Chat is Dead

[Stretch 25]

There's a humongous gray area between "intelligent conversation" and what was actually going on in the chat a good amount of the time. If that's not apparent, then I've nothing else to say to you and this conversation has reached an impasse. You have your convictions and I, my own. Neither is likely to sway what has already happened and I'd like to say - for the record! - that I never really wanted to see the chat taken down, as can be seen in that small novel I posted on the chat conduct thread.

 

However, I suppose it was necessitated. A shame really but can it be helped?

 

Sorry for your loss and the reaction it eschewed. I don't mean to perhaps offend or inflame any fresh wounds, as it were. This is merely discourse, discussion of a civil constitution. May you find some sort of peace with the decision, I guess?

 

dude why do you have to be so mean to these people?

[Trixies Apprentice L 493]

dude why do you have to be so mean to these people?

 

I am not offended really but oh well thank fo r the support

[Marcato 2,144]

Either way everyone, i think its time we just relaxed about this whole thing. We had many chances and times where we almost lost it and were warned, and we never took them to heart. I myself found it frustrating how chaotic chat was sometimes and that when moderators were not online, people would break rules, sometimes even to annoy me when i was saying things like "Isn't there a rule against excessive swearing?" They would swear even more just to get on my nerves. Then when a mod comes in they shut right up, and the only way for mods to catch them was through the painful process of checking the logs, which i'm sure is something they do NOT enjoy doing.

 

We still have the skype chat room, which is FAR easier to control and moderate, what with being able to delete posts, and check the logs easier. I think it was for the best that they removed the chat. If it stayed, people would continue to do nothing but the chatroom, which IMHO is not what the forums are meant for. Like feld0 said, there are sites made SPECIFICALLY for pony related chit-chat. My first time entering the chat, i was very confused, and if i hadn't talked to a moderator then i would still likely be confused even now. So really, new people have trouble understanding the chat because of the chaos and how random and spammy it is.

 

As much as i will miss the chat, i'm glad we still have the much more controlled Skype group. I find the skype group is far less spammy and chaotic, even if its more often dead then alive. At least its still a place we can hang out.

[Stretch 25]

Either way everyone, i think its time we just relaxed about this whole thing. We had many chances and times where we almost lost it and were warned, and we never took them to heart. I myself found it frustrating how chaotic chat was sometimes and that when moderators were not online, people would break rules, sometimes even to annoy me when i was saying things like "Isn't there a rule against excessive swearing?" They would swear even more just to get on my nerves. Then when a mod comes in they shut right up, and the only way for mods to catch them was through the painful process of checking the logs, which i'm sure is something they do NOT enjoy doing.

 

We still have the skype chat room, which is FAR easier to control and moderate, what with being able to delete posts, and check the logs easier. I think it was for the best that they removed the chat. If it stayed, people would continue to do nothing but the chatroom, which IMHO is not what the forums are meant for. Like feld0 said, there are sites made SPECIFICALLY for pony related chit-chat. My first time entering the chat, i was very confused, and if i hadn't talked to a moderator then i would still likely be confused even now. So really, new people have trouble understanding the chat because of the chaos and how random and spammy it is.

 

As much as i will miss the chat, i'm glad we still have the much more controlled Skype group. I find the skype group is far less spammy and chaotic, even if its more often dead then alive. At least its still a place we can hang out.

 

...have even BEEN to the skype group! it is so random!

[Marcato 2,144]

...have even BEEN to the skype group! it is so random!

 

I'm in the skype group right now. It's not that random, and when it is, it isn't chaotic random where it changes every minute or so.

[Twilight Sparkle ✨ 8,529]

Just one last pointer from me taken from the mlp forums own survey

This is how much people hated the place called the chatroom that was sooo bad that needed to be closed. Just look at this I hate it bar unacceptable. I am wondering why it lived for so long I mean look at that love and like it bar. It so small it shouldn't even be taken as a joke.

This was surely a decision that took place among the population of the forums. It was for the greater good. Statistics clearly prove it

 

Edit: It seems that the thought of 30-something people that hate/disliked clearly overshadows the thought of those 130-something that loved/liked that chat

 

When did we ever say that the point of the poll was to decide the fate of the chat? We asked that "love it/hate it" question solely for statistical purposes. Just because people loved it does not at all mean that they respected it.

