Hello everyone
Before I head off, I just wanted to remind everyone what happened last week. We all thought Bizzle had been banned for what he'd done. We had a poll and nearly all the regulars voted he should be kicked out since he had been doing it for weeks and wouldn't apologise. We were delighted when we thought the admin had listened to us, and that the thorn had been removed from our side. It meant we could just get back to being friendly and talking about pinball.
What kicked off this last round that has led to both JLP and I deciding we want no further part in this forum was the fact that he was allowed to come back with just a simple warning, blaming all of us for messing with him, and generally being the same Ron Bizzle as before, just with a bit less swearing. The fact he was allowed back after everything he did, with no remorse or punishment is what left us so disillusioned. We felt that the admin didn't appreciate just how offensive he had been, and just how badly he had affected, and continues to affect, the atmosphere around here.
Have a read of what both Rocking Horse and I wrote after we thought he had been kicked out.
(from RH)
and from me
Despite what some of you think, I'm not a drama queen, and god forbid I should ever be considered a conservative. I don't agree with some of the things JLP said against Bizzle either, because it began to turn into the JLP vs Bizzle show, which took away from the principle I was purporting.
Practically nothing offends me, but there are some things in life, like Nazi imagery and pictures of mutilated dead children that have no place here. To suggest putting such things on a pinball table goes far beyond personal attacks, and is not something I could ignore. Anyone who saw the pictures won't forget them in a hurry, even though they've been deleted, and seeing his name here serves as a reminder, which is why I won't stay as long as he is allowed to. Frankly, it amazes me that anyone would think the things he did would be forgivable. What he did was not a mistake - it was a deliberate attack, intended for maximum offence. It is not the action itself, but what it says about his character that causes me to believe there should be no way back.
It really is a shame it has come to this, but whilst I am very liberal, even by European standards, and have no religious beliefs whatsoever, I have strong moral principles when it comes to things that I consider offensive, not to my person, but to my humanity. As I said, there is no personal issue here, I just have strong principles which I am proud of. Making a contribution to this site was important to me, but not as important as staying true to my conscience. That probably makes me a martyr in some people's eyes, but like I said, for me there are things that just cannot be ignored, and in fact, in my belief, to ignore them is to be complicit.
On a pinball note, I've been developing my DMD system with one of Bob's Spiderman tables. there are loads of nice looking animations, including a match animation, an end of ball animation, and a ball save one too. There's even a boot up sequence. All of which will be fully commented together with tips on how to make your own graphics and put them into your tables. I'd love to make it available here, but you know my reasoning even if you don't agree with it. Once complete, I'll make it available over at P-O. I've attached a gif as a taster.
All the best, and thanks to everyone who supported both by comments and my contributions.
Al[/quote]
Before I head off, I just wanted to remind everyone what happened last week. We all thought Bizzle had been banned for what he'd done. We had a poll and nearly all the regulars voted he should be kicked out since he had been doing it for weeks and wouldn't apologise. We were delighted when we thought the admin had listened to us, and that the thorn had been removed from our side. It meant we could just get back to being friendly and talking about pinball.
What kicked off this last round that has led to both JLP and I deciding we want no further part in this forum was the fact that he was allowed to come back with just a simple warning, blaming all of us for messing with him, and generally being the same Ron Bizzle as before, just with a bit less swearing. The fact he was allowed back after everything he did, with no remorse or punishment is what left us so disillusioned. We felt that the admin didn't appreciate just how offensive he had been, and just how badly he had affected, and continues to affect, the atmosphere around here.
Have a read of what both Rocking Horse and I wrote after we thought he had been kicked out.
(from RH)
Hi Guys,
Firstly, I'd also like to give Steve a nod for his actions.
You need to allow for members to have a system of self restriction and editing. Ron denied himself that option and it was the right of the site to allow him the usual three strikes process to be applied. Sorry Ron but strike three is usually terminal. It can only be said that it didn't have to come this far but, hey, What're Ya Gonna Do?....
I know this might seem a funny thing to say but I think this issue has been a kind of blessing in disguise. We have had a great resurgence in the pride we all feel for the whole VP / FP community and it took a jolt from a person with questionable ethics to do it. I know we all get along in our own way but when John and Phil start to get along we all should consider it a major event. I know you two really respect each other, even when you disagree, and that is exactly what RPB lacks. Respect. For the forums, the members or even himself. He has made too many "mistakes" to be ever in the "good books" again.
