Warnings and Site Ban Theater

[UsernameWithA9]

42 minutes ago, aufisch said:

I also learned a lot from those post, like the super important fact that a game called "Summer Car" is appartenly being "illegally copied" very frequently.

Yeah, I learned that even mentioning that you have a pirated game can elicit a site ban. And I thought, 'Really?' Maybe if they were posting links to pirate sites or advocating for the use of pirated games could I see the justification... but whatever, I get it. No tolerance. 

[zixi]

6 hours ago, AaronOfMpls said:

Indeed, like insulting mod authors for their st00p1d mods

It's weird. When the modding community started out (not on here - much much, much earlier), the mods were released in the expectation that we'd help get rid of any blips. There would sometimes be discussion about what needed to be done or if what had been done fitted in with what was there. Things seem to have changed and I've stayed in that cooperative place.

I can never figure out if some of the insults are because people are being deliberately nasty or they come from a different planet... an alternative reality that ignored the fact that the modders are releasing stuff free and that software development takes time and resources - all unpaid for. Have a go at the software houses by all means - some of them so deserve it... but someone doing something in their own time and for free. No. Walk away if it's not for you. I especially hate it when attacks are launched on brand new modders... 

As an aside, the avatar for the site bot is brilliant though! I love it! 

[UsernameWithA9]

10 minutes ago, zixi said:

I can never figure out if some of the insults are because people are being deliberately nasty or they come from a different planet

Some people just suck, we all know. But some folks feel empowered when online, behind some 'anonymous' screen where they feel safe and free enough to allow their true self to run rampant. Being online is like being intoxicated. It elicits a loss of inhibitions. And there's also a disconnect from humanity. Maybe I'm allowing too much credit, but I believe some people forget that they're interacting with an actual human being when they hurl threats or foul insults.

[AaronOfMpls]

Yeah, the online disinhibition effect can be both good and bad.  It can help introverts like me open up and find connections to other people, but it can also embolden people to be mean and nasty to each other.

Still, I've mostly found things neutral to positive here, in my own interactions.  The mods and images I've commented on most seem to rarely attract much negativity (at least that sticks), and my own mods aren't popular enough or marginalized-group enough to attract trolls.  More popular mods probably have much of it drowned out by all the "how do I fix this problem" questions.   And anyone being too obnoxious on the forums tends to get reported and booted before any critical mass of trollishness can build up (thanks moderators! ).

10 hours ago, aufisch said:

I also learned a lot from those post, like the super important fact that a game called "Summer Car" is apparently being "illegally copied" very frequently.

Indeed, I'd never heard of My Summer Car before reading those, either.   Looks like an interesting game -- and given its setting, I love how its official website looks like a '90s GeoCities page.   Though with how many unplayed and underplayed games are already in my library and wishlists, I doubt I'll ever get around to getting that one.

[UsernameWithA9]

1 hour ago, AaronOfMpls said:

It can help introverts like me open up and find connections to other people

It's interesting that you say that because I've heard alcoholics give a near verbatim justification for their drinking. I'm not calling you an alcoholic or an addict, mind you, but it goes to my analogy of the effect being online has on folks. I find psychology fascinating.

Anyways, thanks for that. I'm off-topic in my own thread so I'll be going now.

[ScytheBearer]

What I find entertaining are some of the "restrictions" doled out with some of the warnings.  Some are so meaningless as to be laughable. 

By way of example (and example only), some one who has "repeat violations of image share" rules is restricted from uploading an image for 14 days.  I'll bet their wrist really hurts after such severe punishment. 

[UsernameWithA9]

1 hour ago, ScytheBearer said:

What I find entertaining are some of the "restrictions" doled out with some of the warnings.  Some are so meaningless as to be laughable.

By way of example (and example only), some one who has "repeat violations of image share" rules is restricted from uploading an image for 14 days.  I'll bet their wrist really hurts after such severe punishment.

Haha! Yeah, that'll learn 'im!

Good point though. Or how about another one who was warned for 'Uploading a file with a filename containing a racial slur'. That user was restricted to no file uploads for 30 days. Seems like it should be longer. But to be fair to Nexus, I suppose that's their way of making the punishment fit the crime. I mean, how else would you punish someone... go to their house and whip them with wet noodles?

[LenaWolfBravil]

6 hours ago, UsernameWithA9 said:

7 hours ago, AaronOfMpls said:

It can help introverts like me open up and find connections to other people

It's interesting that you say that because I've heard alcoholics give a near verbatim justification for their drinking.

Ouch, that hurts. I know you didn't mean to equate introverts and alcoholics, but please consider that alcoholics are people too. And their justification for drinking may lie in their introverted nature, or trauma, or loss, or one of the other miriad of causes.

Back on topic of the thread however, I find it somewhat disturbing that some warnings or even bans are issued without reason. That is, literally: reason is stated as "None" with no links provided to the places where the infraction occurred. This is probably just because the moderator forgot to enter the information, but the effect is rather chilling.

Edited May 1 by LenaWolfBravil

[ScytheBearer]

15 minutes ago, LenaWolfBravil said:

Ouch, that hurts. I know you didn't mean to equate introverts and alcoholics, but please consider that alcoholics are people too. And their justification for drinking may lie in their introverted nature, or trauma, or loss, or one of the other miriad of causes.

Back on topic of the thread however, I find it somewhat disturbing that some warnings or even bans are issued without reason. That is, literally: reason is stated as "None" with no links provided to the places where the infraction occurred. This is probably just because the moderator forgot to enter the information, but the effect is rather chilling.

They violated "double secret probation". 

 

[UsernameWithA9]

32 minutes ago, LenaWolfBravil said:

Ouch, that hurts. I know you didn't mean to equate introverts and alcoholics, but please consider that alcoholics are people too. And their justification for drinking may lie in their introverted nature, or trauma, or loss, or one of the other miriad of causes.

So, I'm not supposed to point out parallels in behavior between the two? That statement was made from a completely objective viewpoint with no malevolence whatsoever. 

Look, I'm a recovering alcoholic myself. I haven't even touched a bottle of alcohol in years, literally, and I wouldn't have been offended by my statement. Then again, my skin's fairly thick. But I do think you're overthinking it, Lena.

32 minutes ago, LenaWolfBravil said:

I find it somewhat disturbing that some warnings or even bans are issued without reason.

I don't necessarily find it disturbing but I do find it curious that the reason is stated as 'None'. You could be right, though. Maybe the moderator just forgot to enter the reason.

Edited May 2 by UsernameWithA9