 

We've been more than lenient. We have tried our hardest to set the chatroom back on course, to make it a part of MLP Forums that we can all be proud of. But the general reaction that my staff and I received showed disrespect for the 10 or so volunteers that want nothing more than to provide a free pony community of the utmost quality. We closed the chatroom because the general behaviour within went against this goal and left a bad mark on the community. There are only 9 of us and over 2,500 of you. We can't make behavioural change in the community happen without your cooperation. So if you can't cooperate and work together with us to "save" the chatroom, we have no choice but to stop wasting our time trying to make change happen and sever it instead.

 

I am, as a matter of fact, in touch with a friend who wants to join and be part of this community, but feels completely alienated because of the chatroom's atmosphere. And I'm absolutely sure this particular member is not the only one who has been scared off of the site - I've seen many members join and excitedly make their 5 posts to gain access to the chatroom, only to leave and never return. We do not want people joining MLP Forums for its chatroom, frankly, much less leaving because a relatively minor section of the site left a bad impression on them.

 

MLP Forums is a completely free community and we ask for nothing but your respect in return for being a part of the site. The chatroom had a tendency to fuel a complete disregard for said respect, so that hardly helps in motivating us to continue running it. Neither I nor my staff are in any way obligated to provide this chatroom - or heck, even the site itself - for you, but we bend over backwards to try and be professional, approachable, and reasonable.

 

There are several pages of terms, rules, and conditions you have to read and explicitly agree to before gaining access to the chatroom. There is the legal fine print when you register. There is the ToS page that is forced upon you for 30 seconds once you validate your account. That page contains a link to the global community rules with clear instructions to read them. And finally, there were several chat-specific rules you had to agree to every time you entered the chatroom. If everyone actually read and abided by those rules without blindly searching for the "I agree" button, the chatroom would still be here today.

 

---

We are, by the way, contemplating the possibility of releasing the chat logs in their entirety, to set the record straight and let everyone see and judge things for themselves.

[Anachronous 682]

dude why do you have to be so mean to these people?

 

Ooh, DDW, is that really the only vibe you're getting from my posts? You couldn't be farther from the truth, man! Is it not at all possible that I can have a mature discussion and be free of malcontent towards either party? You guys have your own beliefs regarding the chat and I have my own. Why might my views make me mean but not vice versa?

 

Simply discussing, is all. Nothing more, nothing less. If you're getting some sort of negative opinion of me based on what's been posted here - which, honestly, is totally the vibe that I'm getting! - I heartily admonish towards abandoning it. The way I come off when I'm debating a topic is impersonal and detached from my own personal opinions as much as possible, lol.

 

If you think I'm being mean, I apologize either way. I don't personally see it but, hey, we all read things differently.

[Marcato 2,144]

~Snipped~

 

There are several pages of terms, rules, and conditions you have to read and explicitly agree to before gaining access to the chatroom. There is the legal fine print when you register. There is the ToS page that is forced upon you for 30 seconds once you validate your account. That page contains a link to the global community rules with clear instructions to read them. And finally, there were several chat-specific rules you had to agree to every time you entered the chatroom. If everyone actually read and abided by those rules without blindly searching for the "I agree" button, the chatroom would still be here today.

 

 

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only person who read the rules fully and understood and remembered them afterwords. I know many others did too, but even people who have read them still do it. Even the 30 second wait wasn't enough though. People just countdown on it and completely skip the rules even then. All in all it makes me VERY disappointed to see people not paying as much attention to the rules as they should.

Edited April 9, 2012 by Silver Arrow

[Lord Sprixx 261]

Either way everyone, i think its time we just relaxed about this whole thing. We had many chances and times where we almost lost it and were warned, and we never took them to heart. I myself found it frustrating how chaotic chat was sometimes and that when moderators were not online, people would break rules, sometimes even to annoy me when i was saying things like "Isn't there a rule against excessive swearing?" They would swear even more just to get on my nerves. Then when a mod comes in they shut right up, and the only way for mods to catch them was through the painful process of checking the logs, which i'm sure is something they do NOT enjoy doing.

