Why the filter exists.

[hitech]

I posted once before but most people seemed to have not seen it or I wrote it poorly.

Ill try state them for you one more time. I Do understand your arguments, and did consider client side filtering.

Step 1 is to understand why I implemented the language filter.
Regardless of what anyone has posted only I can ansewer that question.

1. The filters intent is to change the atmospher/mood of the arena , and not to protect people from profanity.

You may belive this attitude is controling, or that im wanting to limit choices,or that im trying to be a moral cop. And that by implementing a client side filter it would just give more choice.

The problem I have with a client side filter is realy simple.

It does the exact oposit of what Im trying to accomplish. It promotes more profanity, and abusive behavior. And is purly designed to protect people from profanity who don't wish to here it.

People who love to abuse the open system, are also the personality types who would have the attitude.
Well if you don't like the way im using the system, just squelch me or change your filter list.
They would then go on to use an arguement somthing like, well if HTC didn't wish this type of behavor they would have done a HOST side filter or just eject me.

This is the precise attitude that can realy destroy peoples enjoyment of AH.It goes beyond the use of profanity and is more or less the attitude , I can act anyway I wish and you just have to live with it. AH has boundries that we set, some we set with game play changes/arena changes.

The chat filter is realy no different than lots of other game play adjustments that we make. Think about the days of being able to use gunners on buffs in ground defence.
We changed that because it was damaging some game play aspects. It's why killshooter exist,1 or 2 players can destroy the fun with killshooter off. The launguage filter is nothing different, it pushes players in the direction that we wish the game to go.

It's also why I have no problem with opening squad channel. A squad is a small group of people who at there meeting place ( i.e. there squad channel) can act as they wish.
If someone is not living up to the squad's standards they have meens to deal with it.

Changing the game,determining what is best for the game , the community, and HTC business is precisly what my job is.

I in no way belive I have all the solutions to all the issues that will come up over AH's life time.

That why we listen to the community for suggested changes. But this game is not run by a commity. My job is to make that choice as best I can or give the responceablity and athority to someone else, with all the information and views that I currently have in front of me.

Finaly.

This is not a new problem that we have encountered. In WB we had the identical problem in about it's same life cycle of the game. We took steps at that time to implement a filter with slightly different way of handling things. It just changed the words or substitude )*(*& type stuff. It accoumplished what we needed, but it was abused for the first few days and some players enjoyed finding ways around the system.
Hence why I chose the 10 min mute system. You only get 2 tries to go around the system every 10 mins.
In WB after a few weeks, the attitude in the arena changed and we were able to turn the filter back off.

HiTech

[Gadfly]

Sounds like social democracy or judicial activism to me....


That is a joke, I think it is a very good thing to do, and, just like the stick-stirring penalty, it WILL work.


Lizking

p.s.  I write my post, then copy it into an email to spell check it, then paste the corrected version back into here, hint, hint.

[easymo]

 HT. It has been suggested that racial slurs be added to the list. I disagree with this. Once, They get a no BS warning. Twice, there looking for a new sim.

[Hangtime]

HiTech..

I appreciate you taking the time to explain what you did and why.. and I agree with your reasons for implementing it.

<S!>

Hang

[Zigrat]

Thanks for taking the time to explain it hitech, i understand your viewpoint much more now  

[Rojo]

Thanks for the explaination.  What you are doing is no more than exercising leadership.  It's important to listen to the community, but in the end it's most important to listen to ones self.

------------------
Sabre, a.k.a. Rojo
(S-2, The Buccaneers)

[Kieren]

Thanks for the explanation. I realize that if anyone as an individual tries to explain why he/she thinks you do something he/she may misrepresent the facts, so it is best to hear it "from the horse's mouth".

I applaud the filter for exactly the reasons you stated!

[hblair]

Sounds like a plan to me...

[Nash]

Works for me too...

<S>

[BotaBing]

Well now that everyone is done smooching hitech's ass, I'll go ahead and give an honest response..

