Why I post anonymously

[Kross]

Given the overwrought comments currently being made in another thread about anonymous posting, I thought I would start a new thread on this point.

I post anonymously for two related reasons. First, one of the more disturbing features of the Internet is the information that everyone can obtain on everyone else. Anything posted on Q23 is potentially maintained in digital form indefinitely and can be viewed by others indefinitely. For example, as an experiment, I put the names Tom Chick and Mark Asher into Google. The very first reference on the Google list for Tom was from Q23; the Q23 Google placement for Mark's name was no. 8. I also randomly selected Desslock's, Supertanker's, and Wumpus's names and found references to their names on Google that connected them to Q23. While the ready availability of information on the Internet is amazingly empowering, I don't like the lessening of privacy that is the Internet's inherent drawback. I wouldn't mind if the two hundred plus registered users on this board knew who I was. Allowing just anybody to put my name into Google and potentially find out that I post on a game-related board, however, is a choice I choose not to make. I value my privacy to this extent.

Second, searches on Google and other public information sources are becoming a standard resource for employers or other business persons when they decide whether to hire someone or enter into a business venture with that person. I am not looking for work, but, if I were, and given my profession, my potential employer might look askance at me if a simple Google search would reveal that I post on a game board. For similar reason, potential clients might decide they don't want to hire me. While I could wish that gaming was a more socially acceptable pasttime in certain circles, the truth is that it isn't, at least not yet

Many or most of the posters on this board, of course, work in the gaming industry in one way or another, and these persons have less reason to keep their identity secret. Freelance gaming journalists actually have an economic incentive to have their name known on this board. Those of us who don't have gaming related jobs, however, need to think twice before they willingly place their name in the public domain as a game player.

I recognize the problems with anonymous posting. Concededly, it does increase the incidence of the vitriolic calumny that has been pervasive on the internet during the past decade or so. People are somewhat less likely to be a jerk if they are using their real names. Also, the value of a post depends in part on what the reader knows about the writer. A short comment from Tom Chick means more than a short comment from an anonymous guest, because Tom's comment can be placed in the context of the reader's other knowledge about him. Both of these drawbacks to anonymous posting, however, are partly alleviated when the poster uses a consistent handle. In any event, although these drawbacks are significant, they are not enough for me at least to outweigh the reasons for remaining incognito.

[Murph]

So post with a consistent handle.

When Wumpus and Supertanker go to take a job, neither "Wumpus" nor "Supertanker" will be looking for the job, but rather, their respective "real-life" names. (Just the same, "Murph" does not appear anywhere on my resume, though I don't choose to hide my name, either. But, doing a google search on "Michael Murphy" will turn up several thousand references, few, if any, of which are actually me.)

Using a consistent handle, though, still lends credibility. For example, we already know what to expect when we see a post by "Wumpus" or "Met_k." :-)

[Supertanker]

I agree with Murph on using a consistent handle. It is basically a courtesy to the reader.

It isn't hard to come up with my real name in connection with my handle, since sometimes I use both at the same time & I have used this handle since 1985. If you google "supertanker quarter to three" it gives it on the first hit! I just try not to post anything too embarassing, regardless of how I sign it.

I give a speech to an attorneys group every couple of years on how to use the electronic resources available to the group. I have a part entitled "The Internet is Forever" and use Google Groups to pull some old Usenet postings of mine - mostly recipes. The fact those things are still around after almost ten years always draws some "surprised crowd" noises.

Oh, and I always do some Google searches on people that I interview. I've found some interesting stuff, but you can't always be sure it is true or actually the person you are checking on - there are a lot of duplicate names in a nation of 300 million people.

[Met_K]

Using a consistent handle, though, still lends credibility. For example, we already know what to expect when we see a post by "Wumpus" or "Met_k." :-)

Hey! Just because I'm a troll on the board doesn't mean I'm a troll elsewhere.

