I'm writing this in response to the several complaints I've been receiving as of late in regards to the state of our chat room.

I'd like to start out by saying that I'm always pleased to see new people check out #MAFirc. I advertise our channel regularly and am happy to watch it grow. Unfortunately, growth can also lead to growing pains.

Recently, a lot of regulars who have been around for years have expressed concerned that new visitors are "taking over" #MAFirc. It's not so much any one individual who causes this, but rather people who sign on in groups and proceed to have conversations that are so talkative that they drown out anyone who is not involved in that particular conversation.

Now, I have always wanted #MAFirc to be a place where conversation and style is directed by the users. I've been very lax with rules and regulations because I believe the most enjoyable and successful rooms are those that are primarily self-regulated. I guess one could say that I'm a big believer in peer pressure. If a person is doing something that others don't like, that person will soon get the hint in subtle or not so subtle ways, and either change their behaviour or simply leave. Up until this point, it's been a successful strategy for #MAFirc.

Lately though, it seems that we've been growing faster than we can handle. Memes and attitudes aren't being passed down to new users fast enough, and the old people aren't always adjusting; needless to say it's causing a lot of strife. Because of that, I'm writing up some brief guidelines, and I'd appreciate it if we could all do our best to keep them in mind when in chat.

1. Cut down on swearing and offensive language. Many folks, especially during the day, are signed on while at work. While it's up to each individual to make sure what they're doing on-line is work appropriate, there is no reason for #MAFirc to be completely hostile to a professional environment. Please try to show some consideration to those of us who need to be concerned about what's on our screens. This is also just a general consideration as well. Not everyone cares to tolerate excessive swearing and offensive language no matter where they are. Try not to alienate others with your language use.

2. Don't flood the channel. This basically means you ought to let others get a word in edgewise. One reason I prefer IRC over other chat programs is that there is often more than one conversation taking place at once: it keeps things interesting. But if there are a few people dominating the entire room, other users can quickly lose interest or become frustrated. If you're involved in a fast paced goofy conversation with just a couple of people, that's cool, but consider taking it to PM or to a new channel.

3. Don't feed the trolls. We've been getting a few trolls as of late. If you're having troubles with a particular person, keep track of what they're doing and let an op know right away. I'm not big on banning because it often results in people going to MAF and starting threads complaining about #MAFirc. That's bad karma all around. I usually find that a stern warning or two will set people straight. That does not mean however that I will stand idly by doing nothing while a troll trashes our channel. Ops can ban temporarily, and I will ban anyone who needs to be permanently. Current ops are:

Malkin, Blunta, oasa, rev, freak', benightedbastard, SwisSlesS, theWrkncacnter, kingLatency, and organicchunkysal

In other words, it ought to be a rare occasion when no op is present in channel. In the event that there is no op available, keep a log of offending activity and let the next available op know as soon as possible.

4. Be nice. A.K.A. don't be a jerk. This one is common sense and common courtesy. If someone makes a reasonable request of you, try to comply as best as you can. Don't bash other folks in channel or go out of your way to make someone's day crappy. Even if you don't like another user, try to live by the Golden Rule and do onto them as you would have them do onto you. Lead by example.

I know that no one is perfect and no one can get what they want all of the time. But I hope that we can all work together to make #MAFirc a fun and enjoyable place for everyone who would like to spend time here. If you have any concerns at all, do not hesitate to contact me. Working two jobs and finishing my degree, I'm not on as much as I used to be, but a memo or an e-mail will reach me just as well. I know that with a little bit of effort, we can all get along. Let's work together and make it happen.

Sincerely,

Mandie (Malkin)

24 November, 2003