In short in my view the man is utterly off the hook, but I leave this post here because my attack does still apply to those who would defend censorship out of fear, or greed.
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This post is a copy of an exchange I had with a moderator of a gaming forum that has bowed to censorship pressure applied by Blizzard, a gaming company (WOW, Diablo, etc).
The board has an anti hack policy because it is scared shitless of upsetting Blizzard because the owners of the forum have no spine, and no money even if they had a spine.
They deleted my post where in I explained how to use Autohotkey to make life easier when playing diablo 2.
They claimed it was a hack, I disagree.
Note: This was purposefully not proofread in the interests of time, and I will not edit this because I want it to reflect what I actually sent in the interests of intellectual honesty.
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Mod:
"How do you define hack then?"
Me:
An alteration of the game to produce an advantage totally not possible without said hack, IE M@phack.
"Just because it's open source, it's not a hack?"
That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying because it is open source you can go confirm for yourself that it is not a hack, it does not do anything to diablo files, period. Answer my question about the keyboard, if I had a hardware dfevice that recorded and played back macros would that also be a hack in your mind?
"What if the author of m@phack released its source to the public tomorrow?"
Then you'd know exactly how m@phack circumvents file integrity to produce an illegal command as far as the game rules go. AHK must by definition work within the game's rules.
"It stops being a hack because I can go look at the code?"
No, see above.
"But this doesn't matter all that much. Still, the unfair advantage point stands."
Not really, all AHK does is eliminate the need for practice to produce instant muscle memory recall. I think sufficient money to not have to work to allow for that practice is an unfair advantage. AHK levels the playing field. AHK does not confirm strategic advantage, it simply obviates the need for hours of tedious training. As I said the BEST AHK can do is equal the game's potential speed.
"I don't play PvP either, but it's obvious that it gives you advantage over your enemy."
No it isn't. I still have to have a tp, I still have to survive long enough for it to open, and I still have to be standing in the same place. In short, the rules of the game still apply. Once again it does not alter the game it simply applies a convenience. and again what about a sweet monitor a fast computer and connect a good mouse a good desk a good chair? Seems to me you over look all the "unfair" advantages that stem from money while attacking he ones that are free.
"If Blizzard wanted going to town to be that convenient, as you put it, they would have made a hotkey for it, don't you think? "
They did. The function keys and a wheel. All AHK does is make them all easier to use, and that is not a bloody hack any more than a stick of ram is.
"Let's say we've learned over the years. Let's say that we managed to exist over the years exactly because of these policies. And let's say that I'm not going to further discuss our relationship with Blizzard. "
*facepalm* I simple can't express how disgustingly sycophantic that appears to me. I wouldn't want to discuss a relationship of total servitude either.
"I could say the same thing about your position..."
And you'd be demonstrably logically incorrect, but hey it works for the Scientologists, maybe my theta levels really are important.
"...then who's to decide who's wrong and who's right?"
Reality. Look into it.
"But I wasn't the one to resort to insults, was I? "
I never insulted you I insulted your position and you in so far as your actions define yourself. If you shoot someone in the face you're a killer, the end. That's not an insult just because you don't like it, it's a fact.
And if we're going to go there who's resorting to abuse of power and intimidation tactics? You're too scared of the great white father to even let me disclose my position publicly. My position is looking more valid by the second to any objective eye.
"Only comes to show how weak your arguments are. "
Yeah, that's a laugh, so weak that you wont even let me share them. So weak that you threaten me and erase every trace of them. I'd rather be an asshole than a coward.
"As for rising to position of power - let's just say that when one agrees with what those in position of power have to say, then he doesn't need to question it."
Please, you and I both know you've merely rationalized the idiocy that grants you a perceived advantage. It amazing what people will do for a badge.
Just ban me and be done with it, because I'm never going to kiss your boot. I tried to help you fucking people, and you go all nazi on me. I'm not sure I'd care too awful much at this point, I'm disgusted and disappointed. I deeply hope the majority of you are teenagers, that would excuse this behavior and lack of logic to a large degree.