But, yes, you do know what to expect when you see my name on the board. And on most boards. Only place I'm actually "real" is in a real-time chat or, well, a real-time chat. I hate message boards, so might as well fuck them up before they bomb and usenet comes back.

[wumpus]

Concededly, it does increase the incidence of the vitriolic calumny that has been pervasive on the internet during the past decade or so
Worst. Sentence. Ever.

Bonus points for making up a new word, though.

[Kalle]

I decided to do a google search of my last name on Usenet. All I can say is damn! I found messages from when I was fourteen. Not something I'd want to share with a prospective employer

[Dave Long]

Get yourself a super-common name like Dave Long and you'll never have a problem!

--Dave

[DennyA]

Concededly, it does increase the incidence of the vitriolic calumny that has been pervasive on the internet during the past decade or so.

Your anonymity was safe until this sentence, Mr. Johnny Wilson. :-)

[Dirt]

I post anonymously because I forget to log in.

[Alan Dunkin]

Yeah I have some decidedly weird stuff attached to my name that when I look back on wasn't really the greatest, but oh well.

Didn't know that QT3 message board items show up on Google though, it kinda depends on the message board technology and Google's meta-search/page-weighing scheme I think.

--- Alan

[Kool Moe Dee]

This isn't posting anonymously, it's posting pseudonymously. :P

And yeah, I pretty much agree with most of the reasons that have been posted so far. I prefer that people be able to associate my postings with one another, rather than me just sniping from the peanut gallery...

[voltaic]

Concededly, it does increase the incidence of the vitriolic calumny that has been pervasive on the internet during the past decade or so
Worst. Sentence. Ever.

Bonus points for making up a new word, though.

All the words in that sentence show up on dictionary.com and in my Oxford Unabridged. Which one is new?

[Murph]

It's probably the first word he didn't recognize; Wumpus has never conceded anything. ;)

[Matthew Gallant]

This isn't posting anonymously, it's posting pseudonymously.

You aren't Kool Moe Dee? Crap. Are you at least wearing old people sunglasses?

[Anonymous]

I... use Google Groups to pull some old Usenet postings of mine - mostly recipes.

Now that IS embarrassing!

[Derek Smart [3000AD]]

....he, then whatever you do, do NOT put in "Derek+Smart" into Google :D

[Aszurom]

Derek, other than Bill Gates, I think you're the only person I know of that had an entire usenet group devoted to flaming you.

We should collaborate to write a book about you. Title "Supreme Commander - One man, and the story of how he survived pursuing his lifelong ambition to father a universe."

[Kool Moe Dee]

This isn't posting anonymously, it's posting pseudonymously.

You aren't Kool Moe Dee? Crap. Are you at least wearing old people sunglasses?

Nope. But hey, if you want to pretend I'm a celebrity, pretend I'm Robin Williams...you know, he's got that whole gamer thing going on...

[Sparky]

Nope. But hey, if you want to pretend I'm a celebrity, pretend I'm Robin Williams.

Oh no...all that hair will clog the Qt3 pool filters.

[Mark Asher]

It takes a village to raise a child, but it only takes a village idiot to wreck a forum.

That's a general response to Ben. I don't find the initial post in this thread offensive. I suspect it's another urban myth, however.

[Derek Smart [3000AD]]

...and this (http://www.quartertothree.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=580&start=30) (posting by ErrorS at bottom of page) is why anon postings end up ruining discussion forums. I suspect that he's just an alias for the poster I was responding to, a few posts before. The only way to know that is to do an IP trace. Unfortunately, only the admins can check this since the IP for anon posters is not visible. I'll bet dimes to donuts this anon poster is an alias for someone else here. At the very least.

[Jason McCullough]

I'm the number one match for my name! I rule!

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Jason+McCullough

[Tom Chick]

...and this (posting by ErrorS at bottom of page) is why anon postings end up ruining discussion forums.

