I agree that everyone should have human decency at 100% on both sides. But what happens when that decency, no matter how hard both try to obtain it can just never become 100%? There comes a time when, in order to get to that 100%, 99% or whatever, where both sides just have to be civil about it, and say "ok, we won't deal with you or have anything to do with you." Both parties stay out of each others hair, and both gain free air to breathe without the fear of constant bickering.
It's not the ideal situation, but I've seen it a few times between different groups, and it, for some, is the only realistic situation.
Some just don't get along with others, nor do they want to.
Dev, I like. The format works nice. But I've also got to agree that a flat black appearance could be nicer. Perhaps we can consider multiple skins. I know not, this is not my area of expertise.
Since it is going ahead, and all seems well; I've just got to say that I'm happy to be wrong thus far. But! I still reserve the right to say "I Told You So" if and when it all comes down. heh.
Dara has a point, but by no means do I think the community she represents should have to defend their choice to abstain. You'll note the lack of responce after post #1.
Bane, pal, you're doing more harm then good by assuming referances towards TGC and leaping to an unnessecary defense. Not that I should complain, considering the attention devoted to my concerns... I'm just observing that it seems to be detremental at this point.
No one should feel obligated to participate in this one way or the other. If you don't cool. If you do, cool. Some people have issues they feel can't be overcome for one reason or another, and we should all respect that or we won't get anywhere on this. There is nothing preventing boards from having exchanges outside of this idea.
As a rep of TGC its my job to push for at least some of TGC's interest. I can say this though, it sucks royally when because I am from TGC i am not welcome around the net at most star wars boards no matter what reason i am there, I get flamed. Including some communities represented here.
Though its the topic at hand we should be discussing. Anyone have anything to add? I dont really care if boards are pending someone should join or not at their own free will and no one should be force to, though the offer should be made nevertheless to them.
The offer is open to everyone. I don't think, with a project like this, it serves a greater interest to be selective and exclusive beyond reasonable levels.
A post quoted without permission from the SWFans thread:
Again, no offense, but this isn't a terribly big step for the majority of us to make. Most boards involved already have board by board afiliates programs with either sidebar links or an affiliates page or both. What were are talking about is something larger; a cuommunity hub, a common origin for visitors and wanderers and a common jump point for interboard suggestions and ideas.
Affiliate pages are nice and all, but in my opinion, not terribly effective. I have found that they are most useful when members become frustrated or tired of your board and want to find somewhere else to play. Not in any fashion any ideal situation for any of us.
What we are trying to do is set the groundwork, ideally, for a more coperative and communicative community. This would be but a step... a big step, an element of commonality, a joint project, but hopefully not the last step. Beyond this many possibities exist... a cross board RP, perhaps. TRF has held contests in the past for things like sig design and skinning, maybe we could organize an all boards invited contest to get a little friendly competition going.
I suggest for the time being that, while I understand the hesitation of boards to hop into a project with other boards that we may not like and have legitimate greivances with, that we go ahead and do it anyway. What happened in the past, however recent and hurtful that past, happened in the past. This project is geared towards the future of our communities both as a collective and individually. I propose that, for now, boards apprehensive to associate with others do so anyway. I'm not asking anyone to ignore the past but rather to think of the future and in so doing recognize that if said boards play nice then there is more to be gleamed from them, at least on nuetral and speaking terms, then adversarial ones. I am not saying we issue boards or owners a free pass and allow all to affiliate and reap the benefits despite behaviour. It should be assumed without saying that any trashing or flaming of other boards, members, or staff, by ownership or administration of any board should result in that boards exclusion from the project. That way, those who are willing to work together and move beyond their issues grow and participate and sow the benefit, and those with ulterior and selfish motives whose behaviour reverts to prehistoric levels of diplomacy can be sent back to their insular existance, oppurtunity for community wasted, while the rest of us continue to enjoy our newfound friendship.
This is my personal opinion, not to be taken as the word of the TRF staff, with alcohol, or within two hours of driving a motor vehicle or operating heavy machinery.
Bringing fellow Star Wars fans together on the internet and seeking relationships with like-minded communities is exactly what StarWarsRPG.net is looking to be a part of. Being selective isn't necessarily an intent to exclude anyone. This reminds me of the quantity versus quality debate which comes up often in various topics from time to time. I am of the belief that quality is more important than quantity and in talking with several other communities, I have discovered that I am not alone in my thinking.
This is a very big step for SWRPG and SWFans to consider working on a project together. You might not be familiar with the complicated past between SWFans and SWRPG, although much time has passed and both communities have healed a great deal. The fact that our two communities are now speaking again after so long and are working together demonstrates that we are indeed interested in something much larger - allying like-minded communities in order to bring Star Wars fans together across the internet.
I really have nothing of any importantace to add to any of this, only having been to half the boards on the list to roleplay. One question comes to mind... I thought SWFans started on CC.net and moved to Ezboard after, at least thats what I heard when I left TC SW rp chats to join EZboard SWFans (in December 1999). Not a major thing, just an issuie of continuity I like to raise.
Anyways, whats the ultimate goal of this project? Joining together all the boards that host SW Roleplay together in a common HUB? To what end? That one community might lose members to another board to gain them? To spread out whats left of the SW rp base across the known boards? Perhaps to even merge whats left of us into one super community of roleplayers based not on level of skill and ability to play well with others but in the fundemental thing which binds us together, our love of Star Wars....
None of this I can claim to know, but there is one thing I know to be true, for me, for all of us... I like cheese...
I believe that some groups need to see this is action before they are likely to change their mind. We need to get one of these up and going with all the groups that have stated their wish is to be included in such a portal and if the communities change their mind after seeing it work then they can join, if not... its their potential loss.
EDIT: Oh Heir, to see how it happened with CC etc, look here