 

We still have the skype chat room, which is FAR easier to control and moderate, what with being able to delete posts, and check the logs easier. I think it was for the best that they removed the chat. If it stayed, people would continue to do nothing but the chatroom, which IMHO is not what the forums are meant for. Like feld0 said, there are sites made SPECIFICALLY for pony related chit-chat. My first time entering the chat, i was very confused, and if i hadn't talked to a moderator then i would still likely be confused even now. So really, new people have trouble understanding the chat because of the chaos and how random and spammy it is.

 

As much as i will miss the chat, i'm glad we still have the much more controlled Skype group. I find the skype group is far less spammy and chaotic, even if its more often dead then alive. At least its still a place we can hang out.

 

Silver, I don't like saying this at all, I don't want to start problems. I don't buy anything your saying. I saw your conduct in the chat and it was frankly worse than some of the ones that managed to get under my skin, and it takes a lot to annoy me! The so called swearing incidents I never saw and those who were there told me otherwise. So in short, I would like to call you a bold face liar. Now lets all all try to compose ourselves and we can figure this out, okay?

[Demi 545]

I wouldn't mind getting a glimpse of the chat to see who the big trouble makers were. Surely it wasn't little ol' me.

[Doctor XFizzle 8,672]

I'm truly sorry for those users that the chat was the only setting they felt comfortable interacting with others in. Fitting in, either in a real life or online community can be tough for some to go through.

 

For those pointing the finger at the mods for why this occurred, turn that finger to your fellow users who broke the rules AFTER the forum was given a very fair, public, and advertised warning.

 

As I said before, I'm sorry for those who were only comfortable in the chat room. As for the others, life is unfair. This was not a miscarriage of justice. Move along and utilize the alternatives the best you can. The chat was a privilege, not a right.

[Marcato 2,144]

Silver, I don't like saying this at all, I don't want to start problems. I don't buy anything your saying. I saw your conduct in the chat and it was frankly worse than some of the ones that managed to get under my skin, and it takes a lot to annoy me! The so called swearing incidents I never saw and those who were there told me otherwise. So in short, I would like to call you a bold face liar. Now lets all all try to compose ourselves and we can figure this out, okay?

 

Saying you don't want to cause problems is an awfully contradictory thing to say when you are practically downright insulting some one.

 

Well its fairly easy to miss things when chat is moving 100 MPH. I have missed many things myself and just popped in from being afk or working on something and completely missing something that turned out important later. In fact, Arylet (or zoop, I forget.) could even back me up since she is the one who handled the excessive swearing situation I had recently. Whether she wants to or not is up to her of course.

 

What conduct was i doing wrong? Back-seat modding? Yes. I sometimes do that. But only because it simply drives me mental when people break rules, and its hard to stop myself from trying to stop it. Also, zoop showed me a way around that, so i stopped after that swearing incident. I was very wrong to be backseat modding, and ultimately contradicting my own intent, but I learned a way around that and was intending on fixing it.

[Trixies Apprentice L 493]

I am, as a matter of fact, in touch with a friend who wants to join and be part of this community, but feels completely alienated because of the chatroom's atmosphere. And I'm absolutely sure this particular member is not the only one who has been scared off of the site - I've seen many members join and excitedly make their 5 posts to gain access to the chatroom, only to leave and never return. We do not want people joining MLP Forums for its chatroom, frankly, much less leaving because a relatively minor section of the site left a bad impression on them.

 

 

Seriously I don't try to offend anyone but if he doesn't join the forums as a whole cause of one just one moment in the chat, Then I am not sure if he should join at all(Again I don't know him and I don't try to offend anyone). Plus I was a new member too and entered the chat after 5 post and wasn't really alienated. And stayed in the forums and then re entered and liked it. A member that simple leaves just because of a moment in a chat is probably someone that wouldn't stay much anyway.

 

Also I want to believe that I didn't disrespect anyone with the way I talk in this thread.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Trixie's Apprentice Leona

[Keypassion 232]

Saying you don't want to cause problems is an awfully contradictory thing to say when you are practically downright insulting some one.

 

Well its fairly easy to miss things when chat is moving 100 MPH. I have missed many things myself and just popped in from being afk or working on something and completely missing something that turned out important later. In fact, Arylet (or zoop, I forget.) could even back me up since she is the one who handled the excessive swearing situation I had recently. Whether she wants to or not is up to her of course.

