Post your feelings about AA (... and Niner's joke-ban)!

[silan]

Alright, since Eri called my cop-out in the Complaint thread, here's my response.

Today, I had an epiphany.

I hate Anime Academy.

And before you brush me off with the stereotypical "well, why don't you just find another forum" response that I know is on the tip of your tongue, hear me out as I list a few of the reasons why I have come to feel this way.

Elitism. We've all felt this. There's a chasm between the newbies and the oldtimers, a level of condescension that's almost palpable. As though the post count really is everything, or else time in service as a student, or else who you know.

Repetition. And not just newbies repeating threads without searching for prior threads on the same topic, which is something all newbies do. It's the response by older members to these newbies, by passing off their questions with a quick link to an outside source, or a quick link to a previous thread, no matter what the question actually is. This doesn't foster an atmosphere of communication, except for the most determined of newbies; that kind of knee-jerk reaction is just the height of laziness. Does it really take so long to post again about something you've already spoken about once? You're telling me it's better to link to a thread that's died a year ago rather than type in an answer that's probably changed anyway?

Conversation. The above might explain exactly why conversation on this forum falters about one or two posts in. And forget trying to have a truly intellectual discussion, since everything of that kind dies before it gets started, or else wanders off into topics that aren't even slightly related.

Corruption. As witnessed when a response of mine to a specific member was completely deleted from the system, rendering it invisible even to other mods, even though another post of roughly the same content was left alone. The person or persons behind such a deletion remain unknown, and I received no notification of the reason for the deletion or warning against the post. It was quickly eradicated, as though trying to wipe it off of AA memory before anyone noticed the deletion.

I'm not saying that AA is better or worse than other forums. Merely that these elements are clearly present... and annoying. As for why I keep returning... let's just say that a habit of two years is difficult to break. I suppose I could be banned for speaking my mind about this place and essentially flaming it and all of its members. After all, discussion boards like these aren't really the open forum of free speech they pretend to be. But these are just some things that I wanted to get off my chest, things that I'm sure others have noticed as well.

[Tyrdium]

When some idiot newbie comes in and starts a topic for a question that could've been answered with a quick Google or Wikipedia search, you're exactly right. I am going to chuck a link at them and tell them to bugger off. Elitist? No, just sick of those type of people. We're not here to be their personal servant.

That's not to say all newbies act like idiots, though. They don't. It's unfortunate that such a large percentage of them do.

[Ritalin]

Rofl corruption, hahaha. Yeah, an anime forum has corrupt mods. There is a thing called database errors and accidents. Every single time a post gets deleted and other mods can't see the deleted post, it has always been a server problem of sorts. Either when something is being messed with or just by pure accident.

Besides, it was just a post.

edit: also tyrdium is right. Help yourself first please before asking questions, which isn't elitist at all, nor lazy when we give someone a link. It's actually kind enough that we do give links rather than tell them to search themselves.

[animanic_critic]

The act of giving direct links are sometimes necessary because the newbies who came to start a thread just to ask something in the line of "What is this?" deserves to be slapped by Mr. Wikipedia. When I first came as a freshman, I tried to be careful not to piss off the mods by starting up one-answer questions. This is not always true, but most of it is.

We are not winners and losers all the time, I admit that. Sometimes some mods get on my nerves, but some of their actions are reasonable, particularly Ritalin (no a**-smooching here). Occasionally, even I'm irritated if a freshman comes and be as incoherent as they can be. Some are forgivable while others are just repulsive.

Your epiphany is called implosive anger. Watch "Anger Managment" and you'd know that it's better to release your anger bit-by-bit rather by blowing up at one shot. I do that all the time.

Edit: AA would've benefited if I were a mod =P

Edit: Yeah, well, you see... we kind of like having complicated things to do. Obviously if you were a mod it would all be better and simple and easy. - From Dtortot with Love.

[C0MPL3X]

@elitism: Kind of agree. Although I can't blame people from losing it when someone joins, doesn't read pages of discussion about a particular series, and post in the very samd thread 'oohhh is it good? ohh tell me people pls pls pls~'
@repetition: Post link is kind of reminder as in 'this thing exists so pls use this next time' but I too think it's not a bad idea to summarise what you think about the issue briefly or even extensively. After all, if you're just going to post 'pls do the search dork', well, that's what mods do and you really have no reason for posting either except +1.

@conversation: Internet forum (especially anime) is never a right place for intellectual discussion. When someone is serious about a certain issue and make a thread of it, usually there are a few sensible ones willing to respond with sincerity. Inevitably there are going to be spams, flames, etc but I guess it's not so bad when you ignore them and look for the very few in that thread worth attention.

@corruption: I think AA is corrupted too. REVOLUTION I SAY. I mean, why when SC makes an ass out of himself and someone says something like 'haha doctor you got pwned' and he can delete both posts but when I make an ass out of myself and someone says something like 'haha what a n00b' but can I delete my and her post NOOOOO this is outrageous I DEMAND EQUALITY RAWRRRR

And intern...actually never mind.

[Emeraldas]

Edit: AA would've benefited if I were a mod =P

*pets* Dream on.

Anyhow, I can understand where you're coming from, but I've seen the alternative to a lot of these complaints, and it isn't pretty. Before I found AA, I posted at the Animenation.com forums and HOLY CRAP-- one thing I grudgingly became thankful for was the fact that the mods here don't sit around and let threads degenerate into redundancy and stupidity. I can't see a "Who's the Hottest Grl from Love Hina???!" thread being made here (as so often was the tone of new threads at AN), and if it were, I like to imagine it'd be shut down fairly quickly.

That isn't to say that I haven't rolled my eyes at some of the decisions mods here make. There are at least two of them who will close a thread just because they personally don't like it, even if it's harmless and everyone else in it is having a good time.

I think your posts and others like it show a lot more loyalty and praise for AA than is realized. With AN, for instance, once I was fed up with it, I didn't care enough to make a thread detailing my grievances. I just left; there are plenty of other anime forums on the Internet, after all. But with AA, it's hard to see bad things happen because it's such a great place, over all. The members and mods are, for the most part, intelligent, and the discussion is interesting.

I like to think you won't be banned for making this thread. Nothing ever changes when people don't speak up, and everyone should be able to handle a little constructive criticism.

[Corpse]

Rofl corruption, hahaha. Yeah, an anime forum has corrupt mods. There is a thing called database errors and accidents. Every single time a post gets deleted and other mods can't see the deleted post, it has always been a server problem of sorts. Either when something is being messed with or just by pure accident.

Besides, it was just a post.

edit: also tyrdium is right. Help yourself first please before asking questions, which isn't elitist at all, nor lazy when we give someone a link. It's actually kind enough that we do give links rather than tell them to search themselves.

I can hard delete posts so it's like they never existed, it's delicious. But the only time I do that is when it's something utterly awesome like "lol omgz dbz is the bestest aniem evar, ssj goku ftw" in a thread about the second world war, or something equally unrelated. Also, I'll change your avatar/title for 10 bucks. Glowing titles cost 20.

Never claimed this was a beacon of free speech though, the rights users have are the rights we allow them. Expressing your opinion is a far cry from a bannable offense, unless of course you talk about my mom.

[Ritalin]

I can hard delete posts so it's like they never existed, it's delicious. But the only time I do that is when it's something utterly awesome like "lol omgz dbz is the bestest aniem evar, ssj goku ftw" in a thread about the second world war, or something equally unrelated. Also, I'll change your avatar/title for 10 bucks. Glowing titles cost 20.

Never claimed this was a beacon of free speech though, the rights users have are the rights we allow them. Expressing your opinion is a far cry from a bannable offense, unless of course you talk about my mom.

Well yeah, I know it is possible but it hardly ever happens. That was kinda my point. :P

[Liegenschonheit]

Banned for this thread? I myself would be outraged if that happened, which it won't. There have been complaint threads before, and there will probably be complaint threads again.

I can also say I've hard deleted a post or two, but those were special cases, like when someone created an alternate account to specifically spam the forum with pics of a horrible nature involving a girl in a tub and things like that. But as for corruption, I really haven't seen much of that. None of us are perfect, and mistakes do happen. Sometimes threads get closed because one mod thinks it's spam, and someone else will re-open it because they think it isn't. We're all human, after all.

Conversation isn't something that we can do much about, except on an individual basis. Repetition of threads is really only a problem when people make a new thread when there is a thread about the same topic that is recent. Also, the people that say "omg search!" and then post a link to threads that are months old are actually more of an annoyance than a help. Unfortunately, no matter what we do, there are still people who want to play mod.

Elitism on this forum... well honestly, there is a certain level of 'elitism' everywhere. It just happens as people make friends and that kind of thing. AA elitism is kind of funny, because basically all anyone has to do is make an effort to get to know people. The best and fastest way to do this is IRC. Seriously, anyone who wants to come is welcome.

I'm not going to brush you off with a "find another forum" speech, because I hope you don't disappear. The only way this place is going to get any better or change any is if the people who don't like how things are stick around and try to change things. I think it is a good thing to have the members of AA feel free to talk about the things they do and don't like about AA. After all, the mods and staff only make up a very small percentage of the AA population, the people who actually have the biggest impact on the state of the forums are the regular users who post here.

Also, Crapse's momma's breath is so bad every time she coughs her teeth duck.

[Jagan eye]

I hate Anime Academy. Cool.

Elitism. We've all felt this. There's a chasm between the newbies and the oldtimers, a level of condescension that's almost palpable. As though the post count really is everything, or else time in service as a student, or else who you know.It may be the case that the "popular" people are insular and dismissive of most others, but every so often someone signs up and makes lots of friends. I think newcomers can be accepted into just about any established community. I don't know what to say; it is just human psychology to not like everybody. I don't think this really can be changed, or even should be, necessarily. People who want acceptance to a group should probably take the initiative in (a) finding a suitable group for themselves or (b) conforming to a specific group's expectations, if they have their heart set on that group.

Yeah, I know my opinion on this one isn't really worth anything because I am conveniently part of the "in crowd," but the above is still my honest analysis. I have joined other forums as a n00b and became a part of the community, so it is possible.

Repetition. And not just newbies repeating threads without searching for prior threads on the same topic, which is something all newbies do. It's the response by older members to these newbies, by passing off their questions with a quick link to an outside source, or a quick link to a previous thread, no matter what the question actually is. This doesn't foster an atmosphere of communication, except for the most determined of newbies; that kind of knee-jerk reaction is just the height of laziness. Does it really take so long to post again about something you've already spoken about once? You're telling me it's better to link to a thread that's died a year ago rather than type in an answer that's probably changed anyway?Well, I don't see much of a difference between, say, linking Wikipedia or paraphrasing Wikipedia. Person A asks a question, person B provides the answer (somehow). Full stop, really.

