'Safe'
We open it up, we talks the talk, we votes, we shuts it down. This thread is to free up Bureaucracy for daily details as we hammer out the Big Issues towards a vote. Open only when a proposal has been made and seconded according to Buffista policy (Which we voted on!). If this thread is closed, hie thee to Bureaucracy instead!
I'm consensed, but I agree we should leave the discussion open for a bit to make sure everyone who wants a voice gets one.
(The tagline is purely for fun and good-natured snark and should not be construed in any way as a personal attack on anyone, 'k? I just got the giggles at the image of a stompy cornering a newbie, shining a big Maglite in their eyes, and asking this question sternly.)
Skimmed the last couple hundred posts in a couple minutes and am pleased to see we may be consensed.
The ability to peek at the profile to identify the poster is a good plan. I don't get annoyed by the sockpuppets, but I have been frustrated by not being sure of the secret identity. Mostly I knew who they were and found it funny.
If I didn't find it funny, or found it annoying, I would use that handy Block feature. I keep forgetting that option. Then again, I am tough to annoy.
Not voting and just adopting a gentleperson's agreement would be dandy.
Weighing in after wading through the thread:
yes, this is sort of a quick consensing with no announcement. I think there might be more interest in the topic if folks knew it was happening. I'm not saying we have to put it to a vote, but I'd feel a hell of a lot more comfortable if the discussion was on the table long enough for more people to find it, or, better, be alerted to it.
What Nora said. I was pissed as hell to get to the end of the thread and find out that y'all decided you had consensed. Some of us have obligations that keep us busy for most of the day, so giving us more than one afternoon to weigh in seems polite.
In particular, I think it's important to differentiate between sockpuppets and other uses of multiple logins.
But in the situation we're talking about, you would know that it's Allyson or that it's me. It's not like we're concealing our identity from the community. Just from the people observing the community.
Then that's not a sockpuppet, at least not in my book. To me a sockpuppet is a character brought in by someone so he/she can either a) take on a new persona, or b) interact with the board without revealing his/her identity. I think the second is more damaging to the community, whereas the first is usually just annoying.
And thanks, DX, for bringing up Anathema because for me, that's precisely the most egregious use of a sockpuppet. And you know what? We indulged it way too long (imo anyway).
Well, one is a direct suppression of freedom of expression
At the risk of sounding glib, why is this an issue? I don't think that a private posting board is obliged to uphold anyone's freedom of expression, including mine.
Also, FTR, I don't get the Jesusland comparisons either. Then again, I never get the comparisons folks draw between the board and the US government.
What I'm hearing is that sockpuppets amuse more people than they annoy; that being the case, I can settle for having the sockpuppets fess up.
Really? I'm noticing that they seem to annoy a lot more people than I thought, it's just that the one's that are amused are very ardent in their defense.
Really? I'm noticing that they seem to annoy a lot more people than I thought, it's just that the one's that are amused are very ardent in their defense.Perception is a funny thing -- I saw that completly the other way around.
Pretty much all my points have been made for me, but I just felt like saying I find sockpuppets amusing. The Universe stuff was the only stuff I really even read when skimming the last 600 posts in Bitches. Putting the identity in the profile is a fine idea.
I'm pretty sure there's at least 1 person who cares more about the loss of a dedicated Angel thread than the whole sockpuppet convo.
Me. ita's proven right again.
I'm in the capitalized consonant people corner. Do I think it's showboating? Sometimes. Do I think it's humorous? Sometimes. Do I think community members occasionally have legitimate reasons to use pseudonyms? Absolutely. I don't want Kristen and Allyson misquotage or pent-up frustration because they can't say what they truly feel on a topic that's important to them. That's a disservice to everyone.
Bottom line: I trust people on this board to have common sense. Things rarely get out of control, and when it does, it's shut down PDQ. If a sockpuppet is/was/shall be out of line, I have no compunction on calling them on their shit, nor do I have any doubt that 50 others would as well.
I'm for the consensus, but an announcement should be posted in Press and LB should be kept open in accordance with Buffista Rules of Order.
The tagline is purely for fun and good-natured snark and should not be construed in any way as a personal attack on anyone, 'k?
Is it just me, or am I seeing more disclaimers lately? At least for me, it's a shame Kristin has to qualify her humor.
Perception is a funny thing -- I saw that completly the other way around.
Well, I will admit that they annoy me, but it never occurred to me before today that they annoyed others as well. And I saw several posters say that they found them annoying, but they felt their own bother was outweighed by the amusement sockpuppets bring others.
I can find sockpuppets amusing. But I can definitely see the potential for abuse. There were some people on TT that delighted in making up pseuds, specifically to attack people (often me) surreptitiously.
That said, it doesn't bother me at this point one way or t'other. I haven't been bothered (that I know of) by anyone lately.
Also, FTR, I don't get the Jesusland comparisons either. Then again, I never get the comparisons folks draw between the board and the US government.
I hadn't realized I was being that obtuse with my point. I mean I know I was having trouble making my point effectively, but still.
Also, FTR, I went out of my way to comment on the fact that the board is NOT like the US government, but I guess you totally glossed or skipped over that post of mine.