NTF

An interesting day…

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Decided to take my chances with dream land, and tried sleeping in this morning: virtue of working late on Wednesdays lol. Only logged in for a bit, in order to catch up with a friend on a personal matter. Managed to to that, but couldn’t finish our convo, will have to link up later.

While I was online, I took the liberty of sorting a few other things.

After thinking over my decision last night, to grant access to my private TS3 server to [SAS] members and server regulars – as I’ve no assurance, that I’ll ever be given access to their comms server again. I had decided that I would open mine up, because I know Ezbassr and JB rarely type, and it might be useful someday. This morning, I had decided that I would further extend that access in the name of peace, granting access privilege to NTFs membership: as I’ve no real clue or care what their comms policy is, but would rather be more inclined to play when Noer is present. Who also doesn’t type much lol.

This TS3 server, is something I setup a while ago. The main reason was something private between Cara, Escrt, and myself; which eventually lead to me putting the host in place, to furnish my semi-regular GR outings with voice chat. Escrts been the only one to join me out of the original game plan, but MB and Nick eventually caught a fancy to it, making the comms server a good time investment on my part. I had setup the TS3 server on my desktop, so I could play GR and not have to invite friends outside of [SAS], onto the clans private comms server. Finding myself a free agent after recent business… well, it’s my server, so I’ll use it as I damn well please.

In posting the clan wide invitations on each NTF and [SAS] forums, I noticed that the server blocks on www.sasclan.org were reporting an ‘SAS_Sgt_RASA’ playing in the [SAS] Proving Grounds. That is actually what’s responsible for the time delay between posts. Remembering some problem we had with a “Stalker slash impersonator” on the servers over the past few years, I felt apt in reporting this to [SAS]_Maj_WIZ. Because I know, that even for sake of a joke, the odds of that being the real Rasa, were pretty damn slim lol. If I had been an [SAS] member, I would’ve investigated personally.

Yesterday, Noer had asked me about my name still being on The Mighty page, which was a bit of a surprise, as it should have been removed by now! Took the opportunity to prompt Wiz on it while I was online, only to hear he was waiting to to see if would ask for Vet status. I find that somewhat superfluous: as I met the criteria (>1 year out of the SC) for automatic Vet, by a very wide margin… indeed. To which, I made note that ‘(14:37:11) Spidey01: and I turned in the WO1, because I couldn’t both be a member and ‘shut up’ about the v46/on it thing’ -> as I only have two modes, in or out, and Vet isn’t one of them. If I had wanted Vet, I would’ve stated it explicitly… and I do not feel that even that choice was left me. My original post-draft (trp or vet) was mostly, made insufficient by the COs continued lax handling of the matter, combined with constant prodding from the Major.

Despite the morning ‘irks’ about getting to work, my mother finally brought a smile to my face; very rare these years, I’m afraid, and even rarer that ma would be the cause. What made me smile, was when she commented on my driving, as resembling ‘an old pro’. Today gives me less than 10 hours road time, but I’m already doing better than a lot of the things I have, eh, ‘seen’, in my many years as a passenger. Enjoyable, was watching 3 dickweavels creating hazardous situations, all of which I fully anticipated and was able to mitigate. Rule #0 of my life, has always been to expect the other sap will likely fuck it up, until they prove otherwise. It’s allowed me to survive a few things, lol, and I expect it’ll serve just as well in driving. Count yourself lucky in Georgia, if people remember RED light means STOP instead of FLOOR IT!

Always makes up for the amount of ma cursing at me, that I’ve had to deal with lately lol.

Tonight, after finishing up with my laptops updates, I decided to take in a little RvS. Finding the home page blocks reporting the [SAS] servers empty :-(, so I decided to login and pay the NTF servers a visit. First time I’ve played there since leaving [SAS]. Seeing their other public server offline, I joined NATO TASK FORCE 3, and played alone for a bit on (MP) Training. Cocked my MP5A4 and took at the map with around 77-84% accuracy on average, not to shabby for an old fart. After a while, a player named Tarantula joined server… demonstrating total nubness and smoke spam. His MO would’ve made me check his ID, if I had been an admin.  A few other pubs joined in shortly after, so I rather resigned myself to the fact -> I’m getting out of this smoke abusing server soon.

After everyone else on the server ‘died’, I went on to finish it off using my M4A1 to polish off the slidering tangos, and decided to get a drink once the next map (peaks) had loaded up. In a few seconds, I was already being told to ready up, in a quality of English that almost begs questioning of the persons identity. As I needed at least a good 3 seconds to grab my kit, I told mr ants in his pants to wait a moment. In the time it takes to scroll the mouse wheel ~three notches, I was already being insulted by the pubs in server quite proficiently. If that had happened on [SAS]’s servers when I was an admin, the entire server would’ve been banned.