 

What conduct was i doing wrong? Back-seat modding? Yes. I sometimes do that. But only because it simply drives me mental when people break rules, and its hard to stop myself from trying to stop it. Also, zoop showed me a way around that, so i stopped after that swearing incident. I was very wrong to be backseat modding, and ultimately contradicting my own intent, but I learned a way around that and was intending on fixing it.

 

I could keep up with the speed of chat. All I the things read from you just stank of brown-nosing. It is painfully obvious you are just being a toady. Quit being a kiss ass and shut up. It gets annoying and takes up peoples time. One last thing: YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE A MOD! GET OVER YOURSELF!

[Marcato 2,144]

 

I could keep up with the speed of chat. All I the things read from you just stank of brown-nosing. It is painfully obvious you are just being a toady. Quit being a kiss ass and shut up. It gets annoying and takes up peoples time. One last thing: YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE A MOD! GET OVER YOURSELF!

 

Since when, did i ever say i wanted to be a mod? In fact, I likely wouldn't like ot be a mod on here just because of all the troubles this place seems to go through. I'm only explaining my opinions of things. If you think that just because i agree with the moderators i'm kissing up, i think you may need to check the logic in that thinking. Besides, i'm busy enough as it is having to moderate 2 other places, While keeping track of a busy schedule in school. If you were in school 12 hours a day and hardly had any free time, would you like to spend it doing what's practically a job?

 

Brown nosing. Explain in detail please?

[Key Gear 6,664]

Neither I nor my staff are in any way obligated to provide this chatroom - or heck, even the site itself - for you, but we bend over backwards to try and be professional, approachable, and reasonable.

 

This is the bottom line. To all those that are still upset about the removal of the chat room, I would strongly recommend that you read this statement and that you take a few minutes to ponder the implications of it.

 

MLP Forums is a wonderful site. The time that the mods and the admin of this site put into maintaining it is their gift to us. Can we try harder to not forget that?

 

I could keep up with the speed of chat. All I the things read from you just stank of brown-nosing. It is painfully obvious you are just being a toady. Quit being a kiss ass and shut up. It gets annoying and takes up peoples time. One last thing: YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE A MOD! GET OVER YOURSELF!

 

So in short, I would like to call you a bold face liar. Now lets all all try to compose ourselves and we can figure this out, okay?

 

Guys. Read your posts. Read them very slowly. Now pretend that you were the one receiving these kinds of attacks. How would you respond?

 

I am troubled by the amount of hostility that you are both displaying right now, and I am also troubled by the amount of hostility that has already been displayed in this thread.

 

By the way, no one in this thread is campaigning to be a mod. Silver, like many others, is just sharing his own perspective on the event. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Frankly, I have found his contributions to the discussion to be quite valuable.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Scootacool

[Swordfishtrombone 384]

Guys, why is this thread even still around?

 

It won't come back.

[Marcato 2,144]

By the way, no one in this thread is campaigning to be a mod. Silver, like many others, is just sharing his own perspective on the event. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Frankly, I have found his contributions to the discussion to be quite valuable.

 

Thank you! This is exactly what i have been trying to explain. In fact, i'm quite sure some people disagree and say things for the sake of starting an argument. Not saying that you are necessarily hino, but from my end thats what it sounds like.

 

Don't get me wrong. When you use text to communicate, much like old history books, you are left to interpret what the writer is trying to say, which can sometimes be taken a COMPLETELY different way. I feel that may have happened here, possibly for both of us.

[Keypassion 232]

Brown nosing. Explain in detail please?

 

Where to begin?

First, everytime you replied after a mod, it was usually obvious praise. Half the foums would agree with me. You didn't even use any tact when doing so. The obvoius "Being a mod sounds hard," is a great example.

Second, you would backseat mod, and though you have acknowledged this as one of your faults, it still screams "I wish I was a mod."

Third, your replies in this thread are just sickening to look at because there is even more brown-nosing in them, if that is even possible.

I would go on, but why prolong this?

[Aureity 3,055]

I'm starting to see a bit of hostility on this thread.

 

Sprixx, Hinochi and Silver. I don't really care which one of you is in the right. But for the sake of peace, can't you all just take your bad vibes elsewhere? PM is a good place to yell at each other if you have to, but you're making a lot of others here uncomfortable. Please guys, remember. Love and tolerate each other.

[Lord Sprixx 261]

Saying you don't want to cause problems is an awfully contradictory thing to say when you are practically downright insulting some one.

