Judgment
2008-09-13, 04:23 PM
(Note that I won't try to give any direct links to that site, mostly because MT is infamous for supporting PSs and the discussion of them, and I think the rules here state that you can't make links to PS sites here. However, that also goes against the idea of not censoring sites because of pumpernickle that happened in the past such as the fiascos on BM and SW.)
Actually, quite a lot of decisions by Stephen there have disturbed me a lot. Mainly the fact that Stephen (MT's Webmaster) often forgets about his own rules that he set.
Here's a few examples of hypocrisy in the rules:
3. Posting Illegal / Inappropriate Materials (50% warning per incident)
We understand that you may want people to have "free things", however we must abide to copyright laws. Illegal or Inappropriate materials include but are not limited to, "warez", "hacking" of any kind, "cracks", "serials", virii, "trojan" programs, pornography, hate groups, and / or any sites or links dealing with generally objectionable materials. Also, you may not post any material that refers to any 'sexual behavior' or 'sexual comment'. These are illegal, and can result in an arrest.
Note: This rule may be edited as deemed necessary.
Doesn't the whole nature of PS clients involve cracking Gameguard to prevent GG from loading?
7. Hacking on Maplestory (Instant permanent ban)
Hacking allows you to have an advantage over other players. We don't appreciate that as you are causing a negative impact on other people such as interrupting their training. We would appreciate it if you don't hack, but if you do, you will be banned.
To report a hacker, good proof is needed. Good proof contains the person's charcter name, picture of them not having knockback, having more monsters on platform than possible, and centered in the picture. We must be able to see their character picture too.
This rule seems to be fine at first, but there is this rule several lines down:
Section Six: Unban.
If you feel you should be unbanned, read the following section
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you were banned unfairly, please include your username in the Complaints forum. If you were banned fairly, you will have to follow a different process. If you were banned but you regret doing what you did, you may issue a FORMAL apology after one year and have a positive user base consensus specifically stating that they want you to be back on the forums. To do this, wait one year and then post an apology in the Complaints forum.
Please note, Stephen and only Stephen has the power to ban or unban for any reason.
So basically, bans aren't truly permanent on MT because of this rule, and also due to the fact that Stephen often forgets about these rules, and lets people go free unfairly and via bias. (Example: A member with 2000 posts can spam pornography on the site and has a chance of getting unbanned with an "apology", but a less prominent member, say with 150 posts has a much lesser of a chance.) It's high school cliques over again, I say.
I'll also add that some MT members were banned for hacking in other versions of MS, (JMS, and a few were caught hacking on PSs.) and yet, some of them were unbanned way before that one-year deal! (I do understand that some of these unbans were done before the One-year rule was made, but if people are going to whine their hearts out to get a loved member back, and that Stephen will give into it, he may as well not ban people for those reasons then!
In addition to the messed-up rules and Stephen's hypocrisy, Stephen himself also seemed to have promoted a MapleStory like environment at MT in the means of allowing some of the more ridiculous parts of it. The Faming/Defaming system and camwhoring come to mind. And unlike in MS, people on MT actually complain about some of the defames they get! I understand that if a person was flaming you in a defame, then a complaint for such is warranted. However, there's a lot of other ridiculous reasons people complain, including revenge defaming, defaming someone for their beliefs, and to a lesser extent mass defaming.
I also understand that some people have done some cam-whoring-like behavior here, but the point it has gotten to on MT is just utterly disturbing. (Perhaps it's the smaller population in terms of the camwhorers themselves.)
I also remember that I was actually a staff member there, and I got demodded just for following the rules. The whole deal was this:
-Someone attempts to sell/buy their account, which is against the rules.
-Stephen gives the user a 90% warning, which according to the rules:
10% warning = nothing
20% warning = nothing
30% warning = nothing
40% warning = A bad reputation ;O
50% warning = inability to post for 3 days
60% warning = inability to post for a week
70% warning = 3 day suspension
80% warning = one week suspension
90% warning = permanent ban
100% warning = permanent ban
Is a permanent ban, but he didn't actually give that perma ban.
-I took the last step by perma banning him. Stephen overruled my decision, which led to my demodding because of accusations such as "Making his own rules" and "Overruling the webmaster."