I suppose I should appologise, sort of, for Ron becoming so volatile here. It seemed that after we were the first site to suspend him over at P-O, he came here and spewed vitriol. Sorry guys. The thing is, he is the first person in our two-and-a-half year history to be given any kind of punishment. There have been questions asked in the past but NO suspensions. Ron's was the first, even if it was only a fifteen minute suspension and warning. I think that shows how deeply his tyrades affected the whole scene.
Anyway, We'll see what happens now but if Ron was to post a retraction I don't know if it could ever be considered to be heartfelt or even sincere. From someone who has had a daughter die in his arms, at the age of TWO DAYS, believe me when I say the images Ron posted made me want to vomit. SHAME ON YOU RON.
Now, let's get back to pinball, Where was that coin..............................
Bye
RH
and from me
Well said. As you will know, I've not been on the scene that long. In the last few months, I've started to get to know the community a bit better. At first I was full of enthusiasm, bringing in lots of ideas and just really getting into the idea of using my programming knowledge to make something fun that people would appreciate. I'm no expert, but I'm learning fast.
For the most part, I found this spirit to be true over at P-O, the first forum I started contributing to regularly. So my interest grew, and I started taking part here and over at VPM. As I got to know the community more, I started to notice just how much 'politics' goes on. So and so won't work with so and so, or this person doesn't like this person's attitude and so on, or 'I won't use this site because' etc. etc. It wasn't very encouraging to a noob like me.
I hope RH is right when he says that this whole Bizzle thing has brought people together, because in terms of active members who build and develop, the community is tiny now. There really is no room for this kind of bickering, it will only discourage new people like me, who I hope have something to contribute, from taking part. I hope anyone who has seen the work I've done or the comments I've made knows that I'm not just interested in Pinball itself, I'm interested in keeping the development community alive and it's a shame that people get put off because of what other people will say or think. I don't need a lot of praise, but a bit of encouragement and enthusiasm go a long way.
Life's too short, and there are too few of us around now for us not to put our differences behind us, and focus on the one thing we all have in common, that being our passion for the game. Sure, I might not agree with your politics, or you might not like my attitude to other things in life, but I like Pinball. You like Pinball. We like Pinball. So let's talk Pinball and all get along.
Despite what some of you think, I'm not a drama queen, and god forbid I should ever be considered a conservative. I don't agree with some of the things JLP said against Bizzle either, because it began to turn into the JLP vs Bizzle show, which took away from the principle I was purporting.
Practically nothing offends me, but there are some things in life, like Nazi imagery and pictures of mutilated dead children that have no place here. To suggest putting such things on a pinball table goes far beyond personal attacks, and is not something I could ignore. Anyone who saw the pictures won't forget them in a hurry, even though they've been deleted, and seeing his name here serves as a reminder, which is why I won't stay as long as he is allowed to. Frankly, it amazes me that anyone would think the things he did would be forgivable. What he did was not a mistake - it was a deliberate attack, intended for maximum offence. It is not the action itself, but what it says about his character that causes me to believe there should be no way back.
It really is a shame it has come to this, but whilst I am very liberal, even by European standards, and have no religious beliefs whatsoever, I have strong moral principles when it comes to things that I consider offensive, not to my person, but to my humanity. As I said, there is no personal issue here, I just have strong principles which I am proud of. Making a contribution to this site was important to me, but not as important as staying true to my conscience. That probably makes me a martyr in some people's eyes, but like I said, for me there are things that just cannot be ignored, and in fact, in my belief, to ignore them is to be complicit.
On a pinball note, I've been developing my DMD system with one of Bob's Spiderman tables. there are loads of nice looking animations, including a match animation, an end of ball animation, and a ball save one too. There's even a boot up sequence. All of which will be fully commented together with tips on how to make your own graphics and put them into your tables. I'd love to make it available here, but you know my reasoning even if you don't agree with it. Once complete, I'll make it available over at P-O. I've attached a gif as a taster.
All the best, and thanks to everyone who supported both by comments and my contributions.
Al[/quote]