I don't approve of rudeness; just because person B has seen similar behavior in the past and is fed up with it doesn't make it person A's fault; they've presumably only done it one time.

Conversation. The above might explain exactly why conversation on this forum falters about one or two posts in. And forget trying to have a truly intellectual discussion, since everything of that kind dies before it gets started, or else wanders off into topics that aren't even slightly related.In all honesty, if you want a satisfying intellectual discussion (on science, politics, philosophy, religion, or what have you), you need to find a forum populated by folks who have a special interest in such discussions, and the requisite knowledge to go with it. The members here are largely high school students, a group not well known for its dedication to academic thinking or personal research.

If you mean a discussion on anime that is intellectually stimulating, I'm not sure how to help. Any anime-based community is sure to attract a membership about like what we have here--a random mix of various intelligence-levels and articulation-abilities, unified only by their interest in animation. That interest is not a good predictor of a person's insight (unlike, arguably, a primary interest in science or philosophy, disciplines which tend to attract thinkers, who in turn make excellent discussion partners).

In other words, the topic of a forum will tend to select for its members, obviously. Unfortunately, I don't know of any way to make a forum which topically is only interesting to anime fans who are also above-average intellects.

I also don't know if it's necessarily desireable to restrict oneself to serious, meaningful threads. Silly, light-hearted threads are a fine way to build camaraderie among forum members. Just look at the "A Complaint against Kain" thread. I'm sure some people view it as spammy, but honestly, what's the problem? I've come to think that threads should be locked less often, ie, only if they are actually a problem of some sort (flooding, flame war), rather than that the topic is frivolous.

Weirdly enough, I have long found the bitch threads, erm, policy discussions, to be among the most interesting ones on AA.

[Javer]

I can attest to the elitism thing. I've been here for -- what, a year now? -- and I'd like to think I've made a pretty good time of it. 720 posts, and most of them were not throwaway/spamming.

Okay, some.

But I had hoped I'd be kind of accepted by now, and I still really have to walk on eggs. I can count my allies on one hand. Hell, amputate a digit or two, I'll manage. It takes so little to ruin your reputation.

[Ojisan]

Heh, the way I see all this is, it's a forum. An anime forum to boot. You can't realistically come to any forum and expect some warm, wide-armed, welcoming community rich in stimulating conversation and devoid of prejudices.

I take very little seriously here and just look at it as a place for some decent commentaries on things and blurbs of real discussion, but primarily shits and giggles. Not to say I'm pure spam all the time, but I interject whatever humor and sillyness I feel like interjecting and couldn't give a hoot about how it's recieved.

I will often times be rude and uncouth, especially to new members, but it's not elitism or pronouncing my superiority, it's just getting some kicks, and hopefully having them realize it's all in fun. Unfortunately, this flies by many, and it's their loss. You guys, like Javer, don't need to "walk on eggs", just say what you want and unless you're an idiot, people won't start hating you and making an enemy of you.

As for the mods, if you go into IRC, you'll see they're all just people behind a box somewhere who are actually all fairly reasonable, not "corrupt" AA gods who like smiting everyone and bending the forum to their will. And yes, they will frequently pull bitch moves, but it's because they have TEH POWA and aren't so serious about a forum that they won't abuse it humourously amongst themselves.

Jagan said it well:

I also don't know if it's necessarily desireable to restrict oneself to serious, meaningful threads. Silly, light-hearted threads are a fine way to build camaraderie among forum members. Just look at the "A Complaint against Kain" thread. I'm sure some people view it as spammy, but honestly, what's the problem? I've come to think that threads should be locked less often, ie, only if they are actually a problem of some sort (flooding, flame war), rather than that the topic is frivolous.

[Javer]

I will often times be rude and uncouth, especially to new members, but it's not elitism or pronouncing my superiority, it's just getting some kicks, and hopefully having them realize it's all in fun. Unfortunately, this flies by many, and it's their loss. You guys, like Javer, don't need to "walk on eggs", just say what you want and unless you're an idiot, people won't start hating you and making an enemy of you.

So what decides who's an idiot and who's not? The intelligence of your average AA regular is a hell of a lot higher than at many other boards. People like us -- we're no speds, but we just can't argue and debate and reason the way some of the higher-ups can. I try not to post anything controversial because I'm afraid somebody's gonna call me out on it and drag me into some howling shitstorm. So because I'm no good at defending myself, I'm an idiot and therefore deserve whatever virtual beatdown the vets can dish out?

[Finnf00]

Elitism on this forum... well honestly, there is a certain level of 'elitism' everywhere. It just happens as people make friends and that kind of thing. AA elitism is kind of funny, because basically all anyone has to do is make an effort to get to know people. The best and fastest way to do this is IRC. Seriously, anyone who wants to come is welcome.
It also has a lot to do with the size of the community. I prefer smaller communities with just a few hundred members, topps, as the so called elitism is non-existent in such places. When you can remember almost each individual by their nick it's easier for new people to feel accepted right from the start. It's obvious that in a place like AA -with thousands of members- various factions or clicks will emerge among users who feel the same way about things, leaving some members feeling unwelcomed or downright hated for their views. In smaller communities all kind of moderate flaming or spamming never becomes an issue as new people acknowledge it as part of being in the community, and won't take it as seriously.

Also, AA is too big for welcoming threads, so a new member will have to get engaged right from the start to even be remembered by other users. Since most threads are mere lists of favourite things or exact copies of older threads, it's very hard for a newbie to engage in any kind of conversation with the more estabilished users. Art threads are probably the only way to make a statement of some sort right from the start, and these usually only inspire people to post very shallow one-liners or devastating critique.

[Ojisan]

So what decides who's an idiot and who's not? The intelligence of your average AA regular is a hell of a lot higher than at many other boards. People like us -- we're no speds, but we just can't argue and debate and reason the way some of the higher-ups can. I try not to post anything controversial because I'm afraid somebody's gonna call me out on it and drag me into some howling shitstorm. So because I'm no good at defending myself, I'm an idiot and therefore deserve whatever virtual beatdown the vets can dish out?

No no, you misunderstand, just because someone can't articualte or form their arguments as well as a lot of people here, doesn't mean you're going to be branded an idiot. I ment idiot as the "hi im nu 2 aa i lik dbz wut about u?" types. Not you.

Believe me, when I first got here, I said some dumb shit that brought comments down on me that were above my head. But just because some more intelligent person was arguing against me didn't make me feel outcasted and despised. I was just like, "shit, I guess I lost this one" and moved on unchanged. Virtual beatdowns aren't some reputation ruining thing that means that person will harbor animosity against you. You just have to shrug it off, and go on enjoying the other threads. All you have to do is be cool, not super intelligent.

[Jagan eye]

So what decides who's an idiot and who's not?Everyone can decide who they perceive to be an idiot for themselves, of course. Since the same set of rules applies when dealing with everyone, no matter how intelligent they are, there's no need for an objective standard.

The intelligence of your average AA regular is a hell of a lot higher than at many other boards. People like us -- we're no speds, but we just can't argue and debate and reason the way some of the higher-ups can.Are you sure you can't argue or reason as well as others? I mean, maybe someone like Roark has a particularly solid grasp of argumentation, but it doesn't take very much skill to defend a viewpoint. Just look at the reasons why you hold that viewpoint, and share them (if you can't defend a viewpoint, and/or don't know why you believe it, then it's probably not worth having... that's my motto). Maybe not everyone will be convinced, especially if your reasons are personal or subjective, but I would like to think--if the average member here is intelligent and reasonable--that you won't be flamed or otherwise looked down upon for having consistent, clearly stated opinions (well, maybe if they're egregriously offensive ones). Of course, I could be wrong about that, since it hangs on other people's behavior.

I try not to post anything controversial because I'm afraid somebody's gonna call me out on it and drag me into some howling shitstorm.If you have trouble backing up your claims, especially in matters of controversy, you're probably better off (in terms of earning respect, or whatever) not getting involved. I don't know about other people, but I much prefer someone who keeps their mouth shut than someone spouting off ignorantly. Talk mostly about things that are within your area of competence and you'll come off looking more insightful than if you post stupidity in all sorts of topics. IMO.

Of course, you're free to say whatever you want. I think, in cases where you're unsure of yourself, adopting a tone of commensurate uncertainty will go a long way towards getting people not to think ill of you (not that I really know your posting style, so I'm not saying you act a certain way).

So because I'm no good at defending myself, I'm an idiot and therefore deserve whatever virtual beatdown the vets can dish out?I haven't been around lately, and so I don't really know how anybody treats you. Are you regularly the target of such criticism? I'm not sure what exactly you have in mind with "verbal beatdowns"--straight up flames, or sarcastic dismissals, or condescending corrections--so whether or not verbal beatdowns are actually against the rules is hard to say. For those things which are allowed, like sarcasm, it's probably up to you to earn other people's esteem. I think most people realize it looks very foolish to insult or demean someone who is acting more reasonably and politely. So even if you do get criticized sometimes, as long as you know you are putting an effort in, other people will pick up on it and side with you. Maybe I'm just a little too optimistic about these things, though.


Feel free to ignore me, it's just advice from my baseless ruminations on forum psychology.

[animanic_critic]

So what decides who's an idiot and who's not? The intelligence of your average AA regular is a hell of a lot higher than at many other boards. People like us -- we're no speds, but we just can't argue and debate and reason the way some of the higher-ups can. I try not to post anything controversial because I'm afraid somebody's gonna call me out on it and drag me into some howling shitstorm. So because I'm no good at defending myself, I'm an idiot and therefore deserve whatever virtual beatdown the vets can dish out?
I can never agree to that. It's all about presentation. Seriously, if you have something to voice out on but too meek to speak it out, then you're officially AA's doormat. Is this what you have been doing all this year -- just being a yes man? I know you're not that dumb to start a thread saying "Oh, why was this anime rated so low???" and "Everyone's an idiot!!!".

If you have something to get off your chest, say it with tact and some fortitude; don't just spit it out. Otherwise, you'll end as the forum's whipping boy. Plus, criticism is everywhere. If you can't handle it, you might as well don't join the forum. TAKE IT LIKE A MAN, NOT A SPOILT BRAT. We all have gone through criticism now and then here, including myself.

[Ojisan]

Look, I'm going to defend Javer's statement a little bit. Since I've come here, my argumentative skills have gotten better and I've learned to keep out of an argument unless I really know what I'm talking about. And now, I really have no problem stating my case and defending it. But a lot of people here are very good at picking apart every little thing you say, and it can be a little daunting to someone who wants to put in their casual comment versus the three page essays some people like to write. While I don't think it's necessary to be overly careful or fear anyone's response, at one point I really didn't like saying anything contoversial either, not because I was ignorant or found it hard to articulate, but because I often hadn't studied into the topic as some fifty year old SC has.

