Post by M-G Corki on Jul 15, 2007 13:02:14 GMT
As many of you may be aware (and those that didn't, now do), there is a rather large debate (both in the DM Staff Board and just about anywhere else if you look carefully) about shutting down all offboard sites and bringing everything in under one site (with sub domains for the ORGs and Divs) at DM. A few ORGs, and most of the RP Divs, are not very happy with such an idea. And as ORG Leader, I am letting you know that the Band of the Red Hand is one of those ORGs that is not happy with the decision. I believe that the Wolfkin and the Black Tower are among the number of rebellious ORGs.
When Tay first texted me about the issue while I was on holiday, I was livid. And right now, I am even more livid than ever, considering that Kathana Trevalaer, the DM Community Admin, is threatening to remove ORG and Div Leaders who do not comply with Jason and his idea of everything at DM. She is not saying it is a threat, but when you read it, you know it is a threat.
Over the last few months, I have slowly seen DM and the DM Staff Board turn into a dictatorship. This, to me, proves the final step towards that, as puppet ORG and Div Leaders will be put in place of others instead of those of us who have directly challenged the idea. I am going to warn you know that some of my posts in the Staff Board will not please people there, and I have a feeling that a banning may come my way sooner or later. I am prepared for such action as I am totally disgusted with the way the owner of DM and the current Community Admin are running the place. Kathana did not like my statement that the move to the new boards was, and I quote, shambolic. And to be honest, it was, and it appears they can't see it as such. I've heard on several occasions that there was no communication from Jason or the admins about what was happening from the Sunday of the move until Tuesday. I had already attacked the "suddenness" of the move before I went away on holiday, and how the deadline left European DMers in the lurch. This criticism, I believe, fell on deaf ears, but that is common practise by the current Community Admin. Just ask Egwene. If you want proof of this, just ask, and I will be prepared to show quotes from the Staff Board.
However, because of the shambolic nature of the move, I am not prepared to give Jason or the DM admins the permission to move our off board site to a new sub domain at DM[/b]. That is the current stance that I have taken on behalf of the Band of the Red Hand ORG. Some of you may agree with me, others won't. I don't like being rebellious, but I am fed up with the current people in charge of DM. I have told the Staff Board that I want good hard evidence that such a large amount of date we have here will be able to be transfered over without any losing it. They gave us the deadline of January 1st 2008 to comply - I just threw it back in their face and said you have that deadline to show it to me and then I may consider a move. Again, this fell of deaf ears, and all that I got in return was a threat, as shown above. I doubt they will ever try either.
Apart from attacking the lack of warning for the move (even a day would have been better than no warning, as it was for us European DMers), I have attacked the way the whole issue was conducted by Jason. Instead of bringing in a direct command, he and the admins should have gauged the extent of the offsite boards. There should have been a discussion first to get to know what the current state of play with the off site boards was, and how the issue could have been resolved, before making his hardline stance. As a result, many ORG and Div Leaders were annoyed and upset over the move.
I also questioned who would admin and moderate the boards. I know the question has been answered a few times before since it is an issue that annoys a lot of us 'rebels', but I wanted the wording for myself. And I didn't get an answer. I know I have read that Kathana will be able to see our boards and what we do, but has stated that she won't check every day - but I wanted whatever stance will be taken to be directed at me. Because of my dislike for Kathana, and how she runs DM, I am sceptical on the issue. Until I get concrete information on this issue, no stand point has been taken by me, but personally I want no access for her into our private boards. We need our independence.
Websites are also eventually going to be transfered over to DM. I asked this question, as it would be very hyprocritical if ORG and Div websites were allowed off DM, but not offboard sites. At least that issue has been cleared up.
As many of you know (and Kath even threw this at me), I am all for increased activity at DM. She said, and I quote:
While I have said all these things in the past, because I do not trust some of the current admins and older Staff Members, and because I do not trust transfering everything over to a sub domain of DM, I am not for moving to a sub domain. Because my concern of data transfer was overlooked and an investigation being carried out over the matter was ignored, I am less willing to play nicely.
As many of you may not know, DM is actually a business for Jason. As a result, that makes us, the members, the customers of the business. As a customer, if you have any concern over anything, you raise it with the business, and it is their job to solve the issue. Several of us 'rebel' ORG and Div Leaders have raised such issues. And to be frank, the customer service I have received from one of the admins is terrible. Instead of looking at my concerns and trying to answer them after being given a hardline decision, it was ignored and I was threatened instead. That really goes down as fantastic customer service in my eyes. This theme of business and customer service is my current line of attack in the discussion in the Staff Boards, and this arose after speaking to several members at the recent DM EuroMeet. I am interested in the reaction to my words, but I already have a feeling what will happen. *shrugs*
Anyway, to summarise, this is the stance I have taken for the Band of the Red Hand ORG in the off board site issue:
We will not be having a sub domain at DM UNTIL[/b] Jason and the admins can repeatedly prove to me that there will be no loss of our substanstial amount of data when we move everything over to a sub domain, and that we ALONE[/b] will control the access and moderation of the boards with no admins in site of the sub domain, unless they join our ORG. That is what I want, but I don't think it will ever happen.
So, those are my views of the issue, and the stance that I have taken for the Band of the Red Hand in the whole issue. Feel free to add your own views on whether you agree or disagree with me. If I see anything of relevance for my arguement, I will quote you, but do so anonymously. If you don't agree with my views, then that is fine. It shall not be held against you. Also, as you read my post, it does sound very anti-Kathana, but that is because I don't like how she runs DM at all. Whatever happens in the end, the Band will be my main priority, and I will make sure we will come out the other side is the strong and healthy position that we are currently in.