Derek,

Nonsense. He's not ruining the forum at all. I welcome your contribution here. But with all due respect, if you're going to leave because someone's posting anonymously, I'd rather that you left instead of us stopping anonymous posts. Ignore him and he'll go away.

Mark and I want to allow anonymous posts for anyone who'd like to make them. If you want to criticize a game, a developer, a publication, a writer, or whatever, feel free to do so. You can even be a jerk if you want, but I think most of us will ignore you. Which is what keeps the forum from being ruined in the end.

My only request is that anonymous posters at least register a psuedonym and stick to it.

-Tom

[asspennies]

I'll say right here my name is Greg Weiss and I live in Pittsburgh, PA, but I don't know exactly what good it will do. I've said it before in other places and I use "asspennies" all around the internet. It's not to common (came from an upright citizens brigade sketch) and is only a little off-color.

I agree that sticking to a pseudonym is just as good as giving out your real name. But think about this - people care about who Tom Chick is, about who Mark Asher is. No one cares about who Greg Weiss is. I'm not a big-time reviewer or magazine writer. So sticking with asspennies at least gives me some small sense of individuality.

[Mark Asher]

I've just always used my real name because I could never think of a 'nym that was interesting. Tom used to post on Usenet under some silly 'nym, Ichabod Kagass I think it was.

The key is to take one name and stick with it. It didn't matter to me that Ichabod Kagass was Tom Chick. I just knew that Ichabod Kagass was Ichabod Kagass.

[Kool Moe Dee]

I've just always used my real name because I could never think of a 'nym that was interesting. Tom used to post on Usenet under some silly 'nym, Ichabod Kagass I think it was.


You know, for you the obvious choice would be Masher. But that's just my opinion.

[Mark Asher]

I've tried Masher for game handles before and it's almost always taken. So is Smash, another nickname of mine within my extended family. Even Smashington is often taken. Therefore, MarkAsher is often a gaming handle of choice.

[Derek Smart [3000AD]]

...and this (posting by ErrorS at bottom of page) is why anon postings end up ruining discussion forums.

Derek,

Nonsense. He's not ruining the forum at all. I welcome your contribution here. But with all due respect, if you're going to leave because someone's posting anonymously, I'd rather that you left instead of us stopping anonymous posts.

Fair enough. I'll leave. Why? Because you clearly missed the point I was making. I wasn't whining about it nor was I asking you to do anything about it.

The point is, IF I engage, it only ends one way. And I'm not very well known for ignoring people who flat out make personal attacks for seemingly no reason at all. The result? Well, you should know by know. For that, I'd stick to the Usenet (where I haven't even posted in months).

Most of these n00bs posting anon have no frigging clue what the general premise of the forum is. And all it would have taken was a cautionary post about the board rules etc. If I wanted to post on a free-for-all board, there are thousands to choose from. I post here, frequently (compare my post count to every one here), for a specific reason.

And if you go back and look (http://www.quartertothree.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=580&start=30) at the thread, you'd probably see the subsequent posts and the point I was making.

Since posters (anon or not) with a view to ruining the board by engaging myselt and others in wanton acts of personal attacks are more valuable than my contributions, fine, I'm gone. Its been fun. Be well.

[DennyA]

Derek,

Why not ignore the idiots? If you don't respond, they eventually just go away. Respond, and they feed off it.

[Mark Asher]

Derek has the opposite of attention deficit disorder when it comes to posts. :)

Derek, you've made some informative posts. I'll be sorry to see you leave if you choose to do so, but we're not going to get rid of anonymous posting.

[Met_K]

]

Fair enough. I'll leave. Why? Because you clearly missed the point I was making. I wasn't whining about it nor was I asking you to do anything about it.

The point is, IF I engage, it only ends one way. And I'm not very well known for ignoring people who flat out make personal attacks for seemingly no reason at all. The result? Well, you should know by know. For that, I'd stick to the Usenet (where I haven't even posted in months).