Of course, SC is a socialist old Mexican fool and I don't take him seriously on anything other than anime.

[Saya-biki]

How do I feel about AA?

Well AA was my first internet forum, I learned a lot here.

Granted I never was one of those obnoxious new members who made a multitude of new threads about shit. I didn't make my own thread for awhile and most of the time I just posted in an already existing thread with my poorly formed opinion, often ending with a smiley, something about being off-topic, or something that makes fun of myself.

I still think thats my biggest problem, not being able to word my statements to my liking.

On other forums I've been praised for being able to beat people in intelligent debates, but here...well I still feel like a n00b. Like Javer said:
But I had hoped I'd be kind of accepted by now, and I still really have to walk on eggs. I can count my allies on one hand. Hell, amputate a digit or two, I'll manage.

I can relate to that. Thats how I feel most of the time here.

But that doesn't mean I don't like it here, I love this website. I have no problems with anyone here, no problems with management, no problem with the attitude.

It's my own personal issues that make me feel that way, I suppose I tend to stay far away from threads that require a lot of thinking because I don't want to look like a complete moron if I get it wrong. Then again, you know, brush it off. Though I'd prefer not to, I'm not an idiot, I don't want people thinking I am. Not for a second! Well a lot of good thats done me :XD:

I've seen things posted here, I learned a lot about forum etiquette here, as well as the internet in general. I've also learned about great anime series I probably would've never even known about if it were for AA. Hell I didn't even know about torrents until AA.

And I owe AA a thanks for helping me get out of the "omg japan is so kakkoii~!!1 ^.^" phase.

In the end, after jumping around a bit, I'll say I think I still need to work for acceptance here, but hey I'll work hard and improve!

Internet. Serious Business.

[Dtortot]

I would just like to point out that AA can't be currupt since mods don't do shit here. We all just stroll around the lounge say "Hey!" to a few people and sit on a bench. That is practically what we do...

Yeah... I had nothing serious to say here, except for that.... TENSION BREAKER!

[Ojisan]

See, how could you possibly described DT here as corrupt. Drunkard? yes. Mexican? yes. Corrupt? Haha, more like drunken Mexican.

[Roark]

To be fair here, following up on Jagan's comment, I have spent six years of my life learning how to argue. I sought out things like debate club and had a lot of friends that spent their time with me just sitting around and arguing weird questions. I also spent a lot of time critiquing literature, poetry, and movies.

That said, I did start somewhere. When I start in on my "big bad Roark philosopher" bit, it's because I actually care about an issue, not because I want to put people down. After all, it takes time to write those huge posts. I know that I started somewhere, and I want other people to join me in that kind of discussion. So reply. If you don't know how to argue well, give it a shot. Just state your reasons and try and connect them.

AA is a bit on the elitist side. Part of that is just the type of person the main site brings in. Having four Rose of Versailles reviews says something about the nature of this site.

As far as mod corruption, I personally never make decisions based solely on IRC or regular's complaints. They may point something out to me that's just out of line, and that's fine. Anyone can do that. But, hell, I t-banned soundchazer for being an ass.

Admittedly, the wiki links that don't actually answer a question need to stop. And I've been saying for a while now that we need to be consistent on the necro thread issue, since right now it's a catch-22 situation.

Finally, this forum isn't just what you make of it. As forum staff, we do try and push the board towards what we'd like to see. And a lot of the time, it works. We don't look like the Gaia chatterbox. We have a decent signal to noise ratio. The mods here do have their little pet peeves (I personally killed all spiderman vs. batman type threads), but most of them are justifiable. Spidey vs. Batman threads do get repetitive, especially since the comparisons are never really apt or have been done to death. We also got rid of a lot of the RPing threads since they became full-out wars. People stopped even pretending to act as characters and just started being random. In bad ways.

All said, this forum has a rather unique culture. If you just want to hear about the wonders of Naruto and how much Bleach roX0rz, AA probably isn't the place. If you want to talk with people about the finer points of Kantian a priori sythetic propositions and their relation to the categorical imperative, this also isn't really the right place. If you want to be an ass and see boobies, go to 4chan. But if you want some decent discussion about anime that you may not have heard about and a bunch of users who are a bit more... discerning in their viewing, come here.

[soundchazer]

@corruption: I think AA is corrupted too. REVOLUTION I SAY. I mean, why when SC makes an ass out of himself and someone says something like 'haha doctor you got pwned' and he can delete both posts but when I make an ass out of myself and someone says something like 'haha what a n00b' but can I delete my and her post NOOOOO this is outrageous I DEMAND EQUALITY RAWRRRR

And intern...actually never mind.

Just to clarify... I seldomly erase anything... usually it is other mods doing it because they feel the whole thread became too inflamatory to begin with, and they do that every time regardless of the person posting... Mana, Roark and Liegy have been responsible for erasing about 95% of the posts they considered too "out there" from me.

I have absolutely no qualms with people saying I got pwned. You do however, need to understand that if I don't agree, I will do a rebuttal.

[Roark]

Just to clarify... I seldomly erase anything... usually it is other mods doing it because they feel the whole thread became too inflamatory to begin with, and they do that every time regardless of the person posting... Mana, Roark and Liegy have been responsible for erasing about 95% of the posts they considered too "out there" from me.

I have absolutely no qualms with people saying I got pwned. You do however, need to understand that if I don't agree, I will do a rebuttal.
For us, it's not that we consider it too "out there." It's more like taking the drunk home and trying to keep it quiet.

Mods: Saving soundchazer's reputation since 1976.

[Liegenschonheit]

Ha! Most of those times when we deleted the SC arguments, it was to save the thread. A little pruning of arguements is sometimes necessary, and it keeps us from being the total *******s that close threads all the time. I've done it to others besides SC before, it just seems like SC somehow gets involved in a lot of those type of things >.>

Javer, stop walking on eggshells. We like you. Or at least I do. In fact, people at AA need to realize that we are not boogeymen, that the 'in crowd' doesn't all think the same way, and that for the most part we're all a bunch of silly people anyway. Just say what you want to say and don't be a total retard and we'll like you just fine.

I know how you feel though, when I first joined I was afraid of Crapse and Roark and Biku, and I didn't want to say anything that would bring the mods down on me and make me look stupid. Eventually though, I started talking to people more and going to IRC, and I realized that looking stupid isn't as bad as you might think. Everyone has their "durr" moments, and as long as it isn't an every post thing, no one cares.

[silan]

Besides, it was just a post.
It's the principle of the thing.

edit: also tyrdium is right. Help yourself first please before asking questions, which isn't elitist at all, nor lazy when we give someone a link. It's actually kind enough that we do give links rather than tell them to search themselves.
But it is lazy and elitist. Elitist, because you're telling the newbie "we know where to look, and you are wrong." Lazy, because posting the links takes the place of posting an actual thoughtful response. It might actually just be better to tell them to search on their own, because that way they'll learn how and not make the same mistakes again.

I understand that in some situations, that's the only response you can give, such as those "how many episodes is ____ series" type questions. But in some other situations, that kind of response only kills the conversation.

[Corpse]

I know how you feel though, when I first joined I was afraid of Crapse and Roark and Biku, and I didn't want to say anything that would bring the mods down on me and make me look stupid. Eventually though, I started talking to people more and going to IRC, and I realized that looking stupid isn't as bad as you might think. Everyone has their "durr" moments, and as long as it isn't an every post thing, no one cares.

It still makes me laugh that you were scared of me, then you found out im a goofy bastard instead of a giant ass :P

[ash_chan]

Pro wiki/goggle link poster here.

If you give a man a fish, he will have a single meal. If you teach him how to fish, he will eat all his life.

But if you just post the link, it's just like giving them the fish.
You're telling them that they don't have to search for it on their own, they just have to ask the question. Someone will post a link for them and close the thread.

If you were to tell them the answer and then explain that next time, they should search for the answer on Wiki or Google first before posting that kind of topic, it's teaching them to fish. To get their own information instead of relying on others.

Of course, that's just my honest opinion.

[Itachi Uchiha]

You, my dear, have misunderstood me. By wiki/goggle link I meant it literally or verbatim, as in posting -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page or http://www.google.com/ig

[ash_chan]

You, my dear, have misunderstood me. By wiki/goggle link I meant it litterally, as in posting -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page or http://www.google.com/ig

I see.
Thank you for clarifying. That does make it a bit better, however, what I do tend to see a lot of is the search already completed in the link.

But I do like the giving of the search engine itself. I think, that maybe giving the link and then explaining that searching it themselves would get them a better, more detailed answer, we'd be giving newer members to AA a better sense of welcome then coldly just giving th link and leaving.

[Liegenschonheit]

Yeah, don't do that. One, it is really freaking annoying for everyone involved. Two, you aren't a mod and it makes you look like a smart ass. Nothing got on my nerves faster than seeing a bunch of posts in the general anime forum with nothing but links to google and scarcastic remarks. Let the mods handle it, or give a real answer and explain that you found it via google or wiki.

And yeah, I was scared of you, crapse. You were a scary guy! You were the banninator, people just had to post wrong and they got hit with the ban stick. Nothing at all like the nice, cuddly crapse of today.

[soundchazer]

Ha! Most of those times when we deleted the SC arguments, it was to save the thread. A little pruning of arguements is sometimes necessary, and it keeps us from being the total *******s that close threads all the time. I've done it to others besides SC before, it just seems like SC somehow gets involved in a lot of those type of things >.>


It is all a plot, I'm telling you. A plot! I have no recollection of ever doing anything wrong.

And Liegy... I'm afraid of Roark even now... I dunno why... I just do... ;)

[animanic_critic]

I don't know; maybe it's Roark's fastidious intellect that's intimidating...

Sometimes, as Liegy connoted, people can get caught up with others' fatuous comments/arguments that they feel like resorting to Mr. Wiki or Ms. Google followed by a smart and sharp comments. I know I did, and it was merely in a spur of a moment. The person then realizes that this is somethings mods would do instead, and by the time one realizes this, it's too late.

I had my fair share of being smarta** (and I still do) and I'll try leaving it to the professionals. Seriously, I wouldn't wanna see other stuck-ups know-it-all to take care of my own job. It's just demeaning :whip:... even if I say so myself, really.

[isolatedotaku]

Conversation. The above might explain exactly why conversation on this forum falters about one or two posts in. And forget trying to have a truly intellectual discussion, since everything of that kind dies before it gets started, or else wanders off into topics that aren't even slightly related.

