Happy April Fools Day, Everyone [Moved to Thunderdome]

[Winston Smith]

Yes. It was an early April Fools Day joke.

Special thanks to Liberal for being such a good sport and helping us get it off the ground. We were trying to set things up to launch at 7:00 PM Eastern time (00:00 BST), but sometimes once you light the fuse on something like this it goes off quicker than you expect it to. It's just as well, though. Nobody would have believed it even for a second had we done this tomorrow.

Anyways, we hope you enjoyed the show, and those of you sitting in the front rows, sorry if you got splattered.

Your pal (and still Thunderdome Moderator) I think

Winston Smith

P.S. I've asked if I can keep my "BANNED" title. Q's taken it under advisement.

[Inner Stickler]

This is Not Funny.

[ivan astikov]

No, actually it is, when you think about it! You load of bastards!

[Liberal]

It was a lot of fun! God sent Leander so that I could "flame out".

[Exy]

This is Not Funny.

You can't have possibly believed it all that time. Come on, seriously.

[iampunha]

I believe it was meant as a joke (things being said in JJ that shouldn't have been allowed, such as the seborrheic ass cancer bit), but I also think it was just dumb.

Unveiling the new Domebo logo as something almost entirely copied from the SDMB ... THAT would have been funny. Having "Ed Zotti" come here and beg all of us to come back ... that would have been funny. Bring in a new forum for CRSP's new book would have been funny.

This was just dumb.

[McNutty]

...
What?!?

I can't believe you let them off the hook so easily! I didn't even have a chance to drum up support for the Winston Smith sympathizer board (http://winsmibo.mooo.com/)!

[Dudley Garrett]

Well, was I right about you hitting the packie tonight, Winston?

[Inner Stickler]

I agree with iampunha.

[pedescribe]

Good one!

[Winston Smith]

Well, was I right about you hitting the packie tonight, Winston?

I wish. I'm working late, babysitting our critical systems through the final hours of Quarter Close.

[Myrnalene]

Unveiling the new Domebo logo as something almost entirely copied from the SDMB ... THAT would have been funny. Having "Ed Zotti" come here and beg all of us to come back ... that would have been funny. Bring in a new forum for CRSP's new book would have been funny.

Fuck the Dope. Let us have our own nonsense far removed from any of their nonsense.

[Oakminster]

Oh bullshit.

Worst fucking idea ever. And it cost you a poster.

Bye all.

[leander]

It was a lot of fun! God sent Leander so that I could "flame out".

So this time it was a joke? Then how do you explain the 400 other times?

[jali]

That was a good one!

I think it was funny as hell and I'll never forgive you!

I've been punked.

[leander]

Oh bullshit.

Worst fucking idea ever. And it cost you a poster.

Bye all.

Come on, it may have been a stupid joke, but why would you want to leave because of it?

[Exy]

Oh bullshit.

Worst fucking idea ever. And it cost you a poster.

Bye all.

Heh heh heh, cute

[Harlequin]

Thank God.

I'm just wondering if Excalibre was in on it.

[Elyanna]

yaaawn.

[jali]

Thank God.

I'm just wondering if Excalibre was in on it.

Probably not. :twisted:

[Laughing Lagomorph]

That was awesome, people! Kudos all around.

So how long was this in the planning?

[Q.E.D.]

Oh bullshit.

Worst fucking idea ever. And it cost you a poster.

Bye all.

Damn, there goes our $0.00 a year income from your contributions. How will we ever manage?

[Liberal]

That was awesome, people! Kudos all around.

So how long was this in the planning?

I didn't become aware of it until about 2:00. That's when Winston contacted me. He's a really good egg!

[jali]

I just joined the Winston board just because it was there.

[PonderThis]

I just joined the Winston board just because it was there.

You should totally ask to be a moderator.

[PonderThis]

Oh bullshit.

Worst fucking idea ever. And it cost you a poster.

Bye all.

Damn, there goes our $0.00 a year income from your contributions. How will we ever manage?

Double the membership fees?

[Winston Smith]

I agree with iampunha.

We heard you the first time.

[TheFlame]

Oh bullshit.

Worst fucking idea ever. And it cost you a poster.

Bye all.

Damn, there goes our $0.00 a year income from your contributions. How will we ever manage?

Of course, there's always the possibility that Oakminster is himself pulling our legs.

[Sarahfeena]

Pretty good, guys...you totally had me until QED sent Winston BACK to 101.

And there I was, going, "Lib, didn't I TELL you not to do this" like a big doofus. :-D

[Elyanna]

I just joined the Winston board just because it was there.

Now that's funny.

[Guinastasia]

Heh-so whose idea was it?

[What Exit?]

That was awesome, people! Kudos all around.

So how long was this in the planning?

A few days but the heavy planning happened about 6-9 hours ago. Excalibre was not in on it but figured it out very fast and started playing along. Every Mod and Tech plus Liberal was in on it. McNutty has some excellent props ready but the joke went too far, too fast. Winston did the heavy planning and lifting. Thus he is the King of Fools!



I apologize to those we offended. But hopefully it was fun for many of you.

[Julie]

I just joined the Winston board just because it was there.

You're awesome.

I'm not going to claim I knew it all along. Nope. I did a lot of gaping at the screen.

[What Exit?]

Oh bullshit.

Worst fucking idea ever. And it cost you a poster.

Bye all.

Damn, there goes our $0.00 a year income from your contributions. How will we ever manage?

Of course, there's always the possibility that Oakminster is himself pulling our legs.

I hope so. If not, he is not the only one pissed off by this.

[Myrnalene]

Winston, I'm sorry for reporting you to the mods. ops:

[iampunha]

Of course, there's always the possibility that Oakminster is himself pulling our legs.