Most of these n00bs posting anon have no frigging clue what the general premise of the forum is. And all it would have taken was a cautionary post about the board rules etc. If I wanted to post on a free-for-all board, there are thousands to choose from. I post here, frequently (compare my post count to every one here), for a specific reason.

And if you go back and look (http://www.quartertothree.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=580&start=30) at the thread, you'd probably see the subsequent posts and the point I was making.

Since posters (anon or not) with a view to ruining the board by engaging myselt and others in wanton acts of personal attacks are more valuable than my contributions, fine, I'm gone. Its been fun. Be well.

Shut the fuck up you whiny little shit. Christ. If this were ancient Sparta you'dve been executed not only for being mentally deficient, but for being down-right fucking annoying! You wonder why no one likes you on usenet? You wonder why no one likes your dumb ass here? You wonder why no one likes your fucking game?

I have to -work-, yes, see, -work- to make people dislike me. I could be a regular poster and participate in the discussion here, but it's much more fun to pilfer and get people's blood boiling. I realize that half the people here laugh -at- me, not -with- me. I realize that. I'm aware of my faults (both intentional and unintentional).

But you, you're completely unaware to your own inadequate tendencies. You think there's nothing wrong with Derek Smart. Well, you know what? Keep on, buck-o. It's working for you so far, but slowly but surely, everything comes back.

Thanks, now fuck off.

[Tyjenks]

No one cares about who Greg Weiss is. I'm not a big-time reviewer or magazine writer.

Greg, I care. Don't be so down on yourself. I care about all God's chillin' as I am sure we all do. I positively would not invite you to my house for stir fry and a case of Milwuakee's Best like I would Tom Chick, Mark Asher, Jason Cross, et. al., after all, as you stated, you are not a big-time reviewer or magazine writer, but you are still a human being for goodness sake.


And Derek don't go.
Take a deep breath, in through the nose, hold it, hooooold it ....1...2...3...4...5...6...7..8..9..10.. aaaaaand out through the mouth.

I can see how ignoring personal attacks is difficult for anyone, especially, when it is an attack on something you have pretty much invested your life into. However, they suck and you, OTOH, do not suck. Most of us here pay no attention to morons who suck.

People who suck=shit
Derek Smart=flowery bathroom pot-pourri that is interesting, well-informed and conquers all shit

[Derek Smart [3000AD]]

Derek has the opposite of attention deficit disorder when it comes to posts. :).

ahahaha!!! Come to think of it, you're right. heh, going back to where we came from, you of all people should probably know.

Anyway, I wasn't asking to ban anon posting. What good is that gonna do? They'll just register so that they can post and then go from there. As they seem to have done. You can't police these people. Again, you should and I suppose, do know that.

The point I was making is that there are lots of forums where anyone can post and not be harrassed. e.g. as you know (cuz I see you post there every now and then), I post over at Gone Gold. Not once has there ever been a flame war or any resemblance of same, over there. Why? Because even though it is the most likely place to find misfits, its just not encouraged. Period. Its like a known rule of thumb. Sure there are heated debates (none of which I have ever participated in) but everyone - even the anti-social misfits and some DS stalkers - know this rule. Once you lax in this area or have a do wtf you like attitude, that right there is the unwritten carte blanche. Again, you are no stranger to this and you do know what I'm talking about.

Yes, I'm egotistical, but the fact is I love me more than I love the next jackass standing next to me. When God said love thy neighbor, he didn't say I should blow him too. As such, I really, truly don't care much for most people. At all. In fact, I have nothing at stake when it comes to lashing out at idiots who find it necessary to declare open season on me. Yes, most would rather turn the other cheek, but nevertheless once you turn that cheek, you should be prepared to lose quite a few teeth thereafter. I never have and never will stand for it. I only turn the other cheek and a blind eye in the interest of the other people around me who I care about. I have no fear for the consequences of my actions because at the end of the day, they mine alone to bear.

