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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

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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
Jason Ho  Account Info
(Web Page)

Im sure many authors of this site can empathize with Nick as well. I know i have unremittingly been begged by sick TI-89 gamer robots that promise me coolness and "everyone will love you" if i finish Zelda or add something to Alien Invasion or whatever the hell my next service to them is. After explaining i have things to do now (say, college?), i get sighs and "but you promised!" or some other form of goading.

Nothing is really appreciated anymore. Its actually quite annoying to release anything at all, for fear of the swarms of middle schoolers who will beg you to add them a cheat or something.

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 15:29 GMT

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

I don't think that 99% of the consumers here actually realise how much time, head scratching and pain is spent in the development of any decent program in the archives. I don't really speak from experience: a large chunk of my stuff, I have to confess, is utter rubbish - but some projects stick in the mind as being just what I said above. Programming can be difficult. If you guys want something to be better, why don't _you_ try? If it's so damn easy, what's stopping you?

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 17:31 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
Frank A. Nothaft  Account Info

[The text of this article has been removed by a news editor due to violation of the acceptable use policy.]

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 17:58 GMT

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

lol, I've actually listend to a 12 year old tell me that a molar mass computator was a stupid/un-needed feature to put in one of my programs.

-Samuel

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 18:17 GMT

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

Oh jeez... I found Yapt to be a useful program. Very useful indeed. (Thanks for making it!)

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 19:38 GMT

Re: Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
TheGreatOne  Account Info

lol. I doubt they even have any idea to how hard chemistry can be. Give me a break.

Reply to this comment    21 January 2004, 00:07 GMT

~!@#$%^&*()_+
ti_is_good_++  Account Info

When I was 12, I could have told the difference. Just because the person was 12 doesn't mean they're stupid/immature/etc. It just means they're 12.

Reply to this comment    21 January 2004, 22:33 GMT


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

Heh, I remember that. The kid hadn't even really taken any sort of chemistry. Those are the other kinds of people who annoy me: those who think they know what they're talking about but really don't.

I'll admit, my actual programming experience is somewhat limited -- A diamonds clone, a program that got rejected by ticalc.org, and a general math program that essentially had a bunch of formulas programmed in that some friends have found useful. That's pretty much it in C for me, but I still frequent the TIGCC message board, accumulating some 1199 posts there. So, those who don't actually actively program still contribute.

Reply to this comment    25 January 2004, 06:51 GMT


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

Try setting up a filter to move anything that has "cheat" and "add" into a folder with mass auto-reply that says "implement it yourself." I've had people ask me to put a cheat in my little command prompt RPG because it was so hard. They don't seem to realize that it's in a beta stage. Also, tell the people tah ask you to do stuff that you're making the games for FREE. You don't have to put them up or even mae them at all. It's how I deal with people that ask for homework help.

Reply to this comment    21 January 2004, 01:52 GMT

Re: Irked and Chafed
Noah Leavitt  Account Info

Yes, I agree. However, on almost every single message board I visit there are always complete (fill in disparaging name and make it plural! :) ) that post, and I find that I just can't escape it. It's sad, but I'm glad finally ticalc.org is doing something to augment it :)

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 15:48 GMT


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

I've noticed that on other message boards, but rarely at ticalc.org. Well, not on the message boards, anyways. Could someone tell me where these things are happening? An IRC chat channel? AIM?

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 22:58 GMT

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

I didn't know you still had access to the site.

Yelling at these kids won't change a thing for them though, it'll have to be something else.

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 17:04 GMT

Re: Irked and Chafed
Michael McElroy Account Info
(Web Page)

This is absolutely appalling. While I have resorted to some rather reprehensible behavior in the past (a pattern which I am trying to get out of), I do not believe that I have ever physically threatened anyone here, except jokingly.

I do not know what caused the threat, but I find it sad that someone would feel so offended by anything that happens on the internet to actually threaten harm to another person. This is ridiculous. When someone is willing to do this, they have lost sight of the fact that life is more important than the internet. It is truly disheartening that a person's priorities could become this disordered.

To the Ticalc staff: I apologize wholeheartedly for any trouble I have caused in the past - and I know that there has been a lot. Posting entire books to the boards, flooding the boards with off-topic spelling and grammar corrections, insults and harrassment to various staff members... I am certain that there is more. My behavior has been nothing short of childish, and is certainly not acceptable from someone 21 years of age.

I would especially like to apologize to Michael Vincent. I have attacked you personally many times in the past for things you were wholly justified in doing, or things that I believed you had done while in fact they were done by someone else. My words have been bitter, angry, and venomous, and I am sorry for them all.

On a final note: I sincerely hope that this person's account has been revoked. Physically threatening someone is simply deplorable.

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 18:56 GMT

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

I too would like to apologize if I have caused any problems for the staff. I'm 100% sure that the staff does an enormous amount of work for the site that many visitors don't notice. Thank you for your work.

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 19:37 GMT

Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
Michael Vincent  Account Info
(Web Page)

Thank you. I have noticed a huge improvement in your behavior in the last few weeks.