 

Well its fairly easy to miss things when chat is moving 100 MPH. I have missed many things myself and just popped in from being afk or working on something and completely missing something that turned out important later. In fact, Arylet (or zoop, I forget.) could even back me up since she is the one who handled the excessive swearing situation I had recently. Whether she wants to or not is up to her of course.

 

What conduct was i doing wrong? Back-seat modding? Yes. I sometimes do that. But only because it simply drives me mental when people break rules, and its hard to stop myself from trying to stop it. Also, zoop showed me a way around that, so i stopped after that swearing incident. I was very wrong to be backseat modding, and ultimately contradicting my own intent, but I learned a way around that and was intending on fixing it.

 

I have nothing more to say to you right now that wont get me banned in 10 seconds flat so I'll just let it go for now. Now with that out of the way, I think the chat would have done better if more of the rules were enforced, if mods had put there foot down and shown people that they can't get away with the kind of crap that was apparently going on (Frankly I didn't see it but either way). HOWEVER, that is not to say I blame the mods, that's not fair to them or anyone else, regardless it is those who broke said rules who are to blame I just would have liked to seen it handled better. Regardless it's been put down, perhaps one day it will return in one form or another but right now it's gone, too quote myself "Good night sweet prince". Look at me, I'm starting to add to the problem of the rudeness and hate, I apologize for how I came off Silver, but I don't buy what your saying but I am deeply sorry.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Lord Sprixx

[Anachronous 682]

Don't get me wrong. When you use text to communicate, much like old history books, you are left to interpret what the writer is trying to say, which can sometimes be taken a COMPLETELY different way. I feel that may have happened here, possibly for both of us.

 

I guess I should have accounted for as much when posting, seeing as - apparently! - I'm coming off as somewhat mean when I'm really just trying to put a figurative lid on things. Oh, well, such is the case in volatile topics.

 

I think we all ought to take it down a notch. We're all "friends" here, no? No matter how acquainted we might be with one another on an individual basis, we're all bronies, one and the same. It isn't worth having something like this perpetuate a sort of underhanded animosity amongst our ranks, no matter how polar our differing opinions might be.

 

PUT ON YOUR COOL SHADES YO CHILL OUT FOR A SEC.

 

YEEEE.

[bunbunbun 1,075]

I'm starting to see a bit of hostility on this thread.

 

Sprixx, Hinochi and Silver. I don't really care which one of you is in the right. But for the sake of peace, can't you all just take your bad vibes elsewhere? PM is a good place to yell at each other if you have to, but you're making a lot of others here uncomfortable. Please guys, remember. Love and tolerate each other.

 

I agree. Honestly I think they should just lock the thread and prevent more unnecessary arguments.

But that obviously won't happen x)

Edited April 10, 2012 by TheBrokenToast

[Marcato 2,144]

 

Where to begin?

First, everytime you replied after a mod, it was usually obvious praise. Half the foums would agree with me. You didn't even use any tact when doing so. The obvoius "Being a mod sounds hard," is a great example.

Second, you would backseat mod, and though you have acknowledged this as one of your faults, it still screams "I wish I was a mod."

Third, your replies in this thread are just sickening to look at because there is even more brown-nosing in them, if that is even possible.

I would go on, but why prolong this?

 

Excellent hinochi, why prolong this, even though you already are? :/

 

Reason i say being a mod "sounds" hard is because it IS. Whats worse, is when you have a schedule on top of that to deal with. I know from personal experience that moderating is a difficult task.

 

May i ask where that statistic of "half the forums" comes from? Really, where did you pull that number from? Be honest.

 

And i have had occasions where i disagreed with a moderator. They are normally in private chat, and the reason i praise the mods, is because they deserve it. The things they say normally have much meaning, and the work they put into things at times is even greater. Besides, am i the ONLY one that praises mods after they say something? I challange you to find out if there are any other people that do similar things, and if they are just "kissing up."

[Marcato 2,144]

Man... I really dislike arguing and all, but i tend to do so when i find people are trying to either hurt my feelings or proove me wrong. Especially when it seems almost just directed at me, and only me, when there are others doing WORSE things or similar things out there.

 

All in all, auriety is probably right. The thread should likely be locked before people start hating on each other more then whats happenning here.

 

And sprixx, i understand how you feel, and i'm sorry too if anything came across wrong from my angle.