When Tay first texted me about the issue while I was on holiday, I was livid. And right now, I am even more livid than ever, considering that Kathana Trevalaer, the DM Community Admin, is threatening to remove ORG and Div Leaders who do not comply with Jason and his idea of everything at DM. She is not saying it is a threat, but when you read it, you know it is a threat.
Look guys, I've been pretty nice about this. So have Owen and Jason. We'd prefer to convince you to do this and have you do it voluntarily. If your willing to work with us, we'll work with you. Jason has agreed to change the signature and avatar limits. We're discussing setting up subdomains so you still have control of your boards. But if you flat out refuse to move over, you will not be Org or Division Leaders anymore. End of story.
Over the last few months, I have slowly seen DM and the DM Staff Board turn into a dictatorship. This, to me, proves the final step towards that, as puppet ORG and Div Leaders will be put in place of others instead of those of us who have directly challenged the idea. I am going to warn you know that some of my posts in the Staff Board will not please people there, and I have a feeling that a banning may come my way sooner or later. I am prepared for such action as I am totally disgusted with the way the owner of DM and the current Community Admin are running the place. Kathana did not like my statement that the move to the new boards was, and I quote, shambolic. And to be honest, it was, and it appears they can't see it as such. I've heard on several occasions that there was no communication from Jason or the admins about what was happening from the Sunday of the move until Tuesday. I had already attacked the "suddenness" of the move before I went away on holiday, and how the deadline left European DMers in the lurch. This criticism, I believe, fell on deaf ears, but that is common practise by the current Community Admin. Just ask Egwene. If you want proof of this, just ask, and I will be prepared to show quotes from the Staff Board.
However, because of the shambolic nature of the move, I am not prepared to give Jason or the DM admins the permission to move our off board site to a new sub domain at DM[/b]. That is the current stance that I have taken on behalf of the Band of the Red Hand ORG. Some of you may agree with me, others won't. I don't like being rebellious, but I am fed up with the current people in charge of DM. I have told the Staff Board that I want good hard evidence that such a large amount of date we have here will be able to be transfered over without any losing it. They gave us the deadline of January 1st 2008 to comply - I just threw it back in their face and said you have that deadline to show it to me and then I may consider a move. Again, this fell of deaf ears, and all that I got in return was a threat, as shown above. I doubt they will ever try either.
Apart from attacking the lack of warning for the move (even a day would have been better than no warning, as it was for us European DMers), I have attacked the way the whole issue was conducted by Jason. Instead of bringing in a direct command, he and the admins should have gauged the extent of the offsite boards. There should have been a discussion first to get to know what the current state of play with the off site boards was, and how the issue could have been resolved, before making his hardline stance. As a result, many ORG and Div Leaders were annoyed and upset over the move.
I also questioned who would admin and moderate the boards. I know the question has been answered a few times before since it is an issue that annoys a lot of us 'rebels', but I wanted the wording for myself. And I didn't get an answer. I know I have read that Kathana will be able to see our boards and what we do, but has stated that she won't check every day - but I wanted whatever stance will be taken to be directed at me. Because of my dislike for Kathana, and how she runs DM, I am sceptical on the issue. Until I get concrete information on this issue, no stand point has been taken by me, but personally I want no access for her into our private boards. We need our independence.
Websites are also eventually going to be transfered over to DM. I asked this question, as it would be very hyprocritical if ORG and Div websites were allowed off DM, but not offboard sites. At least that issue has been cleared up.
As many of you know (and Kath even threw this at me), I am all for increased activity at DM. She said, and I quote:
Haven't you been the one saying all this time that you only started your offsite boards because you couldn't get the tools you needed from the DM boards? You've also been complaining about the lack of DM wide community spirit. But yet when we offer you what you've been asking for, you immediately turn it down for a trivial reason.
While I have said all these things in the past, because I do not trust some of the current admins and older Staff Members, and because I do not trust transfering everything over to a sub domain of DM, I am not for moving to a sub domain. Because my concern of data transfer was overlooked and an investigation being carried out over the matter was ignored, I am less willing to play nicely.
As many of you may not know, DM is actually a business for Jason. As a result, that makes us, the members, the customers of the business. As a customer, if you have any concern over anything, you raise it with the business, and it is their job to solve the issue. Several of us 'rebel' ORG and Div Leaders have raised such issues. And to be frank, the customer service I have received from one of the admins is terrible. Instead of looking at my concerns and trying to answer them after being given a hardline decision, it was ignored and I was threatened instead. That really goes down as fantastic customer service in my eyes. This theme of business and customer service is my current line of attack in the discussion in the Staff Boards, and this arose after speaking to several members at the recent DM EuroMeet. I am interested in the reaction to my words, but I already have a feeling what will happen. *shrugs*
Anyway, to summarise, this is the stance I have taken for the Band of the Red Hand ORG in the off board site issue:
We will not be having a sub domain at DM UNTIL[/b] Jason and the admins can repeatedly prove to me that there will be no loss of our substanstial amount of data when we move everything over to a sub domain, and that we ALONE[/b] will control the access and moderation of the boards with no admins in site of the sub domain, unless they join our ORG. That is what I want, but I don't think it will ever happen.
So, those are my views of the issue, and the stance that I have taken for the Band of the Red Hand in the whole issue. Feel free to add your own views on whether you agree or disagree with me. If I see anything of relevance for my arguement, I will quote you, but do so anonymously. If you don't agree with my views, then that is fine. It shall not be held against you. Also, as you read my post, it does sound very anti-Kathana, but that is because I don't like how she runs DM at all. Whatever happens in the end, the Band will be my main priority, and I will make sure we will come out the other side is the strong and healthy position that we are currently in.