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Reply:
You'll be surprised to know that most of us are well past their teenager years, have life, jobs, families and so on, me included. You don't know the first thing about me, but you go berserk on me on things that you don't have idea about, for example how I became an administrator on the site. Think whatever you want, but know that your assumptions are far from the truth.
To answer your question about the comfy chair - a comfy chair isn't software. This is a software forum and we have to draw a line somewhere between software that can be discussed and software that can't be discussed.
Anyway, I really don't see a point in wasting any more of my time in this discussion. Every once in a while, someone appears that simply has to question all decisions made by the staff and send lengthy PMs. But face it, someone has to run this place and someone has to decide what's right and what's wrong on the site. If you don't like it, then there are plenty of unmoderated forums on the web.
Heh. My reply.....
For the record the rest of my message is personal, so if you're the type to kick me after you have your point shattered to the point of embarrassment, you are free to not read beyond this point. And never speak to me again.
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Still with me? Ok then... I warned you.
"You don't know the first thing about me..."
I know that for some reason you care what I think and feel.
I know you didn't respond to a single one of my points, which I am forced to conclude stems from a lack of reasonable response. Of if that was too complex for you. You're wrong and thus have no response beyond what amounts to calling me names.
I know you've chosen to characterize my attack as one on you personally when in fact I've attacked ideas which you may or may not possess. That you've taken those theoretical attacks as personal affronts speak to the extreme likelihood that I've hit the nail on the head.
I know that one can have a family and a job and still be extremely immature, in fact usually families are the result of immaturity given the teen pregnancy rate and the high percentage of pregnancies in the united states being unintentional.
No I don't know your trivia, address anecdotal personal history etc, nor do I care. I'm speaking to your actions and the ideologies defended and supported by those actions (and omissions).
"This is a software forum and we have to draw a line somewhere between software that can be discussed and software that can't be discussed."
That's not an answer to the question. Again, because you know full well you're full of it. But as long as we both know it, my goal is met.
"someone has to run this place"
And apparently that someone is the shadow of blizzard since you're so callow you wont even wait till a complaint is lodged you're labor under some sycophantic delusion regarding what they Might want and your ever present fear of your master's punishment. Taken to such an extreme that you endorse a total dismantling of freeness of speech and wanton censorship of anyone who even hints at opposition.
The only reason you tolerate this is because they've bought you off with a milk bone of illusory power.
But that's fine, my original motivation was to enhance the quality of this board, your callow deletion of it corrects a mistake I didn't even know I had made in that regard, namely that you don't deserve my aid.
"lengthy PM"
Have I moved beyond your limited attention span? My apologies.
"then there are plenty of unmoderated forums on the web."
No there aren't, because sadly your flavor of cowardice is quite common. The whole of the American presence on the Internet seems to deeply fear an angry letter form anyone with a tie. Not surprising given the other injustices we tolerate daily. Your actions are symptoms of a much deeper social problem totally outside your capability to understand. Besides non of them host LOTH, or tons of other mods. You hold people creative works hostage and you damn well know it, so don't act like I have a choice because you know I don't. If I really had a choice, then you're status as mod would be utterly meaningless and you'd not being their slave because they'd have nothing to bribe you with.
But you're right about one thing, this conversation is pointless. you've proven yourself incapable of rational discourse and debate, or even the pretension of willingness to contemplate the validity or invalidity of your precious boards so called policies.
Beyond that your lack of literary skill has robbed this exchange of any entertainment value for me.
And if that slipped past that enormous head of yours, I'll put it more simply.
You're boring me to death.
As I said, please, feel free to never speak to me again. I'm sure you have apples you'd rather be polishing anyway.
Bravo!
ReplyDeleteThe little Nazi will fit into America's Forth Reich just fine!
Gnomenklayture