As I mentioned in my PM to you earlier today, I'd rather quit posting and just lurk for a while, than get involved in some skirmish which would result in me being blamed for the outcome (as always) because I didn't ignore them. It never fails. And again, if I didn't care for the spirit of the forum and the comraderie herein, I'd just go right ahead and play right into the stupid farce.

And speaking of the forum, most of us have other forums we could visit and hang out at. When you folks first started this site, I was here. When it closed down for awhile, I was here. When it came back, I was here. Why? Because I have invested time, effort and energy into the posts and friends I've made here. I have a vested interest in it. Call me selfish, but I've been called worse.

I mean QT3A is, quite literally, the only place where I'd find a collective group of intelligent, studious and informative people, without having to wade through tons and tons of crap. I mean, WHERE else would find the likes of Bernard Dy, Jeff Green, Chet, Jeff Lackey, Denny Atkin, Andy Mahood, Jessica Mulligan, Greg Vederman, Mark Asher, Dave Long, Tom Chick etc etc in the SAME forum sharing ideas, thoughts, the odd jab or crisis etc. Really, just show me one such place and I'm there. Sure, most of these folks I converse with via email or ICQ, but thats not the point. Even that ass, Met_K is humorous at times and a persona like his and of course our very own wumpus, asspennies etc bring the needed balance to the polarized nature of the forum. THATS what a community is about. I should know, because I have a pretty large and ecclectic community on my board as well.

That said, the reason the average quality of the people is high is because of the type of people that come here to discuss all sorts of things. Ok, so maybe the jury is out on Met_K, but thats besides the point. If this place were to sink to the levels of incessant bitching, personal and pointless attacks, inconsequential flamewars etc, do you - or anyone - think for one minute that most these folks would keep coming here? Let alone post? I doubt it. Why should they? For that sort of crap, you can pick any gaming or media related forum on the Net and go there. Or worse, go on Usenet. We come here because of the theme and because most have a mutual respect for the other people, their opinions and their stance.

Sure, you cannot police a community, but you can lay down the ground rules and stand firm on said rules. Why is it that Met_k gets ignored so very often and he still posts? Why is it that wumpus takes on anyone at anytime, pisses them off even, but still gets talked to, jabbed, cussed to a fine crisp etc? Its because, as I said, one has to respect others and at the same time adhere to the demarkation line between disruption and flat out tomfoolery. That line, for the likes of anon disruptors and Met_K, seems to be drawn with invisible paint.

I'm not perfect, nor do I like to think that I am, but I have very, very strong opinions and make no bones about them. Whether I'm taking on the guy next door or the guy sitting at the top of my paycheck, if I have something to say or an opinion to express, thats exactly what I'm going to do. The consequences are mine to bear - because it is my responsibility and thats part of my personality.

The nonsense that this thread (http://www.quartertothree.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=580&start=60) degenerated into, is a classic example of how time and effort spent on something, goes to shit because of a few loose canons. I invested a LOT of my time, effort and energy into providing the info I did, only to have it degenerate into an excuse to make unfounded, baseless and illogical personal attacks on me. Am I pissed about the abuse itself? No. Because I can take it (http://www.3000ad.com/reviews/ds_interview_cgw0401.jpg). I always have. What I am pissed at is how good things turn to bad and before you know it, focus is shifted from what matters (in this case ATI's ludicrous driver dev history) to what doesn't (flaming DS, knowing fully well he's not going to take it lying down).

Case in point, my first game in 1996 was a disaster; but who didn't know that? Yes, it was buggy. ANY game released in Beta will be buggy. Even games that didn't have a SINGLE bug in them at Gold (e.g. BCM), will have bugs eventually pop-up once the masses get their hands on it. I should know first hand because my 1999 (BC3K v2.0x) and 2001 (BCM) games, also suffered this fate. But there is a difference between negligence and talent. I'm not and never have been negligent in my efforts as they pertain to my game. I didn't wake up one morning, nor did I go to school or college to gain the talent that goes into my work. It all happened through failure, trial, errors and the ambition and will power to one day get where I think it is am going. Am I there yet? Not by a long shot.