For us, it's not that we consider it too "out there." It's more like taking the drunk home and trying to keep it quiet.

Mods: Saving soundchazer's reputation since 1976.

The worst is when I had to clean up the dead hooker, man.

You just had to clean it up. I dealt with her pimp...

I didn't know there was a reputation left to save, but if you insist...

Clearly, you never made those posts, SC. They were just neurological misfires that materialized on your screen in hallucinatory pixels.

...

How do I feel about AA?

Well AA was my first internet forum, I learned a lot here.

I'm with Saya-biki here. AA was my first also, and it has taught me a lot. However, it was like losing your virginity to a date-rapist. I joined not knowing much about forums, but AA rammed me hard so I had to adapt and learn fast.

I hate AA's unfriendly abusive side, but like a battered wife I find myself too attached to my abuser. AA definitely has its Up's and Down's, however, we seem to be in dire need of an Up.

[soundchazer]

...


????

Your point being?

[silan]

????

Your point being?
I think his point was fairly obvious.

[C0MPL3X]

I think they're just having fun without hurting anybody. Or maybe they're committing a heinous sin of going off the topic.

[Ninja Realist]

Alright, since Eri called my cop-out in the Complaint thread, here's my response.

Today, I had an epiphany.

I hate Anime Academy.

And before you brush me off with the stereotypical "well, why don't you just find another forum" response that I know is on the tip of your tongue, hear me out as I list a few of the reasons why I have come to feel this way.

Elitism. We've all felt this. There's a chasm between the newbies and the oldtimers, a level of condescension that's almost palpable. As though the post count really is everything, or else time in service as a student, or else who you know.

Repetition. And not just newbies repeating threads without searching for prior threads on the same topic, which is something all newbies do. It's the response by older members to these newbies, by passing off their questions with a quick link to an outside source, or a quick link to a previous thread, no matter what the question actually is. This doesn't foster an atmosphere of communication, except for the most determined of newbies; that kind of knee-jerk reaction is just the height of laziness. Does it really take so long to post again about something you've already spoken about once? You're telling me it's better to link to a thread that's died a year ago rather than type in an answer that's probably changed anyway?

Conversation. The above might explain exactly why conversation on this forum falters about one or two posts in. And forget trying to have a truly intellectual discussion, since everything of that kind dies before it gets started, or else wanders off into topics that aren't even slightly related.

Corruption. As witnessed when a response of mine to a specific member was completely deleted from the system, rendering it invisible even to other mods, even though another post of roughly the same content was left alone. The person or persons behind such a deletion remain unknown, and I received no notification of the reason for the deletion or warning against the post. It was quickly eradicated, as though trying to wipe it off of AA memory before anyone noticed the deletion.

Dheu, I'm not going to just brush you off with the typical "intrnetz r serios busness rite?" response because I agree that it is pretty ****ing annoying, but the way I see it you have to take the good with the bad. I mean the thing about the internet is that, unlike real-life, there are very few good ways to fight injustice because on a forum you can just be banned and silenced without even having the satisfaction of knocking a few of a mods teeth out. All you can do is make a thread like this one in the hopes that people who hold power on the forums might actually agrtee with you and make some changes.

But you know I can't talk about anime, or video games, or almost anything intewrnet/computer related with my friends because they don't really care about them. AA provides me with a forum on which I can discuss these things with people who not only care but are actually knowledgeable about them.

So I guess I'm willing to ignore mildly annoying things that go away when I log off of the computer in order to continue having a place to talk about one of my favorite hobbies.

My only gripe is that I can't set certain professors to ignore.

[Dtortot]

That is was pure spam and totally off point. That is why I deleted those posts, well most of them.

When some idiot newbie comes in and starts a topic for a question that could've been answered with a quick Google or Wikipedia search, you're exactly right. I am going to chuck a link at them and tell them to bugger off. Elitist? No, just sick of those type of people. We're not here to be their personal servant. Then don't reply at all.

RepetitionDoes it really take so long to post again about something you've already spoken about once? You're telling me it's better to link to a thread that's died a year ago rather than type in an answer that's probably changed anyway?Specially since you already found the thread, you could at least copy paste which is even easier than typing.

About elitism:
AA is comformed of two sectors or groups. Staff (mods and professors) and the members. I believe that the Staff is not elitist, if it were most of the people we don't like wouldn't be here and other people we do like but had to ban would still be here.

The part that is elitist are the members. And not all of them, but some. Members that plot against a specific member or group of members, as if it was some kind of war only to prove who is/are the best, the greatest and the cleverest. FinF00 pointed it out. Clicks or groups of people are formed in large communities and we, mods, can't stop that, it is only natural that people want to be with other people that feel, think and react the same way. That is why we have the badd-ass gang, the cute-nice gang, the ******* gang, the shy gang, the noob gang (which is not chosen BTW), etc... It is normal and it is something we have to deal with inside and outside AA forums and AA universe.

Forums are nothing but a concentration camp, a place of gathering masses that have some things in common. We can't prevent people from joining everyday, we can only prevent them from doing the most harm. But what do you do when you have two factions fighting each other for personal reasons? You just can't let that happen you have to take a stand as impartial as possible and do what is best for the people not involved that in the end get affected.

In short, it is not the staff who are elitist, but the members who shield themselves in self proclaimed righteousness.

About corruption: It is non-existant if you ask me. The fact that we, the mods, get asked more stuff from IRC-goers than the rest of the community is explained quite simply. We have more frequent communication, but that doesn't mean we will instantly negate or refuse to help non-IRC-goers.

Sorry for the semi-rant...

[soundchazer]

My only gripe is that I can't set certain professors to ignore.

That problem is a two way street, unfortunately.

[Yodatsubato]

I know most people already posted their opinions and reactions to Silan's post, and a great portion of what I feel has already been shared by others. I'm going to post my view on the subject anyway, in the hopes that the sentiments of a relative newbie may echo the feelings of others as well, who may not post them here.

Anyway, regarding elitism:
Yeah, it's there, it's inevitable, blah blah blah. It's all been said already. But I have to admit, I expected a lot more elitism here than what I found. Most people here seem kind to newbies, especially the mods. I used to be a member of a few other forums (not anime-related), and I'm used to a lot worse.

Now, I know how to post in a way that I won't get flamed; I'm 21, and have some experience interacting with people. Some people have less experience, or may have come from a different social background. For this reason, I feel that it's always better to explain to someone what they've done wrong rather than force explicatives down their throats and telling them what they should do to their mother. AA seems to have this idea mostly down pat, though, so I feel I'm preaching to the choir. There are times, however (like, for example, in the Art Forum) where I feel like this concept eludes some, and needs improvement.

Don't get me wrong. There are indeed some people whose opinion I hold in higher regard than others. But I have formed these opinions by objectively reading past content that they've written, not by whether or not their title scrolls. And I revise those opinions based upon how they are currently conducting themselves.

Now, onto the Wikipedia debate:
Some form of reference to Wikipedia must be made, if the offender is to build strong research-oriented posting habits. However, it is an imperitave to skim through the article that you are posting to see if it indeed answers the question. Otherwise, you end up being mean for no reason and stifling what the other has to say. Once you're already verifying that the Wikipedia article contains the answer to the question, it doesn't hurt to include that answer in your post along with the link, and a notice stating that this isn't how we normally do things. A repeat offender can be banned, but someone who, once every three months or so, asks for information that he didn't know is in a Wikipedia article can hardly be blamed for his mistake.

Concerning several threads made on the same topic:
It's annoying. But, as we already know, we have no clear-cut rule as to when it is more appropriate to necro an old thread, and when it is better to create a new one. Since there are people who support both sides, there is a high probability that the person who necros or creates a thread will get flamed by at least one person from the opposing camp. It is also fairly probable that this person will be a mod, since he or she is in charge of noticing these kinds of situations. And hence, it is likely that that thread will be closed. Without the poster being given a fair chance to be heard. It's a sad side effect of a dispute between the members of AA, and newbies (and some not-so-newbies) often find themselves getting shafted because of it. It's super-intimidating to newbs, and gave me a sour taste of the forum when I first joined. I'm over it now, since I understand the reason for the issue, but it still needs to be solidified with an official, clarified rule.

Regarding AA veterans shooting down newbs in arguments:
I personally feel that it is incumbant on everyone to argue their best, since there's no point in giving a half-assed argument. Either you give your points or you don't. However, these arguments need not be accompanied by extraneous wording designed solely to make one party feel like an idiot. Honestly, that's one of the most childish things I've ever heard of. AA's less guilty of that than many other forums, but I still see it sometimes.

Personally, there are many debate threads, or even simple "Which anime do you feel..." threads which I shy away from posting in, because I don't feel I'm experienced enough in the topic of conversation to say anything that carries solid weight. For example, I don't post in the "Anime" or "Manga" forum all that much, simply because I don't consider myself too cultured in many aspects of anime. If I posted my opinions on some of the threads, my arguments probably would get ripped apart. But I would be a fool to post about something which I know little about, without prefacing it with a disclaimer such as, "I may not know so much about this subject specifically, but my experience has lead me to believe that," etc.. So, in short, I sympathize with Javer's qualms, but I think that that warning thought of "they might rip me to shreds for posting this" should indeed be taken to heart. At the very least, use a disclaimer to let would-be dissenters know the depth of knowledge you are using to make your claim.

[animanic_critic]

Ah, I know exactly what you mean. Firstly, in regards to elitism, newbies are prone to mistakes, and who hasn't? I've come to know some newbies who made mistakes that would enrage anyone in AA, let alone the mods and professors. Since this forum had rules that are closely observed, I think it's important that newbies are warned first, not necessarily through their posts but through PM as well. PMing them of warning is better, because I understand how mortifying it is to be new in a group and get told off for trangressing something he/she isn't acquainted of.

Wikipedia reference is okay; I know some people out there, particularly the freshmen, like to start new thread not only to rave or loathe about something. They merely wanted to start a conversation to get to know us AA members. It's only natural; even I did it before. Some of them felt like being spat at when being referred to Wiki just like that, like Yodatsubato mentioned, leaving a sour taste.

My point is always warn first rather than tell off. Plus, warn them in discreet because no one wants to be humiliated in front of all the AA colleagues. It's embarassing (since I experienced it before).

As for shooting down newbies, maybe veterans do so out of bad habit. I do it, and still do it even out of awareness because it's bad habit that I'm trying to kick, probably attained from treatment of my social peers. At other times, veterans always do so in the form of joking and kidding out of sarcasm, but some newbies may not take it too well because they had no idea we do that. I know I do that time and time again and getting on the nerves on professors and mods sometimes, but don't take things too seriously. Shooting down newbies is quite mean - I know - but sometimes it's just miscommunication. Just because they forgot to mention a few important things, they end up as laughing stocks of the whole campus. Sad case.