Since NTF doesn’t have a published Server Incident Report (SIR) system or policy that I know of, like [SAS] does, and the screen shots I took were to profane to post on the NTF forum publicly, I paged the nearest NTF member. Only to find the other party acting like an assclown or a unconcerned incompetent, and therefore, as I’ve no regiment for my actions to reflect upon (even in private), being regarded as such in my choice of demeanour. Finding myself under “Vote kick” for taking the time to notify an NTF member of the rampet bout of offensiveness and morose behaviour on his clans server, I of course was summary kicked out by the pubs.

Being placed in that boat, I simply sent a few NTF officers an e-mail with the screen shot as a SIR, and called it a night. In [SAS] unruly crowd control was always taken seriously, and made the job of every member based on the totem poll system. Maybe I truly was, the only dickbrain who served virtually on 24/7 admin call…. lol. Oh well, that is other folks loss, as I now consider myself Ronin.

And on top of that, I had to put up with taking flak from a certain [SAS] officer about my TS3 offer being open to both clans 8=). Private property does has it’s perks, particularly when I own it.

An explaination, just for the sake of clarity

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In my previous journal entry, I wrote this in part of it:

the most offensive action that I’ve taken on NTFs forum, was reminding Rouge not to boast without something to boast about, and he wouldn’t be the first person to get that rudeness from me.

I am referring to an incident in the public announcement thingy on NTFs forums, namely the responses I made to Rouges statement regarding  that they could quickly make miracles but quality takes more time. (That was an indirect quote: obviously.)

My words about the effort involved with setting up a forum, were correct. I know, because I’ve managed or moderated several forums in my own tenors0. Like wise, I chose those words because I already knew that NTF had a private forum running for several months or so: Hunter some what leaked it publicly. Normally when placed in a situation like NTFs leadership was, you want to get a moderate website put up quickly, and begin building your forum. That includes a public sector to attract people to your unit. NTF on the other hand, appears to have kept quite secretive about things, not surprising when one considers that they would likely perceive [SAS] as a potential enemy, and even post-[SAS], I may be considered so as well.

Obviously, I have felt a bit uncomfortable that they would run it so close to an underground. As I have always said, I prefer to run things above board whenever possible. Rouges post when parsed, by someone who has dealt in American English since birth as I have, and as ‘technically’ focused as I have in the past lustrum++, implies that NTF having a forum was much newer, then to my knowledge is widely known, and in my eyes is a cline to saying you did in two hours, instead of X weeks below the public radar.

Making a statement about how easy it is to setup a forum, in fact even if it’s hundred times as complex as [SAS]’s was when I left, it still would be a cake walk for NTF to have set it up any time they pleased: in fact it could be automated if it was that big and complex, thus making it even faster. Making what information I have in that regard, known to several NTF members before hand, was my ‘polite’ way of pointing out what I’ve seen. Being in [SAS] uniform at the time, I had to be more nice about saying that, and won’t rule out Rouges comment as potentiality being a fly on a hook ;).

Where I was my ‘most offensive’ on their forums, i.e. I was essentially being rude with the last part: where I made a reference to the admin teams choice of software and their leaderships C31 structure. That single sentence at the end, was for me, borderline on being disrespectful, if not being so.

I also chose to phrase it that way, in order to give Rouge a chance to show that he’s still up to snuff under fire, rather then disappoint me by turning it into a flame, as only an unfit officer would. I would’ve called it to a prompt end if that had happened. Instead (then just a Captain) Timbo took it home with the up most professionalism, exactly as I would expect from him (the sternness included), and exactly as any decent officer should have done when faced with that, and how I expect Rouge would have (minus the sternness). Timbo stepping in however, removed my opportunity to size Rouge up for any change in his usually excellent demeanor. Doing that was no less then satisfying my curiosity for the fly: don’t forget I’ve known NTFs leadership since they were babes in the woods, and know well how their management style tends to take shape. Normally I would not take such an action, even (as I prefer) so overtly, but after Rouges actions of late: I considered taking that target of opportunity justified2. Even better, if properly handled, it would reflect well upon my friends in NTF, something they could seriously have used in formalizing their clans public view. Would you rather face me, or a real prick? :-P.

As I told a dear friend after wards, I’ve no real intention of being rude over there, but I am still one who believes in expressing his opinions honestly. Being blunt rather than overly sugar coating stuff, is also a virtue in my book. Perhaps developing programming skills has had to big an impact on my brains thinking :-o.

Footnotes:
0: DEx, SLDF SF, SAS 22nd EVR, and PC-BSD all come to mind in various capacities.
1: it means “Command, Control, and Communications”. Basically how you issue commands, keep your men under control, and address the issue of communication between components. It is one expansion of the more widely known C2.
2: he has privately admitted to what equates to breaking his word (i.e. lying), in such a way that I won’t stand for it.

NTF: Bad Omens Prove Right?

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Earlier this morning, I logged into the NTF forum and made a reply to this thread. Wishing to be cordial, and great the person fairly, I said something like this:

Nice to meat you, hope to catch you on [SAS] Proving Grounds, and the NTF servers later icon_wink.gif.

