Well, at least this will kick the Palin threads off the board?
Oh, and Ed has an answer.
Determining its charm and worth is left as an exercise for the reader.
Look, I get being pissed at perpetual whining. I think it’s stupid too, and worse when it’s my job to pay attention to it. I never whine about board performance on the board; I don’t even tend to grumble about it to myself. But I don’t take it personally. If I did, I’d have a breakdown.
ETA: stupid ninja Garfield226…
Apparently now we may not comment at all about the staff today. Because Ed doesn’t want to hear it. Today. Because this isn’t a rule based on a long-standing problem - Ed’s just pissed today.
I’d ask if this meant we could no longer comment at all on staff actions, rude or otherwise, but since that itself is a comment i’m afraid i’d be banned.
I got the impression that danceswithcats posted several times because the board’s software was not keeping up with things, not because that in itself was snarky. I’ve found the response time fairly poor this afternoon.
And while this may be Ed Zotti’s board, some of us are paying for it. His behaviour in banning Otto reminds me a little of Basil Fawlty’s behaviour to some of the guests in his hotel. It’s not a good model to follow if you want customers to keep on coming back.
At this point I’m disinclined to care and am considering answering back in kind, snarkier than Otto has ever dreamed of being.
But there’s impulses and then there’s responsible, adult behavior. I don’t intend to take inappropriate actions I’ll regret later.
For what it’s worth. 
Ill-considered.
I have no particular problem with Ed’s new rule, considering the Pit was exempt. Personally, I find the constant carpers annoying and I get Thespos comments. I’d even have been willing to cut some slack if he had just issued a suspension to indicate how serious he was, though even that what have been a little over the top considering that Otto’s question could have been read straight, rather than as a snarky dig.
But banning for such a niggling little matter is unjustified, even acknowledging that Otto has a history of warnings. Mr. Zotti should seriously consider retracting this act and apologizing for his loss of temper.
This is just… wow.
I know Otto, he’s a big figure around the boards. Sometimes, I’ve even rolled my eyes and just gone “What the Fuck” at some of the stuff he was saying. Sometimes I thought he was a blowhard retard. Sometimes he was very interesting. But I’d never thought he deserved a banning.
But that banning was shit and you know it, I know it, we all know it.
I get the need to try and curtail some of the incessant whining about things that’s going on all over the board. But the guy asked a question, in ATMB, which is where you ask questions “About this message board”, in a thread regarding the new rule.
I wouldn’t have had a problem with a warning saying “This is the sort of shit we don’t want to see any more, knock it off this is an official warning” or something of the sort.
But to slap down the BAN immediately? That’s well shit.
I am no longer a paying member here but I did pay a one time membership fee on another board that make these mods look like the nicest people in the world.
Been there four years and have never been probated or banned because I know the rules. I also do not waste my time arguing with them about stupid shit. It is possible to post and contribute to a message board without being on the admin and mod radar.
I work in customer service, so I know what it can be like. I think we all do.
The thing is, if you treated a customer like this in virtually any workplace, no matter how silly you might find the complaint, or how bad a day you were having - or even if you, say, warned them that their behaviour was unacceptable three fucking years ago and they’ve been pretty damn good ever since - you’d lose a loyal, paying customer, probably lose other paying customers who saw the interaction, and likely get fired.
When you’re the one in charge, well, you most certainly won’t be firing yourself. It’s not much, but I’m going to do the only thing I can do: stop paying and stop hanging out at this bully’s playground.
I really liked this place. I put up with a lot of changes without complaint, listened to the empty promises without getting my hopes up too high. I once felt my money and time were well-spent. But this is ridiculous and, quite frankly, disturbing.
Later, guys. Penis be with you.
I know I wouldn’t have spent as much time here if I had realized it was essentially one individual’s vanity site.
Sad. Seriously sad.
I’ve worked on enough software releases to know NOTHING ever goes smoothly and that even the best planned switchovers usually go horribly wrong somehow… so I was in perfect agreement with the decision to bitch slap anyone who couldn’t contain their bitching and moaning in The Pit where it belongs.
Banning Otto, though? Seems rather knee-jerk and more than a little childish. And the whole “it’s my place, I can do what I want with it” attittude that’s accompanied it isn’t really impressing me much either.
It feels little like someone’s lifted the curtain and revealed that the wizard is just a crusty old man with a sore temper. 
Come on, fuckers, reconsider. I’m the Dali Lama of Dickheads, and I’ve come close, but no cigar.
I’f you’re going to revamp the rules, then publish it.
Otherwise, it comes off as a bunch of fucking jokers squabbling over thier perspective. Hello!? Perspective is what makes this board what it is.
With out it, it’s a collection of fucking zombies, who say only what you want them to.
Ban me too. Keep it up, mother fuckers, and this place will be like all the rest.
Wow. I can understand being tired of the whining but Otto’s post barely reached Cecil-level snark. This banning was completely out of line. I’m appalled.
Fair enough. I’m going to go ahead and guess that Otto would still be around, if not for you having a bad day, Ed.
Nice.
I actually clicked the Reply button before my better sense prevailed. After all, when Daddy gets like that we all try to be very quiet. You don’t want to make him mad.
I wish Daddy would stop drinking.
We aren’t the customers, the ad buyers are the customers. We are the public. That said, I’m fixing up my house, just bought at a great bargain, and there was certain publication I was going to buy that I’m not any more.
That said, Otto had some 20,000 plus posts, and it seems that his social life has been cut off entirely, which could be quite dangerous for him personally mental health wise. Would someone who knows him check on him?
Oh, and I could understand if someone calmed down and admitted he made a mistake out of a temper tantrum. I’m human and I get those too.
I know virtually nothing about Otto (I’m too new), but frankly, nobody should be treated that way.
Um…okay.
Plus, I can’t see much of what would constitute a reason for such a dire warning in that thread anyways.
The way the mods and admins treat their PAYING CUSTOMERS around here would get them fired in any other business.
Here’s hoping that Otto’s reinstated and soon. This is absolutely insane.
What the fuck, Ed? What crawled up your ass and died? And yeah, I think it SHOULD be your concern to supervise the staff-you’re the owner, they work for you. They represent you. And you’re not coming off very well right now. “Find another board?” That’s the response we’ve been getting for years, and then you express shock that people are sick of it? You don’t wish to hear anymore comments about the admin? Then stop being such a dick.
THespos, have you ever worked customer service? I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect a service I pay for to work at least half the time. I also don’t expect to be treated like shit when I comment on such.
This wasn’t just predictable, it was inevitable. You were an idiot for not seeing that.
Couldn’t agree more.
This is horseshit of the highest order, and I fear this is just the start of the affair. This place will be interesting over the next week or so.
No, no you got it all wrong. This isn’t just some loser who convinced his employer to pay for his personal fan board. It’s a real grown-up business and not even half as ridiculous as it looks! Just weeks from now we will get new and exciting features! And book offers!