Thread: Re: Boundaries Necessary or Unnecessary (Was: Traveller Canon)

3 posts.

Don--

Yes, it does answer my question, and you answered the way I expected you
would. Not because I have any great insight into your soul, but because
I've been through the "I've been called a dick enough times that I might
as well own it" experience, and I recognize some of that in you.

Re: you and Marc, I can't speak for anyone else, but it is public record
that you have a negative opinion of TNE, and there was a period after 1996
during which I was told (probably by Loren, among others) that Marc had
repudiated/disowned/excommunicated (whatever the right word for
"de-canonized" is) TNE, which position has been changed since then if it
ever was true. That leads to a certain natural dissonance between TNE and
not-TNE folk, but doesn't have to mean that you are "not wanted" here,
just a sense that if you don't like this thing one wouldn't expect to see
you spend a lot of time here. But the IP belongs to Marc, he was the
original author, etc., and he has every right that goes with that.

You might want to modify the "because I have to, not because I want to"
disclaimer because it raises a couple of negative impressions: it reminds
people that you dislike TNE and implies you're just unwillingly slumming
with us morons, which may not get the conversation off on a good foot, and
it carries disapproval of and disagreement with Marc that he has asked you
to do this stupid thing. If you don't want to do it, he can find someone
else, but if you do want to support Marc there's little point in impugning
his judgment in doing so. But don't modify the disclaimer on my account, I
will now smile and recognize that you are flying the flag of our beloved
Curmudgeon Nation, and will salute you with our time-honored response,
"Hey, you kids get off my lawn!" :-)

Those are my thoughts for what they are worth, and I'm not looking for a
response to them. I just think things and sometimes I inflict them on
others. Read them, flush them, whatever, thoughts are easy, they don't
require headstones and later today I'll have some more.

Best wishes, Don. Fair winds, and following seas.

Dave

>>> So are you just a sanctimonious hypocrite or what?
>
> Actually, yes, I am. And I'd better explain that (although is it
> necessary?)...
>
> The first time I posted to this group, I received some private responses
> that were... less gentle than yours. So in the time since, I always feel
> like posting here is posting where Marc (Miller) and I are not really
> wanted. So to try and limit the trouble I cause, I try not to post very
> often. But Marc says otherwise, so I read all the posts, and respond where
> I feel I might contribute without causing more trouble.
>
> Does that answer your question?
> __________________________________
> "My real e-mail address is owned by someone else..."
>
>

While anti-TNE rants are not welcome (I had enough of that on the TML
years ago), rational discourse is fine. No dead horses should be beaten
though. No one is required to be a cheerleader, let alone like all
aspects of TNE--there are people that only like the mechanics--but
contributions to the discussion should be positive. As you well know,
Traveller fans are passionate about the game, so vehement responses are
to be expected if you deride their favorite setting.

In the 14 years of running this list, I've only had to ban a couple
people from it (a few people were moderated). And they were pro-TNE; it
was their "uncivil behavior" that got them banned.

\_/
DED
TNE @ Yahoo ml Admin

>> So are you just a sanctimonious hypocrite or what?

Actually, yes, I am. And I'd better explain that (although is it
necessary?)...

The first time I posted to this group, I received some private responses
that were... less gentle than yours. So in the time since, I always feel
like posting here is posting where Marc (Miller) and I are not really
wanted. So to try and limit the trouble I cause, I try not to post very
often. But Marc says otherwise, so I read all the posts, and respond where
I feel I might contribute without causing more trouble.

Does that answer your question?
__________________________________
"My real e-mail address is owned by someone else..."
<<

Mechanics? In TNE? Don't make me barf! Defective ink spilled on condemned
paper, you mean!

Virus would never happen! HEPlaR is a communist plot to undermine the
morals of our youth! Lasers come out of trios of long, thin, tubes and do
damage at one light second, not lame focal arrays! Fire, Fusion & Steel is
over-reaching by incompetent dilettantes! Aubaine is a stupid French name!
Star Vikings would never work because their horns would break their vacc
suit helmets! Dave Nilsen eats shellfish in months without an R and Frank
paid him to do it!

I throw myself upon the mercy of the Admin.

> While anti-TNE rants are not welcome (I had enough of that on the TML
> years ago), rational discourse is fine. No dead horses should be beaten
> though. No one is required to be a cheerleader, let alone like all
> aspects of TNE--there are people that only like the mechanics--but
> contributions to the discussion should be positive. As you well know,
> Traveller fans are passionate about the game, so vehement responses are
> to be expected if you deride their favorite setting.
>
> In the 14 years of running this list, I've only had to ban a couple
> people from it (a few people were moderated). And they were pro-TNE; it
> was their "uncivil behavior" that got them banned.
>
> \_/
> DED
> TNE @ Yahoo ml Admin
>
>
> >> So are you just a sanctimonious hypocrite or what?
>
> Actually, yes, I am. And I'd better explain that (although is it
> necessary?)...
>
> The first time I posted to this group, I received some private responses
> that were... less gentle than yours. So in the time since, I always feel
> like posting here is posting where Marc (Miller) and I are not really
> wanted. So to try and limit the trouble I cause, I try not to post very
> often. But Marc says otherwise, so I read all the posts, and respond where
> I feel I might contribute without causing more trouble.
>
> Does that answer your question?
> __________________________________
> "My real e-mail address is owned by someone else..."
> <<
>