So, Id like to debate the rules...

Wow coyote couldn't be more wrong....and more off base with why people are leaving...it is scary to me that people connect the dots the way they do.

How can it possibly be destructive to debate the rules? Screaming and shouting at each other, and not being respectful enough to try to hear differing views -- that's destructive. This forum has the potential to be constructive, but SOM has decided to bury its collective brain trust heads in the sand. This storm too will pass. Well, so will the opportunity to sell me more product.

And let me tell you about Bernie...He's a hard working, caring guy...I know this because he said it.

I've pretty much had good interactions with Bernie. No real complaints for me about how he's treated me. But if he had anything to do with the message to Salt, then he should be feeling pretty ashamed of himself. Personally, I think there had to be other people involved. But we're guessing, because SOM doesn't discuss. They only command.

compared to life, this forum is pretty close to the importance of whale dung at the bottom of the ocean...I assume I must have missed something as I am not on these boards much...has someone been banned or muzzled in what is perceived to be inconsistent with the stated terms of service?

They provide the forum as a private entity--there is no right infringement to be had here.

This is like a dysfunctional relationship...I'm abused but keep coming back...there are names for that type of behavior. A professional like the player formerly known as Petro would be able to add the proper pathology and nomenclature.

I dunno. I ditched the game for a while a couple years ago...then waded back in. Maybe that helps some.

I don’t doubt that the OP was once a pillar of the community. Now, sadly, he has become part of the problem.

SOM outlined the new rules, the OP flouted them, the company responded, and now the OP is acting like a victim. If you want “free speech” then start a blog. Post on your Facebook. Send emails to your friends. But don’t expect to slam the company on their own forums without repercussions. I realize on TSN you could get away with about anything—even stuff that would get you banned on just about any other forum. Well, those days are gone boys and girls. I, for one, won’t miss them.

And for those who think this thread isn’t destructive? You’ve got people taking the OP’s side and probably won’t spend another dime on this game. The community is divided. There is almost a mob mentality because in reality the game isn’t in that bad of shape. But thanks to destructive posts like this one, some are convinced the company doesn’t care about its customers and doesn’t deserve our business.

You could argue that I should just ignore posts like this if I don’t like them. But I refuse to stand by while someone jeopardizes the game’s survival. If SOM decides its online version isn’t worth their time, there won’t be anyone else to pick it up like there was when TSN came to the same conclusion.

ah so maybe i did miss some kind of event by the forum police. This is an adult post above. Really, if I am providing a forum to help promote my business, you can bet I will have little patience for anyone that undermines the business.

If someone is outside my shop telling prospective customers my product sucks from the doorway to my store--you bet I will kick them out of the store. They can do that somewhere else, but not on my domain (pun intended).

But really--did someone get banned?

mac-
I have not been banned yet, merely warned.
However the warning was not even specific enough to tell me which of the many things Ive said were the issue, so I can only guess.

While legally we've already agreed SoM can 'muzzle' whatever they want to- if one intends to keep people playing by involving them in community discussions then they ought not to censor those participants beyond the universally accepted things such as attacks on religion/sex/race.

Just as it is their legal right to censor- it is my right to vehemently protest their policies to the point where either they will recognize they need to be changed or they can choose to omit my presence here.

Since I, and many others have invested a fair amount playing this game with completely different expectations- one might assume a company would want to keep our business and make reasonable compromises- or how about even getting down off ones throne and engaging in a repeatedly requested dialogue with those customers?

As I illustrated in another post- what happens when SOM decides to implement the next draconian measure?
You and everyone else will be unable to say a word.
Id rather protest now.

I don’t doubt that the OP was once a pillar of the community. Now, sadly, he has become part of the problem.

SOM outlined the new rules, the OP flouted them, the company responded, and now the OP is acting like a victim. If you want “free speech” then start a blog. Post on your Facebook. Send emails to your friends. But don’t expect to slam the company on their own forums without repercussions. I realize on TSN you could get away with about anything—even stuff that would get you banned on just about any other forum. Well, those days are gone boys and girls. I, for one, won’t miss them.

And for those who think this thread isn’t destructive? You’ve got people taking the OP’s side and probably won’t spend another dime on this game. The community is divided. There is almost a mob mentality because in reality the game isn’t in that bad of shape. But thanks to destructive posts like this one, some are convinced the company doesn’t care about its customers and doesn’t deserve our business.

You could argue that I should just ignore posts like this if I don’t like them. But I refuse to stand by while someone jeopardizes the game’s survival. If SOM decides its online version isn’t worth their time, there won’t be anyone else to pick it up like there was when TSN came to the same conclusion.

ah so maybe i did miss some kind of event by the forum police. This is an adult post above. Really, if I am providing a forum to help promote my business, you can bet I will have little patience for anyone that undermines the business.

If someone is outside my shop telling prospective customers my product sucks from the doorway to my store--you bet I will kick them out of the store. They can do that somewhere else, but not on my domain (pun intended).

But really--did someone get banned?

Mac,

This forum isn't part of any promotion outside the game, it's part of the game, IMO. I won't go into how it's part of the game, you're not new around here.

It isn't a billboard on the road that's been defaced, it's only open to registered users.
Also,to use the restaurant analogy that's been floating around, if someone stood across the street from a restaurant with a placard that had a disparaging, but absolutely proven to be true, could the owner get a cease and desist order? What about if the 25 people that got sick the week before picketed and carried signs that said they got sick eating at Nev's BBQ Hut?

Salt,

Are you sure that email warning from SOM was legit? Or is someone on here pulling a fast one on you?

I haven't read anything on here that would seem remotely objectionable.

If the email warning is legit, that is really LAME on SOM's part.

TRW-

On their facebook page SoM deletes any posts that dont talk about what a great game strat is.
They dont allow you to question anything they do that can be seen by others.
Its a pattern of fearful behaviour that eliminates any honest dialogue between consumer and provider.

Im fairly certain it was a legitimate SOM email.

IMO whoever is responsible for it, I dont know with any certainty that its from bernie, who used to at least seem to care about the community, or some other myopic company bottom-feeder.