That said, does it mean that because I have bugs in my game or had a rocky initial industry record, that I can't engage someone else? Thats just ludicrous!!! Thats like saying I can't bitch at MS for bugs in their OS, just because I happened to have bugs in my programs. And comparing a multi-billion dollar company (e.g. ATI) to my small hole-in-the-wall indie company, with limited resources, and expect me to have the same level of standards, is equally ludicrous. Obviously I know a bit more than the driver dev team, if I'm able to identify bugs in their drivers, verify them in a debugger and either suggest a fix or devise a workaround on my own.

The incident in that ATI thread is just a classic example of how things just get distorted, tainted and maimed in order to fit the general character assassination agenda of a select group of people who have taken upon themselves to harrass and stalk me at every turn. And the Net allows them to do that. Sure, Bill Gates doesn't know about any of the crap or abuse that he faces online and in board rooms, because he's above all that. I'm not above all that because, like a complete and utter idiot, I kid myself into thinking that by mingling with the likes of these retards, that we are all somehow at the same plane of existence, let alone achievement, intellect or dick size. The addage mine is bigger than yours, where's yours? is for insecure retards who have NO idea where they came from, where they are or where the fuck it is they're going. I have all those three aspects down pat. I have to, because nobody shoved a silver spoon up my ass and let me loose on the world. If I don't create my own road and pave it, nobody is going to do it for me. And even if they did, they'd probably want to redesign my fucking road. Thanks, but no thanks.

Each time I inject myself and my knowledge into my postings, my meetings etc or I just engage in activities in which I think my experiences (http://www.igda.org/Chapters/miami/miami_summary_Jun02.htm) will benefit others, I get into a situation where I'm faced with retards trying to tear me down. It wouldnt' be so bad if the fockers actually sent me a check, for my troubles. No, they want to do that for free. Hell, every time my games' shelf life have expired, I've released them for free on the Net, as a token of gratitude to the people who made it possible for me to come this far. For me, its not, never has been and never will be about money. Heck, even having no money, bankrupty, a divorce, a failed game release, no funding, Hurricane Andrew (I lost almost everything in 1992), failed promises, bad publishers and plethora of very undesirable events, weren't enough to halt me in my tracks. Yet, this group of people falsely lead themselves to believe that their pitiful attempts at harrassing, stalking and derailing me, are ever going to amount to anything or than them being tagged as the kooks that they are.

All it amounts to is the disruption for other innocents (e.g. this board), me clamming up, taking my toys and going home. They win. Everyone else loses. Yes, call me egotistical, but I consider my contributions, controversial, nonsense or not, to be worthy of something to someone who finds interest in said contributions.

I don't suck up to anyone. Never have. Never will. All I care about is that what little I get paid for my work, is enough to keep me in business, food in my fridge, my daughter in school, my family together, my team paid and that the people who buy my games, derive some enjoyment from them. NOTHING else matters to me because I have very few interests at stake.

Case in point: If ATI wakes up tomorrow and kicks me out of their dev program, its their loss, because like or not, I can pretty much guarantee a 100% boycott of their product line in my games, going to the extent of specifically removing support for them and disabling the ability of my games to work on said boards. Sure, I'd lose a gamer here or there, but given the nature of my install base, finding alternatives card solutions shouldn't be too hard for them. Can I do that? Sure I can. Why? Well, because I bloody well can.