I think he means this Rouge: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postdoctoral_research but I’m not familiar with such.

Being an ex [SAS] member and someone who still plays regularly there, I felt it most respectful of both clans to reference each of their servers equally. Those are the servers where I tend to play (and thus likely to meet anyone), and as I am not in-line for NTF recruitment, so I feel demonstrating that fact by referencing both clans servers, is all the more justified for a man in my position: as opposed to saying nothing at all about wanting to game with the chap! I do however admit that I could have placed the NTF server first, but I feel that the one at the end of the sentence gains the greater impact, and thus should belong to NTF in their own forum.

After waking up from a short nap, I again checked the forum: and noticed I had received a PM. Upon opening it, I was informed by NTF_CPT_Medic that although his clan does not like censorship, he removed my “Promoting” of the SAS PGs. Maybe it’s ‘promoting’ if the other clan has been ten servers to your three?.

For the more astute reader, I will also point out that my routine is to check both public clans forums, and that my SAS account is experiencing technical difficulties, hence my silence on sasclan.org. I try to treat them equally in that regard, so any silence on that forum should not be taken as a reflection my regards for [SAS].

In essence, Medics edit was converting my sentence to a sole reference to NTF. Which I specifically choice not to do for the aforementioned reasons. My personal code of conduct, dictates that I show a certain measure of due respect towards NTF, even more so as a guest when posting in their forums, and much more so that several of my friends now call the place ‘home’. Like wise my personal code of conduct, dictates that I be respectful toward the [SAS], who I have called home for nearly a quarter of my life longer than NTF has existed. People who have known me well for the past 4-6 years, will not be surprised that I feel such a way.

Maybe it is the American in me, coming from a land where we believe that freedom of speech is worth fighting for, or perhaps the old fashioned blood in my veins that says be tactful of both and any clans when posting in such a situation, but I found this moderation to be silly. It would be like allowing a guest to come into your home, and forbade him from acknowledging that any other home exists. Of course, unless this only applies to servers owned by [SAS], which I sincerely doubt, knowing NTFs founders for as long as I have.

This is the assertion that makes me find fault in this behaviour:

If I wanted to create my own clan, and call it the 7th Sabre for example, and walk into the NTF or [SAS] servers as 7S_Spidey01 or something like that, it should be my right to do so unless published server rules prevent the clan tags (or I am banned). The way my forum post on NTF was moderated by NTF_CPT_Medic, would mean that on my way out of their server, saying:

“7S_Spidey01: ggs y’all I’m going to 7th Sabres server, hf”

would constitute the same the same level of ‘promotion’ as my original forum post did, in fact, it would be doubly so, unless NTF instituted a server rule forcing all members of all other clans to remove their tags upon joining the NTF servers. I.e. the 7S_ in my name on it’s very own would be greater advertisement of another clans servers than my forum post was.

In my book, you cannot dis-allow someone saying “Nice to meat you, hope to catch you on XXX clans server, and the NTF servers later ;).” in the forums, and not disallow saying “AnyPlayer: ggs y’all I’m going to XXX clans server, hf” and every similar choice of words, form ever being uttered in your game server. Disallowing one without the other, and not publishing separate rules for each (forum and server) that state those separate rules, in my opinion would be promoting a form of hypocrisy. The difference between those statements would be further distanced, making the second a greater “Promotion” if said by a 7S_Spidey01 rather than AnyPlayer. In which case moderating the forum post and not banning such a statement as I’ve used as an exampled above, would be a demonstration of seriously flawed logic. Like wise to ban those, would obviously imply that just saying what “7S” means would be promoting another clan. Bullshit?

Perhaps being a young clan makes the NATO Task Force more aware of such things, or fearful of unwanted competition, but in my honest opinion, is just down right fool hearty. I know that the documents and chats leading up to NTFs creation suggested that it could trivially become like a military dictatorship with strong safe guards against abuse, but I did not expect it to so quickly demonstrate more draconian views then the SAS 22nd Elite Virtual Regiment! Something that makes me chuckle even more, is that Sniper had a regular tendency to shoot himself in the foot with how his moderator actions appear.

I take no offense at what was done to my post, and I have made no public question of the moderators action in the forum (behind the fact that my signature links to this blogs main page: as do most of my forum signatures on the internet), so I do not expect any oppression over it by their administrators. I’ve never felt entirely welcomed on NTFs servers/forums, so it wouldn’t bother me if I end up on someones private shit list. Anyone worthy of my respect will take this post as impersonal as I have taken being moderated. It’s NTFs forum, their property, so they have a right to moderate posts however their clan policy deems fitting. As a friend pointed out, my journal, my grounds: and the most offensive action that I’ve taken on NTFs forum, was reminding Rouge not to boast without something to boast about, and he wouldn’t be the first person to get that rudeness from me. Here, I speak my mind openly.