Two things.

Some updates regarding the Discord. by PoorCynic on 2017-03-28 05:53:00 UTC Reply

Howdy folks. First things first: upon his departure, Desdendelle turned over control of the Discord server to me. You may all bow before my awesome grandeur, etc.

Secondly, the Discord has two new mods! In addition to myself and Cat-on-the-Keyboard, we now have the guiding hands of Maslab and Delta Juliette! You may also bow before their awesome grandeur. Seriously though, many thanks to the both of you for stepping up and helping. It's very much appreciated.

Finally, we recently suffered through a small infestation of rather noxious trolls. Rules were flouted, people were insulted, and so banhammers were swung. As a result, we have decided that only the channel moderators will be able to issue instant invites to the Discord right now. If you're already in the channel right now, then nothing will really change. If you're NOT in the channel and want to get in, then you will need to speak with one of the people I previously mentioned.

Thanks for your time!

PC

Can I come in? (nm) by Nord Ronnoc on 2017-03-30 07:48:00 UTC Reply

Sure, have a link! by Cat-on-the-Keyboard on 2017-03-30 16:01:00 UTC Reply

Click here!
Good for ten uses, lasts for 24 hours.

--Key looks forward to seeing you there

... by Huinesoron on 2017-03-28 07:09:00 UTC Reply

So you've made a portion of the PPC community closed based on your approval.

Good-o!

hS

Not exclusively his approval. by SkarmorySilver on 2017-03-28 13:36:00 UTC Reply

As PC said: "If you're NOT in the channel and want to get in, then you will need to speak with one of the people I previously mentioned." This means invites can also be handed out by Cat, Maslab, or Delta as well. It's a step up from one and only one person deciding whether or not someone can join the chat, at least.

And I wasn't there when the trolls invaded the Discord, but I've nonetheless read about instances of online chatrooms with public links being visited by less-than-savory people before, so to some extent I can actually understand where PC is coming from. Sure, this probably isn't the best option for keeping our community open and welcoming, but in light of recent events I honestly feel that it's better to err on the side of caution. A chatroom that can guarantee the locking out of bad people is, in the long term, actually a more welcoming option than one that's open at its own risk, at least in my opinion.

It was a plural 'you', yep. by Huinesoron on 2017-03-28 14:00:00 UTC Reply

I disagree vehemently with the idea that any portion of the PPC community should be members-only. We are an open community. We welcome everyone who doesn't stir up trouble. We don't say 'no, you haven't been round long enough for us to trust you with the keys to the secret clubhouse'.

I also just straight up don't feel comfortable with it. The Discord can be used to attack people behind their backs - we've literally just seen that. Now tell me how people who aren't able to access it should feel about that. How many times have I been discussed on the channel? I'unno - and now I'm reliant on the goodwill of four people if for any reason I want to check. It makes me extremely uncomfortable.

I'm also bitterly disappointed that my argument against the Discord making unilateral decisions has been not so much rejected (I could handle that!) as flat-out ignored. How many people were involved in this decision to wall off half of the PPC community? I know, I'll just go and check the chat logs to find out what was discussed.

Oh wait. I can't.

hS

PS: And yes, before you say it, I'm fully aware that any of the four would throw me an invite in an instant. This isn't about me. But how about someone shiny and new, who's only posted on the Board once, and maybe doesn't pay attention to their spelling? Would they get the same no-questions-asked invite? What if they haven't posted here at all?

There is a difference, mate by Matt McCipher on 2017-03-28 18:40:00 UTC Reply

I was present during the troll invasion; at first they acted just crazy, cracking lame jokes, so we (or at least I) thought "Oh, just one of those 'lol-so-random' newbies", not unlike a potential "shiny and new" who may just be like that. So we stayed put. But when they started to spam, and engage one another into a discussion very quickly descending into too creepy with a side of nope, we waited for the mods to finish them off.

To answer your final questions, even if a newbie posted once, I don't think they should be in any way excluded from joining Discord. Sure, they may not pay overly attention to their spelling, but that's not the sole mark of the troll. Neither was that one the role reason they were deemed trolls.

"What if they haven't posted here [I assume you mean the Board] at all?" Then how we would know there's a newbie? Lurkers eventually decide to reveal themselves, and as far as I know that's when they become newbies, so this argument is kinda invalid (even when they were starting at Discord, they were poked towards the Board very quickly).

That being said, I am in no way convinced that locking up Discord is a good idea, but I can see where the mods stand at with their decision. If it was up to me, however, I would still let the invitation be open to public.
Two things. by VixenMage on 2017-03-28 18:37:00 UTC Reply

1- Yes to all of that. The Discord should be wide open, for all the reasons you've stated.
2- Judging by the message I got from Discord itself, the trolls were posting links to child pornography. I'm pretty much down with taking measures to deal with that.
3- I am assuming this is a temporary measure to deal with the above. Presumably, once Discord the host comes down on the trolls, no more reason to lock it down.

Okay, that was three things.

Hm. I have an apology to make. by Huinesoron on 2017-03-28 20:22:00 UTC Reply

I missed the words "right now" in PC's post. So yes, I read this as a permanent measure.

I'm sorry for not reading more carefully. I stand by all my arguments, but they didn't need to be made, and I'm sorry for assuming they did, and for the lack of trust that demonstrates in the Discord and its moderators.

Sorry.

hS

PPS: by Huinesoron on 2017-03-28 14:04:00 UTC Reply

I thought this was a horrifying idea when Cat-on-the-Keyboard proposed it last week. I thought I'd addressed it somewhere in the thread, but I see I didn't.

Desdendelle did, though, and Cat-on-the-Keyboard walked back the whole notion as 'pure idiocy'. So yes, I'm quite startled to see it coming right back up again little more than a week later.

hS