I know you personally Rude... can I call you a chickenshit ?
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Guys, I'm going to say this once. Well, I might say it again (if I get a double post). I'd consider myself a 'reformed' Luftwhiner. I used to think the LW planes were modelled like crap, the collective Allied rides were all 'easy-mode', there was a persistant and pervasive bias against 'LW' pilots on the BBS, etc. You know why I thought that? Because I sucked. The problem was with me, personally. Now I'm a decent stick, and surprise surprise, I don't have any problems in the LW planes. In fact, I'm far more successful in them than I am in anything else. The thing with the 'bias' I'd really have to put down to 2 things.
First, insecurity. I had some need to prove myself as a '1337' pilot, and I used to get real upset if someone denigrated my 'skill' as a 'virtual pilot'. I'm done with that now, I've proved all I can prove. I don't feel that I've got anything else to prove to anyone. If 'Joe Newb' or whoever wants to sling mud at me, let em. I don't care either way.
Second, a real lack of understanding. I went to the Convention this past year because I really wanted to meet some people. Some I wanted to meet because I thought they were pretty cool, some I wanted to meet just because I didn't believe that it was possible for them to be as big a jerk as I had made them out to be.
I met Rude at the Con. I've talked to him on the phone a few times since the Con- he is a real stand up guy in my opinion. One of the best. I met Ammo at the Con- again, one of the best people you'll ever meet. Both of those guys won't hesitate to call Bull---- on the BBS if they smell something fishy. It used to really annoy me, now that I've met em in real life I kind of respect that.
I think the whole "Luftwhiner" thing is really some sort of persecution complex on the part of the aggreved. Granted, there are guys on the BBS who throw the word around a lot, but you know why they throw the word around? Just to see your
reaction.
And yes, I can understand why Hitech would take offense at some of the "Luftwhine" posts. Just look at the TONE of the posts, not necesarily the words. And yes, Grunherz has a point when he says that other groups that use the same "tone" are not collectively marked with a deragatory label... but believe me when I say they are marked.
Also.. on the WotW thing... I really think people take it a tad to seriously. I've 'won' that award a couple times (I think), and I took it as it was meant- which in my opinion is lightly. I took it as Rude saying to me "Ya know son, you took it just a liiiiiiiittttlleee to far that last time, why dotcha tone it down some?"
