but I don't even look at what's in my bulk mail folder anymore, I just delete it.

Reply to this comment    21 January 2004, 20:52 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
Matthew Marshall  Account Info
(Web Page)

Well, no_one, I received an email from you with the subject "Hi" and the body:

Test =)
geoqnulctg
--
Test, yep.

It also had an attachment named "pmw.exe"
I am glad that I use Linux!

MWM

Reply to this comment    22 January 2004, 01:06 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
Chivo  Account Info

The two emails I got had the same subject and body (except for the random garbage), and the executable name apparently is a random name too.

I don't think the Beagle virus spoofs the sender's address.

I use Linux too, but I get email with Juno through Wine. :-) Wine probably would run (or try at least) the worm if I opened it. I don't know 'cause I'm not going to open it.

Reply to this comment    24 January 2004, 03:29 GMT

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