I think we need to make more use of the PM inbox from now on. We usually use it to communicate things that are better not discussing in threads, but mods can use it to warn newbies and others of their actions being unacceptable. Sometimes these people basically don't know and don't mean it. These are some of my pieces of mind.

[Niner]

As for shooting down newbies, maybe veterans do so out of bad habit. I do it, and still do it even out of awareness because it's bad habit that I'm trying to kick, probably attained from treatment of my social peers.
Says the guy who joined less than two months ago.

Seriously, where do you get off saying all that shit when you yourself are still a newb? You post as if you've been here forever when in fact, you've just arrived. You post as if you expect everyone to know who you are and take your thoughts as sacrosanct. Yes, there is a divide between newbs and old-timers and yes, it is hard to breach. You haven't gotten there yet, so don't post as if you have. Get off your high horse and lose the smug, self-assured attitude because it will not help you here.

And get the **** off the bold button. You use it like there's no tomorrow. It's ****ing annoying.

[Roark]

Since this forum had rules that are closely observed, I think it's important that newbies are warned first, not necessarily through their posts but through PM as well. PMing them of warning is better, because I understand how mortifying it is to be new in a group and get told off for trangressing something he/she isn't acquainted of.

We do PM. 95% of the time, PMs get ignored. Before you argue that no response doesn't mean the PM's aren't read, remember that we do have the "read receipt" feature enabled.

[soundchazer]

Says the guy who joined less than two months ago.

Seriously, where do you get off saying all that shit when you yourself are still a newb? You post as if you've been here forever when in fact, you've just arrived. You post as if you expect everyone to know who you are and take your thoughts as sacrosanct. Yes, there is a divide between newbs and old-timers and yes, it is hard to breach. You haven't gotten there yet, so don't post as if you have. Get off your high horse and lose the smug, self-assured attitude because it will not help you here.

And get the **** off the bold button. You use it like there's no tomorrow. It's ****ing annoying.

Go go League of Compassion. PM Dennis to join this wonderful, caring and non-judgemental group right now! :>

* soundchazer chuckles

[Niner]

Ah, SC. You forgot to read the quote right above that little statement in my sig. That should make things a bit clearer.

[Emeraldas]

????

Your point being?

That we're just having way way WAY too much fun with a topic that is clearly gravely important. God forbid.

[Jagan eye]

We do PM. 95% of the time, PMs get ignored. Before you argue that no response doesn't mean the PM's aren't read, remember that we do have the "read receipt" feature enabled.I remember numerous occasions where people PMed me asking a question or something, then never read my response, ever. Good times. I wonder if there is a way to make it so that PMs from moderators are accompanied by a pop-up or email notification even if the user disabled those. I think I even went so far as to change people's settings a few times to get their attention.

[Erigion]

Obviously we need to resort to temp-banning people. A screen that says "YOU HAVE BEEN BANNED BECAUSE YOU SUCK" might get their attention a little more than a PM.

[soundchazer]

Ah, SC. You forgot to read the quote right above that little statement in my sig. That should make things a bit clearer.

Darn it.. you are right. We actually agree on this one (maybe the end of the world is near).

That we're just having way way WAY too much fun with a topic that is clearly gravely important. God forbid.

Oh no... I don't mind people saying how much I suck... it is just that "...." doesn't tell me much... does he find amusing? true? what exactly? And believe me... I'm into fun... maybe too much... enough to get me temp banned and all.

[Emeraldas]

Oh no... I don't mind people saying how much I suck... it is just that "...." doesn't tell me much... does he find amusing? true? what exactly? And believe me... I'm into fun... maybe too much... enough to get me temp banned and all.

No one was saying that you suck. He was just trying to make an example of Silan's claim that threads degenerate into off-topic babble. All I saw was some relevant-if-light-hearted banter, but thank goodness DT jumped in to save the day before isolatedotaku could have a point.

[isolatedotaku]

SC, as Silan said, my point is pretty clear. I quoted Silan's "Conversation" argument and then quoted several posts (from this very thread) that proved what she said. My "..." (not "...." by the way) refers to something omitted because it is understood. I see now that even by making it clear as possible, I should elaborate.

Silan pointed out how conversations falter after only a few intelligent posts on a thread -- Well, upon looking back the posts I quoted (at least a majority of them) have seemed to vanish. I can understand why, and it only helps my point. They were off-topic and only added comical jests at SC.

My point is always warn first rather than tell off. Plus, warn them in discreet because no one wants to be humiliated in front of all the AA colleagues. It's embarassing (since I experienced it before).

I agree with you that being told off is embarassing, but so is ignoring your first warning (http://www.animeacademy.com/forums/faq.php) and making a fool out of yourself. If you don't read the FAQ, you're on your own. It is there for a reason and it is suprising how many new-comers don't read it.

Edit: I deleted the posts because they were spam. - From Dtortot with Love.

[Mana]

Alright, time for Mana's take on this whole crazy thing. Sorry it took me a bit longer to post; our Internets has been screwy (tubes are blocked or some shit), and unlike some people, I spend most of my weekend working and don't have the time to sit at the desk nursing the Cable modem so I can talk about dead hookers with Crapse. Am I bitter that I haven't gotten a weekend off since May? Maybe, but that's not the point here.

Like a lot of people here, AA was my first forum. Unlike a lot of people here, it wasn't a rough experience. AA was a lot smaller back in those days, and I did know just about everyone. Yeah, I didn't know jack shit about being in a forum; even after I figured out how to make a topic, I was too scared to. That was no fault of AA's, I was just too obsessed with trying to make people happy, and in some ways, I still am. But, I learned, I moved on, and things became all the better.

AA saw me through my hospital internment, my ****-ups with school, my meeting, dating, moving in with, and engagement to Roark. There was times when my posts dominated the forums, and times when I was on hiatus and wouldn't post for a good few months or so. And yet, despite all that, I really really knew that people here even cared about me a little bit until the Engagement thread that I made. I still don't consider myself popular by AA's standards, and I have very few friends here.

Speaking as a mod, well, I'm a very new mod in relation to some of the mods here. I can't remember if I was before or after E-dawgz/Dottytor, but I suppose that's besides the point. I'm more active as a moderator these days than as a member. I'd like to think I'm a fairly decent and friendly mod... at least no one's told me otherwise. I try to stay away from elitism and corruption as much as I can, but no one's perfect.

In responce to the first thread, since I feel that I need to. Perhaps what I'm saying will seem repetative, but at least then you'll know that we're on the same page.

Elitism: In all honestly, I don't believe the "chasm" between newb and old-timer is as big as people think it is. We can't stop people from speaking their mind (unless, of course, the post is delete-worthy), but, from what I've witnessed anyway, the condescension is more directed towards stupidity than merely because of low posts. I've seen users with low post counts get accepted into the community well, and I've seen users with higher post counts and a lot of forum history get worse verbal beatings than even the lowliest of n00bz.

I think a lot of it seems worse than it is because we've had a lot of stupid new users in the past few years. Some of them leave of their own volition, some get banned, very few actually stick around, but with the sheer numbers, it really becomes somewhat of a "What's the point?" If AA was low on users and we were trying to attract as many as possible, we might be more loving and caring to those new members... but we're not. Instead, AA gets new users who don't bother reading the rules, and a lot of the regulars have seen these happen so much that they don't even care anymore. Why should they put effort into helping someone who cant help themselves, and will probably be gone in a couple weeks anyway (if they're lucky).

I'm not saying that this is the right way to think, or that this is exactly the way some users think, but, from what I've seen, I think an element of it is there.

Repetition: I'm actually in the process of writing up a FAQ/Guideline to help clear up AA's new thread/reviving issue; when it's finished and polished and passed by some of the other mods' approval, you might see it up, and maybe it will change something. I think one of the biggest problems that we're having, is that the rule is so loose, people don't really even know what it is or how to follow here. I also think AA could gain a lot of having more new threads and less revived old ones.

Conversation: Everything I'd say here has mostly been said. However, I will have to add that the only way to have a good conversation is to strive to keep it that way. If someone wants to hold a really good conversation on a subject, then they need to actually start it. They need to keep an eye on it, and nudge people back on track. Yeah, regular users can't delete posts, but in a conversation, it's more fitting to verbally steer someone back on topic than to just delete what they said.

And, of course, things do go off-topic, sometimes so badly there's no help for repair. It's going to happen; it's happened on every single forum I've ever been to, and it will continue to happen into the future. That doesn't mean you can't steer people back onto topic, or ask a mod for help. If something gets so bad that it has to be locked, then take a look at it, find out where things went wrong, and next time, learn to correct your mistakes before they happen.

I've seen good discussion on AA, it's not impossible. But, it does take a lot of dedication and care.

Corruption: Yeah, some of the mods here are corrupt. However, the corruption is mostly out of fun and laughs, and when it isn't, it's something that gets resolved between the mods and staff personally.

I don't think corruption is nearly as bad on AA as it is on some other forums that I've seen. That doesn't mean it isn't an issue to acknowledge. If anyone feels they are unjustly being subjected to mod abuse, feel free to PM/IM/whatever any of the other mods. I can't speak for all the moderators and staff, but I know that I, personally, always take my PMs to heart and try my damnedest to fix what's wrong.

My final note:
A forum is, above all else, a place to have fun. People join AA because they like anime and they want to have a fun place to talk about it with others. If you aren't having fun, then you need to ask yourself some questions. Why am I still here? What can I do to increase my enjoyment of the forum? What is that strange man with the bunny suit and what is he doing to that poor, poor teddy bear?

And, of course, communication is the key. Whether that communication is directly on the forums, through PMs, or through IMs/IRC is up to you. Communicate with your moderators, communicate with your peers. We won't bite, honestly.


PS - In regards to TIFs banning: I've talked to him on IRC, he's a pretty cool guy when he wants to be. If it weren't against Policy, I'd let him come back, but if we did, the moment he starts flaming again, he'd be gone. Honestly, I don't understand why some people think the TIF thing is such a big deal. I've talked to several people about it via PM and whatnot. I guess some people still just like to sensationalize.

Edit: You became a mod before E-dawgz and my self, Mana. - From Dtortot with Love.

[animanic_critic]

Says the guy who joined less than two months ago.

Seriously, where do you get off saying all that shit when you yourself are still a newb? You post as if you've been here forever when in fact, you've just arrived. You post as if you expect everyone to know who you are and take your thoughts as sacrosanct. Yes, there is a divide between newbs and old-timers and yes, it is hard to breach. You haven't gotten there yet, so don't post as if you have. Get off your high horse and lose the smug, self-assured attitude because it will not help you here.

