Conquer Club = Fascist State?

[walnutwatson]

Fair point.
I still agree with Limey though.

[porkenbeans]

It appears, at first glance, that there are TWO SEPARATE BANDWAGONS to jump on in this thread.

However, I am wracked with indecision. Please, restate the benefits and reasoning behind both bandwagons so as to help me make up my mind.

Here is my synopsis so far:

BANDWAGON THE FIRST: Foe Limey Lyons for reasons unstated or clarified, however implied to be as a prophylactic measure against receiving 1s in ratings from the aforementioned possible "foe".

BANDWAGON THE SECOND: Be all contrarian to the other bandwagon, yet appear exponentially less cool than all people who jumped on this bandwagon prior to me, and at least like, 140% less cool than Vace Cooper, who built the bandwagon, and thus rises above the station of mere bandwagon jumper and is instead designated as TRAILBLAZER. This is the truly desired position in this whole debacle.

However of course, there is a third bandwagon no one has considered.

BANDWAGON THE THIRD: Simply ignore and avoid this thread out of fear that someone from either bandwagon will get pissy and give me all 1s out of spite.

Please, all commentators, pundits, and VIPs, please restate your positions and reasoning so that I might decide which bandwagon to jump on.

I find that I need not read on any farther, as you have said the exact same as I was thinking. Bravo. Got any room on the 3rd. bandwagon ?

[Dancing Mustard]

So let me see here,

According to Nightstrike:

Abusive trolls ruining the game for all by spewing offensive bile: Not a problem for moderators, foe him and move on, leave him to continue indefinitely ruining games for others.
A player's personal opinion to rate somebody as a 1, which will soon be balanced out by equally nonsensical (yet unmoderated) all-5 ratings: A serious problem for moderators, cease immediately or we'll start revoking features which you've paid to use!!

Got it... it makes perfect sense now. Both issues are being dealt with in a proportional, efficient and sensible fashion.

[yeti_c]

we'll start revoking features which you've paid to use!!

Don't over egg the pudding - ratings are a free part of the site - freemium users can use them just as much as paid for members.

C.

[Dancing Mustard]

freemium users can use them just as much as paid for members.

True enough, but:

(1) They can't use it as much as premiums, as they get to play less games... so the ability to rate more often is in fact something you attain through paying.
(2) By your definition, nothing on this site is paid for apart from the speed-games and password-games functions; because technically everybody can use every other feature for free. Are you really saying that they're the only things premium members can legitimately question the administration of?

Really, the pudding isn't over-egged at all. Lyons has paid to use the site (like many others) and now he's being told that he's about to have features taken away merely for expressing his personal opinion. Meanwhile, other people abuse the rating system in other ways and are left entirely alone, and others f*ck up other user's gameplaying experience far more than Lyons, but we're told mods can't be expected to deal with them and that we're to fend for ourselves on an individual basis.

The point is in the dichotomies, while Lyon's may have started out on this escapade with mala fide motives, he's being treated disproportionately and inconsistently.

[yeti_c]

Whether I disagree with you or not - I was merely stating that you were weakening your argument by straying from fact to fiction...

FWIW - I agree with the most part of your arguments.

C.

[walnutwatson]

Yeah, go Dancing Mustard, that's exactly what's pissing me off.

[Joshua Hayden]

I will love limey with the love of Jesus and invite him to take his place on a crucifix for grins and giggles. Aint no way he's getting on my foe list, he's way too interesting if even in a corrupt militant lesbian liberal sort of way

[walnutwatson]

It just occured top me that the suggestion by some people that we can opt out of the ratings scheme is misleading, I have not rated anyone except for partners in doubles games for my last few matches and yet I am still rated by the people I have played - surely opting out should mean that we are not rated as well as us not rating others - I think that would be fairer on the people that do not agree with the ratings scheme.

[lgoasklucyl]

Hello Limey Lyons,

You have received a formal disciplinary warning.

Issued by: king achilles

Comment:

Your given ratings has been brought to our attention and as you say, "1 star is now my standard scorehanding". You do not use the ratings system to get back at it or use it for your own personal enjoyment. Do not give out random ratings or hand out ratings which lacks or no basis at all.

This improper use of the ratings system is strictly prohibited and let this serve as a warning. We do not want to be forced to take away this privilege from you.


Regards,
The Conquer Club

So all I have to do to get the 'You have 'x' rating to leave' notification off is abuse my rating privileges? Brilliant, I would have never thought of that.

Honestly, I've succumbed to 1s or 5s for the most part myself. I would rather not leave ratings at all, but that notification bothers the hell out of me and I am forced to do so out of the sake of keeping a clean slate on the 'my games' page.

Everyone hop in the games I start so I can give you all 1s and lose my rating privileges!

[Nikolai]

[Are you really saying that they're the only things premium members can legitimately question the administration of?