And if I go up against a mag and they blacklist me in the process because they don't like what I have to say. Fuck 'em. I will still renew my sub because I like the mag contributions more than I care for the idiots at the top and who would make sure a foolish decision. There was a time when the old guard at PCG flat out blacklisted me (over that whole McDonald/Bennett 1996 fiasco) and only the gits at the top couldnt' get it into their thick skulls that I have friends everywhere and every branch of this industry. Eventually, whatever is said and/or written about me, gets back to me in some form or another. Here we are. I mention this in relation to the events of this thread (http://www.quartertothree.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=336), in which I expressed my astonishment at the whole SF/CGW affair and without fear and or regard for retaliation. And thats probably because I knew the people that I was dealing with. Most sensible people - especially game devs - would just not say anything for fear of the aforementioned retailiation. I'm sensible, but I'm not part of the most people caste.

And then you have those who start yelling that I'm jealous because I point out something as simple as a comparison of ATI's stance toward diffrent developers (e.g. JC, a developer I highly respect and who I exchange emails with from time to time, as I do others in the industry) and myself. Nevermind the fact that JC develops engines, and is at the very top of his food chain, bar none. While I, not only design, develop and produce games - I also develop engines. So yes, regardless of who has the most cred or money, we're all masters in our respective fields. You won't find me sending JC a question about AI technologies, or even game design. But if I get stumped on a graphics problem, he's my first port of call. Second being Brian Hook etc

Most of these nut jobs seem to think that everyone in the industry, be it developer, publisher or gamer, buys into their lets get Derek Smart agenda. If anything, they should thank their lucky stars that I'm not up for election for anything that puts them squarely under my control. There'd be hell to pay!!! For one thing, trolling should carry the death penalty, retards shouldn't be allowed near a keyboard and DNA testing should be required prior to conception in order to curb the breeding of idiots who grow up to be retarded trolls. But thats just me.

So, thats pretty much it. For the benefit of my friends here, I'm NOT going to engage in flames. I will do my best to ignore them and move on. At the very least, I'll just lurk. And if I post and the degenerates continue to take threads down with them, and the admins don't see it fit to lay the ground rules, I'll just clam up. You ladies can get your fill of informative and no holds barred rhetoric from the likes of Met_K.


Derek,

Why not ignore the idiots? If you don't respond, they eventually just go away. Respond, and they feed off it.]

*sigh* Tell me something I don't know.

[Anonymous]

Please don't boycott us, sir.

[Desslock]

Cripes, Derek -- you're a lightning rod for this stuff because you get all worked up about it.

You just posted a meandering 2,000 words (I think there's Wolpaw's Mafia review contained somewhere in its midst) when a simple, direct response would have sufficed. Your post was as freeform as your games. Nobody doubts you don't suck up - but neither to any of the people you mentioned in your message, and they don't post tomes as retorts. Maintain some perspective, man.

But definitely stay around.

Stefan

[Derek Smart [3000AD]]

Maintain some perspective, man

what, and miss the opportunity to write 2000+ word tomes? Have you gone mad? :D

[Anonymous]

Logorrhea.

Wait, wait, I want to say my smart-ass thing about posting anonymously:

The Illiad was not written by Homer but by a different man of the same name.

Good night, everybody!

[Brandon Clements]

That said, the reason the average quality of the people is high is because of the type of people that come here to discuss all sorts of things

Derek's right (and he must be an amazing typist, too). This board is pretty tame compared to others that I lurk/post on, so anon. posting dosen't really bother me that much here.



You can even be a jerk if you want, but I think most of us will ignore you. Which is what keeps the forum from being ruined in the end.


I hope that stays true, but I think as you get more people in here, you're going to get more assholes and disruptive freaks. Really, the signal to noise ratio here is much higher than any other board I go to (has a thread here even been locked yet?). I really hope it stays that way

[Tyjenks]

The trolls do not throw much weight around here because the majority of the population here simply does not give them the satisfaction of flaming back. If they cannot get a rise out of anyone, they move on to one of a thousand other sites where they can bait and flame away....eventually. IMO. :)

[Met_K]

The trolls do not throw much weight around here because the majority of the population here simply does not give them the satisfaction of flaming back. If they cannot get a rise out of anyone, they move on to one of a thousand other sites where they can bait and flame away....eventually. IMO. :)

Just baiting -one- of you schmucks makes my day worth it.