That's all I have to vent about MT for now.
And by the way, given the current situation with MT and PSs, would it be against the rules to link to that site? I don't mean by linking to the PS topics though.
Actually, quite a lot of decisions by Stephen there have disturbed me a lot. Mainly the fact that Stephen (MT's Webmaster) often forgets about his own rules that he set.
Here's a few examples of hypocrisy in the rules:
3. Posting Illegal / Inappropriate Materials (50% warning per incident)
We understand that you may want people to have "free things", however we must abide to copyright laws. Illegal or Inappropriate materials include but are not limited to, "warez", "hacking" of any kind, "cracks", "serials", virii, "trojan" programs, pornography, hate groups, and / or any sites or links dealing with generally objectionable materials. Also, you may not post any material that refers to any 'sexual behavior' or 'sexual comment'. These are illegal, and can result in an arrest.
Note: This rule may be edited as deemed necessary.
Doesn't the whole nature of PS clients involve cracking Gameguard to prevent GG from loading?
7. Hacking on Maplestory (Instant permanent ban)
Hacking allows you to have an advantage over other players. We don't appreciate that as you are causing a negative impact on other people such as interrupting their training. We would appreciate it if you don't hack, but if you do, you will be banned.
To report a hacker, good proof is needed. Good proof contains the person's charcter name, picture of them not having knockback, having more monsters on platform than possible, and centered in the picture. We must be able to see their character picture too.
This rule seems to be fine at first, but there is this rule several lines down:
Section Six: Unban.
If you feel you should be unbanned, read the following section
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you were banned unfairly, please include your username in the Complaints forum. If you were banned fairly, you will have to follow a different process. If you were banned but you regret doing what you did, you may issue a FORMAL apology after one year and have a positive user base consensus specifically stating that they want you to be back on the forums. To do this, wait one year and then post an apology in the Complaints forum.
Please note, Stephen and only Stephen has the power to ban or unban for any reason.
So basically, bans aren't truly permanent on MT because of this rule, and also due to the fact that Stephen often forgets about these rules, and lets people go free unfairly and via bias. (Example: A member with 2000 posts can spam pornography on the site and has a chance of getting unbanned with an "apology", but a less prominent member, say with 150 posts has a much lesser of a chance.) It's high school cliques over again, I say.
I'll also add that some MT members were banned for hacking in other versions of MS, (JMS, and a few were caught hacking on PSs.) and yet, some of them were unbanned way before that one-year deal! (I do understand that some of these unbans were done before the One-year rule was made, but if people are going to whine their hearts out to get a loved member back, and that Stephen will give into it, he may as well not ban people for those reasons then!
In addition to the messed-up rules and Stephen's hypocrisy, Stephen himself also seemed to have promoted a MapleStory like environment at MT in the means of allowing some of the more ridiculous parts of it. The Faming/Defaming system and camwhoring come to mind. And unlike in MS, people on MT actually complain about some of the defames they get! I understand that if a person was flaming you in a defame, then a complaint for such is warranted. However, there's a lot of other ridiculous reasons people complain, including revenge defaming, defaming someone for their beliefs, and to a lesser extent mass defaming.
I also understand that some people have done some cam-whoring-like behavior here, but the point it has gotten to on MT is just utterly disturbing. (Perhaps it's the smaller population in terms of the camwhorers themselves.)
I also remember that I was actually a staff member there, and I got demodded just for following the rules. The whole deal was this:
-Someone attempts to sell/buy their account, which is against the rules.
-Stephen gives the user a 90% warning, which according to the rules:
10% warning = nothing
20% warning = nothing
30% warning = nothing
40% warning = A bad reputation ;O
50% warning = inability to post for 3 days
60% warning = inability to post for a week
70% warning = 3 day suspension
80% warning = one week suspension
90% warning = permanent ban
100% warning = permanent ban
Is a permanent ban, but he didn't actually give that perma ban.
-I took the last step by perma banning him. Stephen overruled my decision, which led to my demodding because of accusations such as "Making his own rules" and "Overruling the webmaster."
That's all I have to vent about MT for now.
And by the way, given the current situation with MT and PSs, would it be against the rules to link to that site? I don't mean by linking to the PS topics though.