And it's also possible that if both of them are serious, QED's "Gosh darn, if only we cared about users" attitude is exactly what helped so many of us rid ourselves of the SDMB and we'd really like it if The Powers That Be here could at least fake giving a shit in public.

Or I'm being whooshed (highly likely, given the premise of this thread), in which case I hope there won't be need any time soon for anyone to say anything like this.

[McNutty]

I just joined the Winston board just because it was there.

I made your account a Global Moderator. Because it was there.

[What Exit?]

Of course, there's always the possibility that Oakminster is himself pulling our legs.

And it's also possible that if both of them are serious, QED's "Gosh darn, if only we cared about users" attitude is exactly what helped so many of us rid ourselves of the SDMB and we'd really like it if The Powers That Be here could at least fake giving a shit in public.

Or I'm being whooshed (highly likely, given the premise of this thread), in which case I hope there won't be need any time soon for anyone to say anything like this.

We do care. At least I do. I have Pm'd featherlou and emailed Oakminster. I have apologized in this thread to those that did not like the prank. I hope nobody gets to upset by a little silliness.

iampunha & Inner Stickler, I hope you'll let this pass.

[Ivan]

I'm just wondering how this joke doesn't constitute trolling.

If a group of posters had gotten together and pulled some sort of similar joke, like threatening to leave en masse due to some made-up petty dispute with a mod for example, would it have been taken lightheartedly by the mods or would it have been considered trolling and dealt with thusly?

In other words, do you enjoy jokes as much when you're on the receiving end as when you're the one playing the joke?

[Vox Imperatoris]

Oakminster responded to a PM I sent him, confirming that he is leaving. Hopefully What Exit?'s email will change his mind.

[What Exit?]

I'm just wondering how this joke doesn't constitute trolling.

If a group of posters had gotten together and pulled some sort of similar joke, like threatening to leave en masse due to some made-up petty dispute with a mod for example, would it have been taken lightheartedly by the mods or would it have been considered trolling and dealt with thusly?

In other words, do you enjoy jokes as much when you're on the receiving end as when you're the one playing the joke?

We've been pretty light on trolling type jokes. I suspect Oakminster is having a joke on us right now, at least I hope so. We have that crazy Ferret hanging out.

[NinetyWt]

I hope so. If not, he is not the only one pissed off by this.

I don't know that I'm pissed off, or offended, but that was not remotely funny.

:: glares at all with that Mommy look ::

[Chimera]

I'm going to state this in all sincerity.

I didn't like it.

I've already come fairly close to walking away from this board several times in the last week over some of the bullshit playing out here. Very tired of a couple of posters who pretty much threadshit with impunity, who make no attempt at Civil Discourse, with no moderation.

Very tired of seeing Q.E.D. be a jerk to posters at every turn. He either needs to shut the fuck up and learn to play nice, or turn in his keys and get off the staff.

This is not turning out to be the board that I signed on for.

I gave it a fair shot at being some kind of bad joke, figured that it was amazingly stupid and in bad taste if it was, and perhaps the end of the board if it wasn't.

But on the other hand, I'll add that I've been running well below the point of mental and physical exhaustion over shit in my own life for quite some time now and I just don't have the time, energy or patience for more shit from other quarters.

[PonderThis]

Oakminster responded to a PM I sent him, confirming that he is leaving. Hopefully What Exit?'s email will change his mind.

Oh dear. I thought he and Q.E.D. were both joking around.

Edit: Put in quote since my post got buried several down.

[BiblioCat]

Jeez, I go to work all day, and come back to find this. I had nothing to do with any of it!

It's not even April 1st here!

Shoulda gone with the random avatar idea....

[McNutty]

I'm just wondering how this joke doesn't constitute trolling.

It was trolling plain and simple. Everyone involved deserves a stern warning.

[NinetyWt]

Oh dear. I thought he and Q.E.D. were both joking around.

I believe he is quite sincere.

Ok, now I *am* angry. This was very stupid. :evil:

[Chimera]

A month after a harsh (and to some, painful) break from another board?

It was goddamned stupid.

I'm going to bed. I'll consider in the morning whether or not I want to come back.

[LurkMeister]

I'm going to state this in all sincerity.

I didn't like it.

I've already come fairly close to walking away from this board several times in the last week over some of the bullshit playing out here. Very tired of a couple of posters who pretty much threadshit with impunity, who make no attempt at Civil Discourse, with no moderation.

Very tired of seeing Q.E.D. be a jerk to posters at every turn. He either needs to shut the fuck up and learn to play nice, or turn in his keys and get off the staff.

This is not turning out to be the board that I signed on for.

I gave it a fair shot at being some kind of bad joke, figured that it was amazingly stupid and in bad taste if it was, and perhaps the end of the board if it wasn't.

But on the other hand, I'll add that I've been running well below the point of mental and physical exhaustion over shit in my own life for quite some time now and I just don't have the time, energy or patience for more shit from other quarters.

Ditto here. I damn near decided not to bother posting here any more this afternoon because of what I saw as a board/moderator meltdown and I have enough shit going on in my life right now to not want to subject myself to any more.

I still might.

[Myrnalene]

I believe he is quite sincere.

Ok, now I *am* angry. This was very stupid. :evil:

Well, that's weird. If you weren't angry before, why be angry now? Oakminister's reactions are his own, no one else is responsible for them.

Can someone explain to me what the outrage is? I understand Chimera saying that he has other issues with the board. But what's the problem with this joke in particular? And if you're going to say, "Well, we just left the other board because of this kind of thing!" then I'm going to disagree. Ed sure as fuck never flamed out as spectacularly as Winston pretended to do.