And get the **** off the bold button. You use it like there's no tomorrow. It's ****ing annoying.
All right fine, I'm an newbie so sue me.

Maybe I'll rephrase myself here: All I'm saying that people make mistakes and I'm definitely no exception myself. I never had the intention of flaming people because I don't see the benefit of doing so. I know I somewhat barged into AA and jam the forum with my posts, but I do so in order to know more people and make new friends, not asking people to know I'm here. I'm two-months old here and I've gained alot of experiences and continuing. I thank you all for that. I really believe that freshmen generally arrive for the same intention, but unfortunately they misrepresent themselves, even though there are some undesirable ones. I know I, a freshman by time, did. Mods are here just like police officers to a town, which I find them doing a wonderful job, thanks.

I'll stretch out my gratitude to Roark for his information on that PM thingie. On another note, I'm not sure whether I'm looked myself up as stuck-up or untouchable, because I never remember saying or intending to tell off people who rebuke my opinions. Opinions are opinions and if someone doesn't agree with me, then so be it - I'm not angry, at least I never were. My posts means I'm only very vocal, not attention-grabbing.

As for newbies like me and the upcoming ones, I think what triggered their interest in AA is the topic they first see. When they do, they'll likely to proceed straight to posting and bypass the all-important FAQ, just like how some people install a program without reading the manual first. It's normal yet if sometimes sh*tty happens, it's almost unforgivable.

PS Just for the record, I'll lay off the bold button. I've been using it emphasise certain parts of my postings, but seems Niner hates it. Very well, I'll give in... for this case.

[Tamanegi Sensei]

Feelings about AA? Whats their to express except nothin but success between keeping a steady relationship between some mods and users "students".

In regards to Elitism: At first I didn't understand why I felt bitter and down because of some flaming over somethin I didn't do or intended not to do. Maybe the elitism is what causes the Corruption that I see between users and mods. Why elitists take pleasure in makin others feel bad will never be answered, but if there is a way to keep the mod/user relationship normal I' like to see it.

In regards to repetition: It can't be helped. Some people may have problems gettin their point across, or are just that way. Topic wise lookin for a topic to discuss about is difficult since it already came and went (past tense, it'd be wrong to say come and go). Repetition is ok to some extent, it's also a good way to memorize things. Usin it wisely is at best all you can do with it.

In regards to Conversation: It's nice to talk to people and get to know them, builds character and relationships. It's also nice to have a discussion that goes further than 10 pages, so then you know it's somethin to talk about. There are lots of discussions that either go under the radar or is the talk of the town, or forum for that matter. It's just that it needs to be discussed or it will falter and people will revive an old topic years later. It's nice to talk to...oops theres the repeat I was talkin about... it happens, no big.

In regards to Corruption: I go back to the mod/user relationship. Troublemakers will be troublemakers, and elitists...well they are still jerks. Why we have corruption in this forums or any other forum is that there is no control within the users. They don't know the rules of the house and they end up gettin evicted. Why this forum is so popular is because it has the best profs and the best reviews out there for one to read (no that ain't brown nosin, thats the truth). In this lounge ya got people you can relate to regardless if they are more dominate in power (modding), or are just users that you relate to. I may have noticed that most of you people in IRC or in AA know each other like a family. I like to see that with all users who have been here and know each other. I'd also like to see people tradin business negotiations cause you can gain referrals to put on your resume (no ay).

Oh and if there is someone who detest people usin in instead of ing, it's their, style, like it or lump it.

[soundchazer]

SC, as Silan said, my point is pretty clear. I quoted Silan's "Conversation" argument and then quoted several posts (from this very thread) that proved what she said. My "..." (not "...." by the way) refers to something omitted because it is understood. I see now that even by making it clear as possible, I should elaborate.

Silan pointed out how conversations falter after only a few intelligent posts on a thread -- Well, upon looking back the posts I quoted (at least a majority of them) have seemed to vanish. I can understand why, and it only helps my point. They were off-topic and only added comical jests at SC.

OK... I get it now. Sorry for the inconvenience of having to make you type this up.



I agree with you that being told off is embarassing, but so is ignoring your first warning (http://www.animeacademy.com/forums/faq.php) and making a fool out of yourself. If you don't read the FAQ, you're on your own. It is there for a reason and it is suprising how many new-comers don't read it.

I agree with you. It is already hard to figure out who is joking and who isn't... who is being sarcastic and who is not... so why add up to the trouble by posting things that are NOT allowed to begin with? I am one of those people who would LOVE to put the tar and feathers on those who fail to read the FAQ. If they think I'm being rude, well, they are failing to realize thay are even more so because they do not have the decency of taking a few minutes to get to know the place and the way it is run.

[Sorrow-kun]

Dheu, I'm not ...Hold the ****ing phone, dheu is Silian? Why the **** didn't anyone tell me? Grrrrr...

[ShinoMatrix]

I've avoided posting in these complaints threads or "how to improve AA" or "why was such and such person was banned" threads that have frequently cropped up around here because mainly I've never been overly into what people say here.

I've never really felt the elitism when I arrived. I don't really even feel it now, though one can argue that I possibly have infiltrated that clique, hence why I don't feel it. Nonetheless, I think what I'm trying to say is that people read into things a little too much around here, people get too caught up in the heat of the moment, are outraged by things that they thought was as big an injustice as a post being deleted. It's a problem of the written word in that things can and are often misinterpreted. You wish for an objective response, but that's not always going to happen.

I'm not saying it's wrong to post a complaint thread. I'm not saying that when someone post "google it n00b" or links them to a previously existant thread, people shouldn't get offended. You're entitled to do whatever you can want as a free person. But to let an internet forum get to you is something which I feel as being pointless.

We're here to discuss anime (among other things). You said something which sounded wrong to someone and apparently they took offence or even went as far as deleting your post, I say, move on. Either out of corruption or elitism or just plain mistake, one post sent to the abyss didn't really hurt you... did it?

I'm not trying to be snide about this topic or to anyone in this thread. It's just that I've seen them pop up again and again, but you know what, I still keep coming and I still discuss anime because this place is still that same place which became my first forum and we still discuss that anime. If you're asking for conversation, I've had plenty, and I'm not even in IRC all that often.

[Neo-Hunter]

AA was my first fourm I joined, I really like AA the only part is that I hate the Noobs who post threads, HI I'm New. I swear to god I want to Hurl a brick at them. we should have a bigger Sign when they come on here to tell them No Hi I'm New theads. Also I hate the Favortism some of the people get, also AA has taught me that I can be a miserable Prick to people which I like to be. I haven't seen the Mod contest in a while. what happend to that? these are my complaints deal with them!

[Liegenschonheit]

There were never any "mod contests". Mods are chosen by the Administration based on their behaviour in the forums, among other things. PMing Crapse saying "OMG, I want to be a mod!!!111" apparently doesn't work either, but you can give it a shot if you want. He'd totally love that. >.>

[Roark]

Getting a mod tenure is a lot like getting into the KGB:

Applicants need not apply, we already know who you are.

[C0MPL3X]

*drills brick back into neo hunters brain*

[Corpse]

There were never any "mod contests". Mods are chosen by the Administration based on their behaviour in the forums, among other things. PMing Crapse saying "OMG, I want to be a mod!!!111" apparently doesn't work either, but you can give it a shot if you want. He'd totally love that. >.>

Asking me to be a mod generally makes it an automatic no, unless you happen to me on good list, and that's never happened. If I want a mod I approach the person when I need to.

[Zirilan]

Bah, I hate arriving late to a thread, I seem to do it all the time... Anyways, the topics:

Elitism. We've all felt this. There's a chasm between the newbies and the oldtimers, a level of condescension that's almost palpable. As though the post count really is everything, or else time in service as a student, or else who you know.

I have to say that I personally never saw any serious elitism at AA. When I first joined sure, I was a bit intimidated, I didn't post on anything I didn't feel I had at least a grasp on, etc... After reading people's posts, I have found out that, that's what a lot of people have done. I feel that, that's being respectful/un-noobish and at the same time just being un-ignorant. To me, the term "noob" is synonimous with the word "ignorant". I feel that if you come into a community and show respect you will be accepted unless, there actually is a problem with elitism.

You get what you give, show respect and it will be returned in kind. As for the people like anime_critic and Javer who feel as if they need to step carefully, you don't, just don't be an idiot. And when I say "idiot" I'm not talking about "intelligence" or "book smarts" I'm talking about ignorance. If you don't have a solid grasp on something but still want to discuss it, POST IT! In most cases you will get both opposition and support. Some topics are like kindling, just drop the match and it'll take care of itself, meanwhile you among others may end up reaping the rewards by becoming more knowledeable. If you can't defend your side of an argument, either someone will back you up or you lose that argument. If you lose, oh well, noone will make you the laughing stocks of the whole campus let me say that again, you wont become a laughing stock. In most cases noone outside of those involved in that thread will care, even then they'll have forgotten about it a week later. I know I do. And I know that I can become pretty aggressive when I get going, but that's both because I not only support something discussed but I also enjoy "discussing" (referred to as arguing commonly). It's a learning experience and something that can be enjoyable, either way, win or lose, you gain something from it because you learn from it. So for sport or not, if I have made someone feel down because I came on too strongly, I apologize.


Repetition. And not just newbies repeating threads without searching for prior threads on the same topic, which is something all newbies do. It's the response by older members to these newbies, by passing off their questions with a quick link to an outside source, or a quick link to a previous thread, no matter what the question actually is. This doesn't foster an atmosphere of communication, except for the most determined of newbies; that kind of knee-jerk reaction is just the height of laziness. Does it really take so long to post again about something you've already spoken about once? You're telling me it's better to link to a thread that's died a year ago rather than type in an answer that's probably changed anyway?

On this I agree with you, but it's not something you can really do anything about, or anyone for that matter. I for one ignore the thread unless I'm feeling in a helpful mood in which case I'll throw in my two cents. But that's part of it, a person's mood at the time can have a great deal of influence on what they're writing. I'm not saying that this is in all cases, but at least in some, probably quite a few. So if someone's in a bad mood and they saw a similar thread a week, or even a year ago they think they either make some sarcastic comment or post a link to another thread. It's much easier to comment and either discuss it again or just ignore it. Chances are, something new will be added to the discussion of it hasn't been addressed in a while, even a month can be long enough to revive a topic if the timing is right.


Conversation. The above might explain exactly why conversation on this forum falters about one or two posts in. And forget trying to have a truly intellectual discussion, since everything of that kind dies before it gets started, or else wanders off into topics that aren't even slightly related.

