Best forum for Classic Traveller?

[far-trader]

Wait! Really? Aramis, Far Trader, and Colin are running the board?

No, far from it. Aramis and I are just moderators. Colin was moderating areas of interest but has now retired his position to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interests with his current work. Andrew Boulton was promoted to Administrator by Marc Miller who now runs CotI under the FFE banner.

 

[Supplement Four]

No, far from it. Aramis and I are just moderators.

Or...in other words...the inmates have taken over the asylum! :shock:

 

[Mithras]

Well personally, I really like COTI, always have. I never get into or usually even read any 'hot' threads. I've got a lot of fantastic ideas from the forum and it really has expanded my own ATU.

There are some great insights and ideas on there and use of the great search tool can be very rewarding, with posts archived going back many many years.

 

[Sturn]

As a member of both forums, I find the environment fine at CotI. I have both linked in my favorites and visit them daily. I'm an MGT fan and have never been assaulted over there. I received a warning once (I deserved it for a topic banned on their forums) and still regard the moderation as near-fair (which is good as far as online forums go).

As for light vs. heavy moderation, which is better varies by personal opinion. If one person calls a forum heavy-handed, another may say a forum is too light and doesn't enforce it's own rules.

 

[TrippyHippy]

I caused enough of a stir on CotI boards while Traveller was being developed, defending against what I percieved as sustained and unchecked negativity against the new game. I always found the administration themselves were amicable and courteous enough to me (I got warned a couple of times, but not banned) however.

The moderators as people isn't the problem on CotI - some of the posters are.

 

[Supplement Four]

The moderators as people isn't the problem on CotI - some of the posters are.

I'm sure it's probably me. I never liked Wil (Aramis) before he became a mod. He's just one of those guys that rubs people the wrong way--not just me but a lot of people. There have been several calls for him to step down as moderator over at CotI.

Far Trader Dan I quite liked until a friend showed me what he was saying behind my back to the other mods (where he thought I wouldn't see). He seems hostile to me now, but he used to act like he was my friend then turn coat on me. He's two-faced. I don't respect that.

Colin is OK, but I crawl up his nerves in my expression of dislike for MGT. And, he gets "flustered" quite a bit (not a good characteristic for a mod). When he gets that way, he acts irrationally.

Long story short, the mods over at the TML are unreasonable and childish when it comes to me. Your mouth would drop at some of the things I've been given a Warning or Infraction for. My most recent Infraction I showed to another CotI member right before I left the forum, and they called it pathetic, because it was. Far Trader Dan sent me a Warning not so long ago because I didn't agree with him in an argument--not because I'd broken a forum rule.

I'm not the type to stand by and let that type of thing happen, over and over. So, I left the board.

I won't bore you long posts, but I could go back to my CotI account and send you links to some of the stupid stuff I've been given a Warning for.

If I did that, it would amaze you.

The mods at CotI are partial to certain people, unfair to others, and always prefer to use a big stick when a snappy polite comment would suffice.

 

[Colin]

There's a reason I'm no longer a Mod on CotI, by my own choice.

I strongly dispute the charge that I act irrationally. In fact, I strongly suggest that you retract that statement. I am a professional writer, who also works in the Traveller community, and that statement impugns my reputation. I'm pretty sure a lawyer would see it that way as well, not to mention a judge.

A forum is a public place, and what you said about me amounts to libel (in written form). Consider that very carefully.

 

[Colin]

Moreover, you constantly broke the rules, and would whine about it every time we called you on it.

You, along with one or two others, were one of the "grognards" that people are warned about in regards to CotI. People left the forum because of you.

I understand, and even share, some of your concerns with Mongoose Traveller. No game is perfect. However, your criticisms went too far, often becoming attacks on the company, its officers, the writers of the material you didn't like, and anyone who disagreed with you.

As far as partiality goes, people often accused us of being partial to the "grogs", including you, because we let you get away with crap that we shouldn't have. The only excuse we had was that you contributed some excellent material, at least when you stuck to Classic Traveller. You were helpful to others who wished to learn that version, and you very often had valuable things to say. Sometimes your answers were condescending, but you were far from the worst for that, and we generally let that slide.

 

[Colin]

Consider this another vote against CotI.


I've left the place recently, leaving after I posted in a thread started by another member who was complaining about treatment by the mods. I agreed and stated that those mods were the worst I'd ever seen on a forum. Colin gave me an infraction because I "hurt his and the other mods feelings". That's what the reason states!
.

That's a lie. I said that your statement accused us of unethical behaviour. Not the same thing as "hurt our feelings"

Get it straight.

 

[Colin]

In fact, Supplement 4, let's be very clear here. If you post another false comment about me on any public forum related to Traveller, writing, science fiction gaming, or science fiction of any sort, I will sue you.

I use my real name in all forums I deal with. I'm the writer of record for 2320AD, along with several other gaming materials, with more due to come out. In other words, your comments clearly identify me, the author, moreso than me, the former moderator on CotI. That has a potential negative effect on me and any income I may make from my writing. In short, I can show possible monetary harm.

Your comments are libelous, and I will act to protect my reputation.

