Guys, I am very dissappointed in the FFML.
And I'm not talking about the administration; it's the REST of you guys I'm
disappointed in!
Let's assess the direct damage done by WW:
1. Changed [FFML] tag to [PFML].
2. Changed the .sig-block.
3. the addition of 3 accounts to ensure the list was usable
through both sets of accounts for the duration of the prank.
4. One [ADMIN] tagged message announcing the commencement of
the prank, which is legitimate use of the [ADMIN] tag since
it really did affect the whole list, if in a silly way.
5. One [ADMIN] tagged message announcing the termination of
the prank, again legitimate for the same reasons.
6. One [ADMIN] tagged message, which involved spam in direct
participation of the prank, but is also part of the joke.
Yeah, WW did monsterous damage, alright!
As I see it, only the last charge was a questionable action, which is
abusing the [ADMIN] tag. Even that may be forgiven, since it made the joke
more convincing (Government-enforced censorship, eh?)
But _who_ turned that practical joke into a spam-thread, eh?
YOU!! >:( That's who!
And as to the charge of "I'm sorry that I helped spam the list, despite
taking on an anti-spam stance when the spam comes from other people" (You
know who you are, Ken!)...
Well, I have yet to see an admin mash someone who inadvertently sparked off
a spam-war with an apparently innocuous-seeming post (unless he actively
participated in the spam-war itself), so I think we should cut them the
same slack. (And I think they should cut _themselves_ the same slack!)
Since WW shells out about a hundred smackers a year to keep this list
running, I think he deserves a bit of slack just on that point alone. Also,
considering that the FFML is _not_ run by a facist BOFH (a communist BOFH
maybe, but certainly not a facist BOFH), you should expect some hackish fun
now and then.
Furthermore, the admins have been _very_ tollerant about letting the rest
of you hippocrits get away with a moderate amount of spam, but then you
jump on WW when he sends but three messages, only one of which can truly be
called spam (see 4 & 5).
It is apparent that WW assumed that you guys would be mature enough to
recognize the joke for what it was. He even took steps to make sure that,
if not taken seriously, the FFML would continue to work without a hitch. He
assumed you'd cut him the same slack the administration cuts everyone else.
Silly him.
The only thing WW is guilty of here is bad judgement. The only thing that
Alan is guilty of here is underestimating the immaturity of the list.
If you want to leave, leave. We certainly don't need stiff shirts like you
spoiling our fun. And in my opinion, ELL was getting way too crotchety for
what he's worth for the last few years. I'm glad he's gone. >:'p
As for the rest of you stiff shirts...
Shame on you!
---------------------
## ## ## ## ####### ## ## AKA Tom Jefferys, Time Lord for Hire
## ## # # ## ## ### ### "Have TARDIS; Will Travel."
## # ## ### ##### ## # ## Wielder of ANVIL and SPAM!
### ### # ## ## ## ## [ Will code for food! ]
## ## ### ### ## ## ##_of_UT haunts <wyrm@mail.utexas.edu>
"Don't make deals with Dark Lords."
-- Wyrm's 34th Law (Inverse's Law)