Okay, this is a pick your battles sorta thing. First off it's a forum, people will talk about whatever they want to talk about within very wide guidelines. It's the job of the people who care about that conversation to keep it on track, not anyone else's. If you are the only one that seems cares about the topic, then it's not something that should be discussed in this forum. I highly doubt that however seeing as AA's populus is very diverse, ranging from Freshman in HS or younger to SC old (we joke b/c we care!). Not to mention I feel humor is necessary when discussing something, it can break the ice that people build up and let's them rethink their opinion given the new information they've been given. I've seen just as many threads come back strong after a page of complete nonsense as I have die from the same. Take DT's post for example, that was very needed as the discussion was becomming very serious and cold, that's why a lot of people love Dt, he has that ability to just hit the reset button. It's those kinds of things that get rid of the emotional responses and keeps the logical ones which in turn keeps the conversation coherent.


Corruption. As witnessed when a response of mine to a specific member was completely deleted from the system, rendering it invisible even to other mods, even though another post of roughly the same content was left alone. The person or persons behind such a deletion remain unknown, and I received no notification of the reason for the deletion or warning against the post. It was quickly eradicated, as though trying to wipe it off of AA memory before anyone noticed the deletion.

Well I'm not the first to say this, but it adds to the ever growing number. I don't see the problem of corruption that you're referring to. Yes, I don't know the history behind it, so I can't fully argue in this case so my remark is based solely on prior experience.

[animanic_critic]

...people like anime_critic and Javer who feel as if they need to step carefully, you don't, just don't be an idiot. And when I say "idiot" I'm not talking about "intelligence" or "book smarts" I'm talking about ignorance. If you don't have a solid grasp on something but still want to discuss it, POST IT!

...you wont become a laughing stock. In most cases noone outside of those involved in that thread will care, even then they'll have forgotten about it a week later. I know I do. And I know that I can become pretty aggressive when I get going, but that's both because I not only support something discussed but I also enjoy "discussing" (referred to as arguing commonly)
I am truly grateful that you express your views using my quotes. I just mentioned that 'laughing stock' phrase because it's just common that some "victims" feel that way, including myself, even though it's not always the best thing to do. I like to step up and speak up on something even though I may not know everything about it because I want to see how people view a particular subject. Maybe people do get charged up and be seemingly aggressive at some point, but that's just "passion" at its peak, not anger. I get grilled at certain times because I appear sarcastic and smart-a**, and I apologize if any of my posts seem so. I may also have said such things because like Zirilian, I also enjoy discussing and get passionate at certain times.

Zirilian is just saying that people forgive and forget, which I also agree as always. I love to discuss about anime and other miscellaneous stuff on AA (which is why I joined AA in the first place). I don't act as if I just joined in two months ago and now acting as a diva; I just like to seak up what's on my mind and perhaps I rub people the wrong way. I only have to say, take it lightly and just in case, I'm sorry. To agree and disagree is just part of a wonderful discussion. That's what keeps me going in AA until now.

Also on a smaller note, I seem to piss some people off with my word-bolding, but I only do so in order to emphasize some portions of my posts, not to annoy people. I don't see how this is going against any rules, since the FAQ (http://www.animeacademy.com/forums/faq.php?faq=vb_read_and_post#faq_vb_special_codes) says it's perfectly fine to do so. With that, Niner, sorry but I think I'll continue with my bolding. Maybe I'll tone down on it because I don't want to enrage anyone here, but I believe I do it out of good intentions.

[Niner]

Also on a smaller note, I seem to piss some people off with my word-bolding, but I only do so in order to emphasize some portions of my posts, not to annoy people. I don't see how this is going against any rules, since the FAQ (http://www.animeacademy.com/forums/faq.php?faq=vb_read_and_post#faq_vb_special_codes) says it's perfectly fine to do so. With that, Niner, sorry but I think I'll continue with my bolding. Maybe I'll tone down on it because I don't want to enrage anyone here, but I believe I do it out of good intentions.
Suit yourself. Makes you look noobish and stupid, though. If your language is clear and your reasoning sound, you won't need to emphasize anything because people will understand it from the get-go. Bolding is distracting, especially if it's stupid things like people's names and the like.

[Zirilan]

Oh, I have a complaint now. Why do 99% of people call me Zirilian? I'm serious, nearly everyone sees it that way! There are two "i"s, the name is "Zirilan" Z i r i l a n, 2 "i"s, not 3. :whine:

[Niner]

^ Good use of bolding, as there's actually something worth emphasizing.

[animanic_critic]

My bad - just a typo error ...

Zirilan, Zilian, Zilian, Zilian, ZILIAN :twodrunks !!

[Zirilan]

Lol, I just see it all the time and I don't understand it. It's too common a mistake to be a simple typo. And at the same time I'm too stubborn to let it go and just accept it, I might as well change my name to "Zirilian", but then people would probably call me "Zirilan"! :shocked:

[Niner]

words
Yeah, see. I never refuted the fact that there is elitism here or that I myself am elitist. In fact, quite a few people in this thread have said that AA is a bit or more on the elitist side and there's really nothing you can do about that. So don't throw that at me and expect me to care.

Oh, and if you can't deal with it, get off the Internet. Like, right now.

[isolatedotaku]

Oh, and if you can't deal with it, get off the Internet. Like, right now.

I think that can sum up this thread. While I do have a dislike for AA, I've learn to deal with it. I could have, any of us could have, left AA as soon as it turned sour for us. However, most of us choose to stick it out and deal with the fact that life's rough. AA is no exception.

Hell, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?

[Liegenschonheit]

Don't let Niner get to you. He's just pissed because he doesn't get laid. And because he looks like a girl. And because he drinks aftershave.

<3 Niner

[animanic_critic]

I think that can sum up this thread. While I do have a dislike for AA, I've learn to deal with it. I could have, any of us could have, left AA as soon as it turned sour for us. However, most of us choose to stick it out and deal with the fact that life's rough. AA is no exception.
Nicely put there. I'm still sticking to AA for all the myriad of people I can find here.

Hell, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?
Unless you're in a coma ;)

[Erigion]

Don't let Niner get to you. He's just pissed because he doesn't get laid. And because he looks like a girl. And because he drinks aftershave.

<3 Niner
I thought he was pissed cause you played Princess Princess with him?

[Niner]

Don't let Niner get to you. He's just pissed because he doesn't get laid. And because he looks like a girl. And because he drinks aftershave.

<3 Niner
Come over here and we can take care of all three of those issues in one fell swoop. >:3

<3 Liegs, even though you're absolutely wretched to me. xD

[General Suburbia]

I think that can sum up this thread. While I do have a dislike for AA, I've learn to deal with it. I could have, any of us could have, left AA as soon as it turned sour for us. However, most of us choose to stick it out and deal with the fact that life's rough. AA is no exception
Well, the only reason why I'm not gone is because AA's become a sort of habit. Every day when I have time, my pointer will always eventually come to the AA bookmark and then down to "New Posts." Kinda like a drug?

Only big problem I have with AA is the elitist thing. We all like feeling good about ourselves, and although I can see why it happens in online forums, it irritates me to no end. But then, what can I do about it? It's an online forums and I'm not a mod. The worst I can do is become an elitist myself and call them hitler or something.

[JOJO]

I dont really have a problem with the way things ae right now, i just find amusing the people here and all the so called elitistsm and their points of view. They sometimes have discussion as if the people of AA have some sort of political influence on some country.The things i dislike, SPAM and pointless threads(and i'm fully aware of the irony of that coming from me).

[Jagan eye]

The worst I can do is become an elitist myself and call them hitler or something.Yeah, we've done that one (http://www.animeacademy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14730).





I feel like there's a moral in there somewhere.

[Major Tom]

It's an online forums and I'm not a mod. The worst I can do is become an elitist myself and call them hitler or something.

Oh dear. You may have invoked Godwin's law. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwins_law) If so, this thread is doom-ed

[animanic_critic]

Oh dear. You may have invoked Godwin's law. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwins_law) If so, this thread is doom-ed
I finds this awfully disturbing, even though the prospects are remotely slim...

:hanged

[Yodatsubato]

Come over here and we can take care of all three of those issues in one fell swoop. >:3
If she comes there, you're gonna vomit the aftershave?

Oh, and about Niner's bolding issue, I agree that it's a bit annoying. But not enough for me to care one way or the other. It's just that it interrupts the flow of the text when I read it, kinda like a poster who keeps changing fonts (since bold *is* a different kind of font). But, like I said, for me it's almost a non-issue. :o

[animanic_critic]

Oh, and about Niner's bolding issue, I agree that it's a bit annoying. But not enough for me to care one way or the other. It's just that it interrupts the flow of the text when I read it, kinda like a poster who keeps changing fonts (since bold *is* a different kind of font). But, like I said, for me it's almost a non-issue. :o
Lately, I've been using minimum amount of bolding and hope you'll (and anyone concerned) appreciate it. Just for reminder, I only did it out of good intentions. Thanks for not making it into such a big issue :bowing: ...

[General Suburbia]

Oh dear. You may have invoked Godwin's law. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwins_law) If so, this thread is doom-ed
Yes, I had that law in mind when I posted, I simply forgot what it was called.:bowing:

[Zirilan]

Lately, I've been using minimum amount of bolding and hope you'll (and anyone concerned) appreciate it. Just for reminder, I only did it out of good intentions. Thanks for not making it into such a big issue :bowing: ...


Don't sweat it too much ac, you're far from the only person who uses bold to stress a word or too, just try not to use it that often in the same post, the eyes can only take so much. *looks for eye-popping smiley* Gonna have to mention that to someone.:rawr:

[Axon]

THIS IS ANNOYING?!

I think AA is fine. I haven't had any run ins with this so called 'elitism', but that's probably because I don't post much. :/

[Ojisan]

THIS IS ANNOYING?!

I think AA is fine. I haven't had any run ins with this so called 'elitism', but that's probably because I don't post much. :/

Axon, we don't need n00bz with 4 posts posting in this thread. Go talk about DBZ or something.

[animanic_critic]

Axon, we don't need n00bz with 4 posts posting in this thread. Go talk about DBZ or something.
Oh, knock it off. This is an example of elitism right here.

Axon: Since you're new here, we're having a discussion on the issue of elitism here; the so-called bridge that divides newbie/freshmen such as both of us and the veteran members. You need to be longer here in AA to understand what this means; and same goes for myself since I just enrolled two months ago.

[soundchazer]

Guys... seriously... if your feelings get hurt so easily over the use of bulletin boards, the you are probably better off reading books and watching TV instead of using the Internet as your source of entertainment (that is unless you are surfing for pr0n, but that is a different story).

Are we elitists? Maybe.
Are we rude? Sometimes.