 

[Supplement Four]

That's a lie. I said that your statement accused us of unethical behaviour. Not the same thing as "hurt our feelings"

Get it straight.

Ah, it was Andrew who said I insulted you and the mods, and that's why I was given an infraction. (Which is another problem with the modding at CotI. You guys would give a Warning or Infraction, THEN try to fit it into a reason it broke the rules. Happened several times to me. I saw it happen to others. You'd make it up as you go and then slap it into some violation that did not fight the action.)

And, I do accuse you of unethical behavior. That's what "playing favorites" means.



If you really want to get it straight, let's look and what YOU did.

A thread was started by another member complaining about the conduct of the mods. I happen to agree with what the poster was saying, so I wrote the post below.

Quote: And this is censorship, which, I know, I know, you're entitled to practice here. But that doesn't mean it's necessarily a good idea.

I wasn't following in the thread in question, but I will say that I've lost all respect for the mods at this forum. It used to be one or two, but now it seems all of them exercise bad judgement with their moderating powers.

I am seriously considering leaving this forum, after daily participation over the last decade, and never looking back.



And YOU (and Andrew, and Aramis/Wil, and Far Trader/Dan) think that is worthy of an INFRACTION!

That's purely ridiculous. What it is you getting slap happy with your big sticks. The fact that you even cited me for those words in that thread IS PROOF OF WHAT I CLAIM IN THE POST!! You're exercising bad judgement and abusing your moderating powers.

I'm sure it's all justified in your head, but to most rational human beings, the above is not an INFRACTION WORTHY offense. It's not even worth of a Warning.

 

[Supplement Four]

In fact, Supplement 4, let's be very clear here. If you post another false comment about me on any public forum related to Traveller, writing, science fiction gaming, or science fiction of any sort, I will sue you.

LOL! Sounds like your fluster limit has been hit again, and you're all frustrated because you can't hit me with an infraction or ban me or some such. Just like Dan, you prove my point in your posts. Just look at the above. Three posts in a row because it irks you so much.

That's what I meant when I said you get all hot and bothered easily.

As for sueing me, well, come and get me, big guy.

 

[Colin]

You know, I got annoyed by the lies and the libel, and so I responded. Then I realized that, for the most part, responding to you simply isn't worth the effort. We talk past each other all the time.

If you could avoid the libel, I wouldn't care what you say. If you want to say that the moderation on CotI is too heavy-handed for your tastes, feel free. Knock yourself out. However, when you cross the line into personal attacks, then it becomes a problem. In fact, that has been the problem with you all along. You can't stick to statements about the topic, or material, you have to descend into ad hominem attacks. And when you get called on it, you get defensive, and launch into further attacks.

CotI has very specific rules against personal attacks, rules which apply to comments about the Mods as well. You crossed that line with your comment about "poor judgment." Had you left that out, then you would simply be expressing your opinion on the Moderation. Instead, you expressed an opinion on the character of the Moderators. That is against the rules of the board. That is what you were called on.

Oh, and the three posts in a row were because I hadn't read the thread until now, and I felt a need to correct your lies and libel against me.

I am no longer a Mod on CotI, precisely because I don't want to deal with you, or people like you. And so I'm done.

 

[GamerDude]

can this thread be locked?

Thank you

 

[Supplement Four]

I am no longer a Mod on CotI...

I think that's a smart thing for you do in stepping down as mod at CotI.

If Far Trader Dan and Aramis/Wil would realize that they also don't have the temperments to be mods, CotI will be a better place for it.

Don't get me wrong. I do think CotI needs mods. Andrew just needs to find the right people for the job.

 

[Supplement Four]

CotI has very specific rules against personal attacks, rules which apply to comments about the Mods as well. You crossed that line with your comment about "poor judgment." Had you left that out, then you would simply be expressing your opinion on the Moderation.

That's a stretch, but I do believe you believe it. Again, anyone reading the above post that you gave me an infraction for would probably agree with me and several others about how bad the modding has gotten at CotI.

It truly is ridiculous that you slapped an infraction on that.

 

[TrippyHippy]

Yes, this isn't the appropriate place to discuss any of this. Take it somewhere else.

 

[lastbesthope]

I'm not a MOD on this area of the forum, but in as much as I am a Mongoose Mod, this is really not the place for this discussion.

LBH

 

[Vile]

Really, this is not the proper forum for this kind of discussion. That pun was intended.

LBH, isn't there any way you could prevail upon Matt to appoint at least one moderator to this forum? It seems a tad odd that this is the only place that doesn't have one, even though Traveller must be one of the main Mongoose properties at the moment.

 

[Supplement Four]

I'm not a MOD on this area of the forum, but in as much as I am a Mongoose Mod, this is really not the place for this discussion.

LBH

No problem, LBH. That's good enough for me. I'll not respond to anybody replying to any of the above in order to kill it.

I started it in response to the OP and my opinion that he should avoid that place. I think that point is well made.

As a parting commment, the CotI mods reading this should take lessons from LBH. THIS is the way to moderate--not constantly pound people with Warnings and Infractions all the time.

That's the difference in earning respect and losing it.