Hitech, forgive me if I dont press my lips to your buttocks, I am always of the opinion that one's opinions are much easier to hear when one is speaking standing up in front of the intended audience, instead of behind them on their knees.


I must say that I appreciate the fact that Hitech posted his reasoning here. When someone in charge posts their reasoning, its a sign of respect and attention that is missing in most businesses today.

That said, I am definitely opposed to the filter on the server side. I believe that a client side filter is most appropriate because it fosters the most amount of choice and freedom of action.

Sometimes, its appropriate to say "shit." There are even those occasions when a "diddly" or a "dirty potato" is fitting...for example, when some bastard starts talking on the public channel about how America was wrong to drop the bomb in WWII, I let him know exactly how i feel about the diddlyers that killed my grandpa.

I read your explanation Hitech, and I understand that this is your company and your business. I guess I just dont have a problem with the attitude of 'let them squelch me'

There are so few people in the main arena, we all know who to squelch go begin with. But on those occasions when the vast majority of people feel the need to cuss, Im all ears. Its flavor, its environment, its real life.

What is wrong with a filter? Its so simple, you either turn it ON or OFF. If you dont like foul language EVER, then TURN IT ON. You arent forced to squelch or ignore anyone.

Im glad youre open minded about the squad channel. To me, worst case scenario is this game stays like it is and you can cuss on squad channel only. Best case scenario, just make a filter.

Make a filter, make FILTER ON the default setting. Then people dont even have to turn it on. Noone is forced to do anything. If you want to hear cussing, turn the filter OFF.

There's simply no way this is goign to work.
Fdiddly
Fplow
Fuk
plow
Phuck
toejam
Fok
Fucc

No matter what you do, people will find a way to be stupid idiots, and that is why you have to use squelch or ignore anyways. There is NO, not one single server-side solution that you can program that will keep people from being idiots short of just banning them.

Hey, its your game, I know that, and I know that we can expect a slew of threads in response to this where all the borg run up to smooch your bellybutton some more and say "Well if you dont like it leave" - but i thought you might like to hear a different viewpoint...


Thanks

BotaBing
Kevin

[This message has been edited by BotaBing (edited 09-25-2000).]

[This message has been edited by BotaBing (edited 09-25-2000).]

[Mark Luper]

Botabing,
I certainly can appreciate your viewpoint. But it is your's not mine. I also find it interesting that when people go out of their way to congratulate HTC and CO that some consider it bellybutton Kissing. Note the names of the posters before you, include mine too. I am not bellybutton Kissing if I congratulate HT on something I beleived in to begin with. All those posting positive comments posted long before this one indicating they would prefer a filter rather than put up with what "we" consider abusive language.

I have met and conversed face to face with HT and Pyro. They are really cool guys. They both give me a good feeling. They are upbeat and trying very hard to get something going here that most will find fun and entertaining. They have this sim and it's community at heart. There are a lot of people who do  not appreciate that because they have never had the opportunity I have to talk to them Face To Face.

Call this bellybutton Kissing if you want Botabing, it's your perogative. I liked you in the arena when we flew together on some missions but your attitude concerning the motives for why some people are congratulating HT and CO on their decision leaves me puzzled and dissapointed.

------------------
MarkAT

"It is not the critic who counts,
it is the man in the arena..."
Teddy Roosevelt

[-ammo-]

TY Hitech. I have been for in favor of the filter from the beginning so  I really didnt need or casre for an explanantion. I do applaud your desire to appease the crowd. Thx man.

[Vulcan]

Gotta love this... we've recently got Web filter at Work, half way thru this post:

Forbidden
The rest of the requested document will not be shown:
Reason: DDR - Inappropriate Page Content - 77.
Please contact your local administrator if you feel this page has been blocked in error.


HT can you put the filter on the BBS too so I can read the whoopee posts :-)

BTW I'm voting on the filter with my wallet... and u still getting my money <grin>. I'm taking Leave it to Beaver lessons and learning to say 'gosh' and 'darn'.

[Kieren]

One happy butt-kisser here.  

[easymo]

 I finely made it to an bellybutton kisser list. (easymo throws out his chest).