And how does that differ from what the other 99.9% of the population? We all have opinions, and this medium allows us to say what we mean with little repercussion (other than a ban here and there). Even our self-apointed president of the compassion club can be a d1ck on ocassion.

Seriously... grow up... and if you are guys... grow some balls already. Oh... and don't forget to read the FAQ, you n00bs.

[aeroshadow]

I don't mind elitism, actually.

However, I do mind that a certain member is banned and that a certain professor gets very cruel whenever she's annoyed. It scares me a little bit.

[Mana]

In all honesty, the elitism here is no worse than the elitism I've seen on other boards, especially those with a population about equal to, or even greater than, ours here. We're relatively tame, actually. As long as you read, understand, and follow the rules, present yourself decently, and put at least a minimum amount of effort into typing, you shouldn't have a big problem in regards to the elitism here. Especially considering that a lot of it is having fun and messing around.

Honestly, I've seen a lot of new users cry "Elitism!" whenever an older user points out a mistake, or a fault, or says something even remotely negative. The same goes for cries of "Mod abuse!" when I edit a sig that's too large, or delete a spammy post. There are many, many more cries of wolf than there are actual incidents of these occurances.

I'm not going to tell anyone to get off the internets, but a certain truth can be found in realizing that the Internet is not, despite popular rumour, serious business. I take my job as a mod here seriously, but only to keep the place running as best as possible for thse users who choose to get some enjoyment here.

In regards to the bolding, there are actually quite a few people who use it, or have used it in the past, especially when referring to members by name. Mostly, I've learned to ignore it, but it's definately not against the rules or something. People are free to distinguish their text as they choose, but it's not something that other users tend to like. The mods won't interfere, of course, unless your text happens to be very large, or something incredibly annoying, like a light yellow.

EDIT: @aero: Sorry, hun... we're not going to bring back animerulez6571156587 no matter how much you beg and plead. <3

[ash_chan]

Although I posted some other things a few pages ago, I'm finally ready to post my official stand on here.



Today, I had an epiphany.

I hate Anime Academy.
Yeah, well I hate work too. Doesn't mean I stop doing it.


Elitism. We've all felt this. There's a chasm between the newbies and the oldtimers, a level of condescension that's almost palpable. As though the post count really is everything, or else time in service as a student, or else who you know.
Yeah. I see a bit of elitism. But, there will be elitism anywhere you go. I'm not even sure what side I'd belong to. I've been here for well over two years, but my post count is on the low side. Does that make me a "n00b" or am I just part of the decor? I suppose part of the reason I don't post is my fear. I am slightly afraid of what people think about me here. But my main reason for not posting isn't because I'm terrified of what some "elitist oldbie" might say, but because I simply have nothing to say. I'm more of a lurker, sitting back and reading conversations. It's just my style. Normally if I feel that there is truly something that needs to be said, I'll say it, given someone doesn't beat me to it, and hope that no one thinks worse of me.

Repetition. And not just newbies repeating threads without searching for prior threads on the same topic, which is something all newbies do. It's the response by older members to these newbies, by passing off their questions with a quick link to an outside source, or a quick link to a previous thread, no matter what the question actually is. This doesn't foster an atmosphere of communication, except for the most determined of newbies; that kind of knee-jerk reaction is just the height of laziness. Does it really take so long to post again about something you've already spoken about once? You're telling me it's better to link to a thread that's died a year ago rather than type in an answer that's probably changed anyway?

Ok, I've already posted my opinion on the link posting a few pages back. I'll let you try and find them.

Conversation. The above might explain exactly why conversation on this forum falters about one or two posts in. And forget trying to have a truly intellectual discussion, since everything of that kind dies before it gets started, or else wanders off into topics that aren't even slightly related.
Actually, I've seen many an intellectual conversation go down here. But, yes, sometimes it'll be a flop. You can't win 'em all, and sometimes, people just don't feel like discussing certain things.

Corruption. As witnessed when a response of mine to a specific member was completely deleted from the system, rendering it invisible even to other mods, even though another post of roughly the same content was left alone. [The person or persons behind such a deletion remain unknown, and I received no notification of the reason for the deletion or warning against the post. It was quickly eradicated, as though trying to wipe it off of AA memory before anyone noticed the deletion.
I've never noticed any corrupt mods. They may have their off days and get a bit snappy, but never any real corruption. They're just human, after all. Roughly the same content? Perhaps it was felt, that two posts thaat were identical were not needed? Or perhaps, you may have used wording that wasn't apprieciated. Whatever it was, it wasn't so-called "corruption." Someone was just doing their job.

[Ritalin]

Oh, knock it off. This is an example of elitism right here.

Axon: Since you're new here, we're having a discussion on the issue of elitism here; the so-called bridge that divides newbie/freshmen such as both of us and the veteran members. You need to be longer here in AA to understand what this means; and same goes for myself since I just enrolled two months ago.

Actualy that was an example of sarcasm.

[Liegenschonheit]

...a certain professor gets very cruel whenever she's annoyed. It scares me a little bit.

I'll assume you mean me, since last time I checked I'm the only female prof :P
I will be the first to admit that at times I have a scarcastic and slightly caustic sense of humour that may not really translate well to text, especially for those who don't know me well. For that, I will appologize to anyone who has been the brunt of that kind of teasing, it was most likely meant jokingly and I hope it didn't permanently scar your AA ego, or something. I'm really pretty nice, for the most part.

And I know that sometimes when I am really annoyed, I won't mince words but lay it all out right there. If you are being an ass, I'll tell you, that kind of thing. But it also goes the other way. If you stop being an ass, I let it go, no grudges or anything silly like that.

No need to be afraid of me, I promise. There isn't anyone on the forums that I am out to get, or that I really hate, or anything like that.

[animanic_critic]

And I know that sometimes when I am really annoyed, I won't mince words but lay it all out right there. If you are being an ass, I'll tell you, that kind of thing. But it also goes the other way. If you stop being an ass, I let it go, no grudges or anything silly like that.
I guess I'm one such instance, but amen to the "letting-go" thing. So far, I never had the intention to act like a mod-wannabe, but sometimes certain posts really get on my nerves, so I tend to blurt them and go overboard with my replies, hence pissing Prof. Liegy off.

But hey, guess my emotions got the better of me. I admit, my replies do appear scathing, but nonetheless not in spite. So cheers to the Professor, for not kicking me out of her classroom :rolleyes: !!!

[JaQuais J.]

My thoughts on AnimeAcademy? Well, for one, there are a lot of *******s here. Dont get me started about the elitism, there are a group of people that are so irritiating.You cant even message some people, they just ignore you. I have told a few people to come to this site, and ALL of them said the same thing. Its kinda like there are a group of friends here, that just pick on, no, attack everyone, then when ever there is someone that is as big an ******* as them, they include them into there little "net-click". If I'm not mistaken, there's a club called the elitist, "PM ******* too be told you cant join". Thats so stupid. I come here because this was my first message board ever, I dont feel like getting use to another one. I make most of my post at school to pass time, or just asking question.
I dont think it's all bad though. It has the perfect amount of people in my opinion. And there are no threads like INYUASHA ROX!!!!1 The AA irc was fun while it lasted. Its easy to get banned there if your not in the "click".

[Liegenschonheit]

Err...the "Elitist Club" is a joke. And bannings in IRC are usually lifted after a short period of time.

Also, this is off topic, but if you need an image resized for an AA sig, I'll do it for you, JaQuais. Just PM me a link to your image.

[AlterGenesis-X]

Elitism! LOL! That crap always makes me laugh. I normally don't hang around here enough to notice such things, but seriously just thinking about elitism on the internet always calls for a giggle. (Yes, a giggle.) Anyhow, AA is generally an enjoyable place, as I tend to stay away from topics that I can already tell are going to be a handful to read. With that, I'll see you whenver I see you. Good day.

[Mana]

We don't do a lot of banning on IRC at all, even as jokes. Except of course for Soup, but not like bannign him really matters much anyway.

[Roark]

We don't do a lot of banning on IRC at all, even as jokes. Except of course for Soup, but not like bannign him really matters much anyway.
We kick Kaio, if he's ever around.

<3 Kaio!

[Neo-Hunter]

well, I had my two cents in earlier, I like the mods even Liggy she's the backup to some of us in theads. But I really don't sense any Elitism or anything like that people cry foul everywhere I say their no use crying over spilled milk and get on with life ya pansy. and on a side note I wish to point out that no I am not kissing up to the Mods or anything I am expressing my opinion and also I can't seem to get on the IRC their something wrong with my computer so I really don't know what I miss.

[Risen Hell Fire]

*Sigh* Didn't really want to post here (Because I know I would I would get hate post from some of you) But I need too. I still love AA but I'm seeing it change way too fast in and in a wrong direction, I can care less of the whole "Elitism" crap going around here (actually, I don't even know whats going with that anyway, or what it's about), but I still go by the whole Power hungry thing on Big D especially with the stunt he just pulled on us (I'm sorry for that), I accept your apology but did you really needed to do that? I'm just getting the feeling that the some of the mods are using there own power and the IRC to make fun of some of us. I hope I'm wrong. Sorry but Yesterday was not what I called a fun day.

[Zirilan]

I actually find the whole Niner thing funny, it shows everyone that thinks otherwise that the mods do have a sense of humor, not mindless, power hungry, baninators which some ppl seem to think. So what if they used that power to play a practical joke? It was a joke for crying out loud! Don't get pissed off because you, like everyone else who wasn't in on it fell for it. And no, I wasn't in on it. I honestly did believe that Niner was banned. I wish more ppl in power did things like this, it brings life into things, shakes things up. The fact that "symbol dude" had the (pardon my choice of words) balls to push it makes me think more of him as a person, not less. If you have any sense of humor you can find it in this practical joke, that goes for everyone who's pissed off/annoyed by it.

[soundchazer]

I actually find the whole Niner thing funny, it shows everyone that thinks otherwise that the mods do have a sense of humor, not mindless, power hungry, baninators which some ppl seem to think. So what if they used that power to play a practical joke? It was a joke for crying out loud! Don't get pissed off because you, like everyone else who wasn't in on it fell for it. And no, I wasn't in on it. I honestly did believe that Niner was banned. I wish more ppl in power did things like this, it brings life into things, shakes things up. The fact that "symbol dude" had the (pardon my choice of words) balls to push it makes me think more of him as a person, not less. If you have any sense of humor you can find it in this practical joke, that goes for everyone who's pissed off/annoyed by it.

I think the problem is not with the joke itself, but with the execution.

When you know that too many people are complaining about abuse of power by the mods... it is probably NOT the best time to be making practical jokes, even if you are trying to drive a message across (like mods having a sense of humor and showing that people should get over bans).