Actually... premium members don't get to question administration any more or less than freemium members, or anybody else. Leave that "which you've paid to use!" bit off your argument and you'll have it down.

[porkenbeans]

Hello Limey Lyons,

You have received a formal disciplinary warning.

Issued by: king achilles

Comment:

Your given ratings has been brought to our attention and as you say, "1 star is now my standard scorehanding". You do not use the ratings system to get back at it or use it for your own personal enjoyment. Do not give out random ratings or hand out ratings which lacks or no basis at all.

This improper use of the ratings system is strictly prohibited and let this serve as a warning. We do not want to be forced to take away this privilege from you.


Regards,
The Conquer Club

So all I have to do to get the 'You have 'x' rating to leave' notification off is abuse my rating privileges? Brilliant, I would have never thought of that.

Honestly, I've succumbed to 1s or 5s for the most part myself. I would rather not leave ratings at all, but that notification bothers the hell out of me and I am forced to do so out of the sake of keeping a clean slate on the 'my games' page.

Everyone hop in the games I start so I can give you all 1s and lose my rating privileges!

G1

[porkenbeans]

freemium users can use them just as much as paid for members.

True enough, but:

(1) They can't use it as much as premiums, as they get to play less games... so the ability to rate more often is in fact something you attain through paying.
(2) By your definition, nothing on this site is paid for apart from the speed-games and password-games functions; because technically everybody can use every other feature for free. Are you really saying that they're the only things premium members can legitimately question the administration of?

Really, the pudding isn't over-egged at all. Lyons has paid to use the site (like many others) and now he's being told that he's about to have features taken away merely for expressing his personal opinion. Meanwhile, other people abuse the rating system in other ways and are left entirely alone, and others f*ck up other user's gameplaying experience far more than Lyons, but we're told mods can't be expected to deal with them and that we're to fend for ourselves on an individual basis.

The point is in the dichotomies, while Lyon's may have started out on this escapade with mala fide motives, he's being treated disproportionately and inconsistently.

Within these forums, I have not found a person that I consistently agree with, more than you.

[Dancing Mustard]

[Are you really saying that they're the only things premium members can legitimately question the administration of?

Actually... premium members don't get to question administration any more or less than freemium members, or anybody else. Leave that "which you've paid to use!" bit off your argument and you'll have it down.

You're quite right of course, they ought not get to question it any more or less than anybody else here; however because of the ugly sub-culture that exists here of people who shout "You're a freemium! Pay money or shut up!" as a blanket response to any criticism, I rather thought I'd point out that the original complainant had put his money where his mouth was in order to head that vocal minority off at the pass.

You're ideologically correct of course; I was just dealing with the ugly mentality of some of this site's less egalitarian posters.

Anyway, I note that all of our moderators have gone quiet and wandered off now that their first volley of simplistic counter-arguments have been shot-down. Guys, why are you suddenly less eager to contribute?

[softka2005]

i'm going to back my brother-in-law and give everyone 1s from now on!! Onward. Upward. To VICTORY!

[walnutwatson]

Any chance of a reply from a mod?

[e_i_pi]

I have two points to make, the first concerning the original topic title.
Conquer Club = Facist State. As one definition of fascist is a dictatorial person then I would have to agree to a point. Why have Limeys ratings warranted such a response from CC when written abuse is apparently acceptable? Look at the Demonfork topic and you'll see what I mean. Apparently it is fine for him to write "2008-11-07 06:00:30 - demonfork: i hope you get anally raped by an aids infested cock" but to leave people 1 ratings is a terrible crime. Can anyone explain this?

Neither are acceptable, which is why both of these people are permanently on my foe list.

Don't assume that because someone has done something it's OK with everyone. I find a lot of behaviour on this site repugnant, especially that of people who think they are owed something by the site.

It's a business - you pay them - they dictate the rules. That's how business works. You don't like it, you take your custom elsewhere. It's the way business has always worked, so don't go saying that CC is a fascist state... CC is a business, businesses dictate the way they do business, end of story.

But I notice people like LL don't take their business elsewhere. They also don't do anything to help. They just hang around like malignant tumours, doing whatever they can to piss people off, like they're some kind of cross between Jesus Christ and Samual L Jackson in Pulp Fiction. Wake up people - the world doesn't owe you a thing... you don't like it, you're welcome to leave at any time. You hang around, well, you can, but don't think people are going to think you're a dreamboat come to absolve the world of it's sins... chances are you're just a douche.

[Timminz]

I have two points to make, the first concerning the original topic title.
Conquer Club = Facist State. As one definition of fascist is a dictatorial person then I would have to agree to a point. Why have Limeys ratings warranted such a response from CC when written abuse is apparently acceptable? Look at the Demonfork topic and you'll see what I mean. Apparently it is fine for him to write "2008-11-07 06:00:30 - demonfork: i hope you get anally raped by an aids infested cock" but to leave people 1 ratings is a terrible crime. Can anyone explain this?