[Anonymous]

Yawn

[Brad Grenz]

Not to take Derek's side, or anything, but It's pretty twisted and obscene how the internet works sometimes. Smart can't say anything anywhere about anything under his own name without a link to that post getting spread to a thousand and a half messageboards across the internet. It's kinda like how Carmack can't say anything on slashdot that doesn't become gaming/hardware news the same day, only with Derek it's got an evil spin to it. I'm not real keen on cutting out anon posts, but I like this place and I don't care for a bunch of assholes showing up for the day just to antagonize one of our posters.

[Met_K]

Yawn

Yawn.

[Met_K]

Not to take Derek's side, or anything, but It's pretty twisted and obscene how the internet works sometimes. Smart can't say anything anywhere about anything under his own name without a link to that post getting spread to a thousand and a half messageboards across the internet. It's kinda like how Carmack can't say anything on slashdot that doesn't become gaming/hardware news the same day, only with Derek it's got an evil spin to it. I'm not real keen on cutting out anon posts, but I like this place and I don't care for a bunch of assholes showing up for the day just to antagonize one of our posters.

But I posted here before Derek did.

[Brad Grenz]

But you aren't posting anon, so all is forgiven!

[Met_K]

But you aren't posting anon, so all is forgiven!

Oh. Heh. D'uh.

Not like it's hard for Derek to drudge up my past on usenet, as well. I use the same handle everywhere. But if he does, I'll claim it was all trolls! All of it! Damnit.

[Dave Long]

As crazy and annoying as you can sometimes be, Met... I think we all enjoy your posts. 8)

--Dave

[Anonymous]

Rigggggghht.

[Met_K]

Rigggggghht.

Yawn.

[Anonymous]

yawn.

[mtkafka]

I like Derek's post. It was informative. Should be a writer or sumtin.

etc

[Derek Smart [3000AD]]

Not like it's hard for Derek to drudge up my past on usenet, as well. I use the same handle everywhere. But if he does, I'll claim it was all trolls! All of it! Damnit.

LOL!!, but we already knew that! :D

[Anonymous]

]
Maintain some perspective, man

what, and miss the opportunity to write 2000+ word tomes? Have you gone mad? :D

Hey, I've got an idea Smartypants!

Why not threaten to STAY?

Yeah, that'll drive 'em nuts...

[Anonymous]

We all know, Derek is full of shit, but his arguments about the buggy drivers are 101 % pure reality. I'm the best game-developer on the planet. Well, no one knows my games, and no one want to play my games, but really... i'm the best. I know what i'm talking about. ATI is the bullshit-company par excellence. They should sell some bigmacs and let some talented guys doing the job.

[Anonymous]

Derek has made a valid point about the ATI drivers and the only thing I see are these anoms ripping him down.... With out refuting the actual information presented.

It's easy to post shit on the internet, it's easier to post bigger shit when your an anom.

I'm a noob here, however I participate on a forum where anom posting was once allowed. In the end the anom posting dragged the threads down to a level where the whole board suffered as a whole. Intelligent discussions soon turned in to flame wars with all the hit and run posting of anoms. It's easy to hide behind anominity and be an ass when you can't be held accountable for it. QT3 would be remiss to not look at the issue of anom posting seriously.

Derek, this is the first I have heard of you and some further research shows you have a checkered past indeed. However, that does not discount the fact that you know what you are talking about, and also have a higher understanding of how the application of card drivers work. More so than the bigger populace of net forum users. I respect that more than hit and run anom posting.

[Anonymous]

Good to know "ViperZ" negative opinion of anon posting.

[Met_K]

Good to know "ViperZ" negative opinion of anon posting.

CobraZ, hiss!

ViperZ, meeeow!

[Anonymous]

Met_K, yawn!

[Met_K]

Met_K, yawn!

Yawn.