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 21:06 GMT


¤
burntfuse  Account Info

Who was the threat from? :-O

Reply to this comment    20 January 2004, 22:53 GMT

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

I think I should probably say something along the same lines, too...
Even though I like small off-topic humor on the side as well as good constructive posts, I have to say that, well, I know the site isn't my own to run, so it's not my right to say what happens on the site and what doesn't (I'm referring to the free open-discussion board idea, in case you didn't know). So, sorry for any inconvience that I've caused and all that stuff...
Oh yeah, and MV, it was nothing personal, okay? I just got angry a few times at deleted comments.
And... I know I probably shouldn't be asking this, but which news article was the threat written in? I got the picture that it was posted on this site from the article.

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 21:57 GMT


Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
mike White Account Info

i just don't see how these people would threarin to hurt someone over a calculater. i know that i am into calculaters just like the rest of use but i would never really hurt someone over it

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 23:03 GMT


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

Well, I guess we really don't know what it was about, since I didn't see it... did you see it? I think everybody's going to be curious about this...

Reply to this comment    20 January 2004, 02:58 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Irked and Chafed
Morgan Davies  Account Info
(Web Page)

Sadly enough I saw it and didn't delete it off the bat. I got side track and when I went back for it, it was gone and so on...

It is something that everyone needs to just put past them and just think about what NickD said and not who posted it.

Reply to this comment    20 January 2004, 22:08 GMT

TICalc.org Ideals
nicklaszlo Account Info
(Web Page)

I feel like this site is here to present the community's beliefs as much as anything else. TICalc.org was the first place that I discovered software created just to help other people - no strings attached. Now I have been introduced to many other communities, especially GNU/Linux, along the same lines. My expiriances here have given me a desire to help and be a generous, productive member of society.

I want the next generation of students who pick up a calculator to have the same expiriances I have, and to put their energy back into the world in return.

Thank you.

Reply to this comment    19 January 2004, 19:21 GMT


Re: TICalc.org Ideals
Michael O'Brien  Account Info
(Web Page)

Well put, and I whole heartedly agree with you. One minor problem, I'm not being cynical abouth this either, most people my age and younger are flat out immature and self centered. They want help without giving any. They see a strong knowledgable person and these people pounce on that person and try to get every bit of free, and sometimes undeserving, help out of them. In short, they take advantage of people. I really wish their parents would have taught them better than that. Lets just make it so our kids (yes, nerds, geeks and social loosers still have a chance of getting married) won't be brought up so poorly.

Reply to this comment    20 January 2004, 23:31 GMT

Re: Re: TICalc.org Ideals
TheGreatOne  Account Info

It's all about phychology and it's really quite a bit more complicated. See, if your in a bad, "lower," position you strive to get to an equal position. The route to get to that position is often very ugly. You can see all of this in real life in common situations. For example, you ever wonder why your boss always seems to be higher than you and in a bigger chair? Or even in wildlife. Why do you think modern zoos keep animals at an even ground level postion and not completely surrounded. Yes, it's because even animals feel stress and this has in the past often caused animals to pace back in forth. This leads to a shorter life span/non-existant reproductive cycle and bad business for the zoo. Anyways back to humans. It's not always about young people being self-centered or immature or bad parenting either. There are really smart people for example that may, dare I say, copy work just because of the load of certain courses combined with others and there not being enough hours in the day as it were. I know that if you take a lot of tough AP courses like Calculus and Chemistry this can happen, although it shouldn't happen as often in smart people. Then again even by classifying people as "smart" can be detrimental...

PS. You mean the odds of a nerd/geek meeting a girl aren't better than winning the lottery?!

Reply to this comment    21 January 2004, 00:28 GMT


Re: Re: Re: TICalc.org Ideals
Michael O'Brien  Account Info
(Web Page)

>I know that if you take a lot of tough AP courses like Calculus and Chemistry this can happen, although it shouldn't happen as often in smart people.

I did that, not in the same year though...

PS. They have a better chance than the lottery. To use the cliche ,they have to know "what women want"

Reply to this comment    21 January 2004, 00:39 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: TICalc.org Ideals
Ben Cherry  Account Info
(Web Page)

my class schedule this year (im a high-school junior):
1. Bible and Literature
2. AP Chemistry
3. AP English Language
4. AP US History
5. AP Calculus BC
6. Art 3

Reply to this comment    21 January 2004, 23:50 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: TICalc.org Ideals
Michael O'Brien  Account Info
(Web Page)

Not bad. I see that your smart enough to not take all AP classes. Right now I have *counting in head* 9 classes totaling 17 units. I'm suprissed at how little homework I have.

Reply to this comment    22 January 2004, 19:40 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: TICalc.org Ideals
Ben Cherry  Account Info
(Web Page)

i didnt have anymore AP classes to take, the rest would all require already having taken what i am taking now. And i never have any homework, and find that calculus and chem are a relief during the day. I just like science and math, hence me joining a calculator web site...

Reply to this comment    23 January 2004, 00:18 GMT


Re: Re: TICalc.org Ideals
nicklaszlo Account Info
(Web Page)

I am trying to say that we don't have to wait until we have our own children... We can start now, as long as no one knows our age.

Reply to this comment    21 January 2004, 04:11 GMT

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