Neither are acceptable, which is why both of these people are permanently on my foe list.

Don't assume that because someone has done something it's OK with everyone. I find a lot of behaviour on this site repugnant, especially that of people who think they are owed something by the site.

It's a business - you pay them - they dictate the rules. That's how business works. You don't like it, you take your custom elsewhere. It's the way business has always worked, so don't go saying that CC is a fascist state... CC is a business, businesses dictate the way they do business, end of story.

But I notice people like LL don't take their business elsewhere. They also don't do anything to help. They just hang around like malignant tumours, doing whatever they can to piss people off, like they're some kind of cross between Jesus Christ and Samual L Jackson in Pulp Fiction. Wake up people - the world doesn't owe you a thing... you don't like it, you're welcome to leave at any time. You hang around, well, you can, but don't think people are going to think you're a dreamboat come to absolve the world of it's sins... chances are you're just a douche.

Not that I think this post will do any good where it's really needed, but I would like to thank e_i_pi for writing it anyway.

Bravo! Well said.

[walnutwatson]

Whatever happened to 'the customer is always right'?
And I cannot for the life of me see how awarding someone a 1 star rating is in any way as bad as wishing rape and aids on someone. The ratings don't affect anything do they? Apart from whether your overall score possibly changes by like 0.01.

don't go saying that CC is a fascist state... CC is a business, businesses dictate the way they do business

there's a contradiction here, first you say don't call CC a fascist state and then you say they dictate things - a fascist state is a dictatorial state. One would have thought that in a modern age when business models are evolving and adapting all the time that one such as this with a direct line to each and every customer would take a more democratic approach.

[e_i_pi]

Whatever happened to 'the customer is always right'?

If you had ever worked in retail, you'd know this is a common fallacy

there's a contradiction here, first you say don't call CC a fascist state and then you say they dictate things - a fascist state is a dictatorial state.

But CC is not a state...

[MaleAlphaThree]

I don't normally post in the forums, but I happened to accidentally be directed to this one and this thread caught my eye.

If someone wants to be a rebel against the ratings system, and/or just be a cunt, it is their right to do so. Everyone will learn of their tendency to do so and thus earn the just reputation from word of mouth and ratings.

I give the player a rating of 5 for Bravado. I find it very honorable to rebel.
I give the player a rating of 1 for Bastardy. If he gave me a rating of 1 in game, I would give it to him in return, just for fun.
I give the mod a rating of 5 for Bitch. Since he is being a whiny bitch about this non-issue.
I give the mod a rating of 1 for Moderator. Since he is wasting his own time by typing of PMs over this non-issue.

[dividedbyzero]

If you had ever worked in retail, you'd know this is a common fallacy

And proven every day.

But CC is not a state...

It's also not a democracy...something that seems to be lost on people quite often. There's no such thing as free speech here because no matter how you slice it, it's a private forum...that means we are all here at the will of the site host. If you disagree with how things are done, vote with your feet and dollars or go to Suggs and Buggs and make good, well formed suggestions on how to help make the site better.

I refer people back to E_I_PI's post for a well-reasoned, well written treatise on this.

[walnutwatson]

If you had ever worked in retail, you'd know this is a common fallacy

I have worked in retail. The saying has never been intended literally, it's referring to the attitude that a business should have towards the people who pay them. Have you ever gone to a shop to complain about something only to be told to get out, you're banned because that's basically what's being threatened here.

But CC is not a state...

Well done, gosh you really are clever, how long did that take you to figure that out? Have you ever heard of the word analogy? Please can this not turn into an argument about semantics?

[Limey Lyons]

I never said this site was a fascist state, i simply posed a question.

Forums are here for several reasons, one of them is to voice opinion. Your take it up the ass or leave argument is utter bullshit. Even those who run this site clearly don't agree with you. In fact they regularly welcome their customers opinions.

I am simply trying to generate a debate about one of the worst features of this site.

Kind regards,

Limey Lyons

[Nikolai]

If you had ever worked in retail, you'd know this is a common fallacy

I have worked in retail. The saying has never been intended literally, it's referring to the attitude that a business should have towards the people who pay them. Have you ever gone to a shop to complain about something only to be told to get out, you're banned because that's basically what's being threatened here.

Hell yes. You've never seen the sign "No shirt, no shoes, no service"? That's exactly what they're saying. Same thing with "We reserve the right to deny service to anyone." Pretty much any store you walk into has certain conditions under which they will say "You don't like it? Toooooooo baaaad. Dem's da berries. Now get out." That saying about the customer always being right is a load of bull crap and has been from the day it was invented. Betcha anything you like it was invented by a customer who was being a jerk, too.