So when are you getting banned?

[houseofcantor]

What they did was entirely hypocritical if we are being fair.

I don't see it that way. Atheism in itself is a bread sandwich; if the staff get a little frisky once in a while, I'm not seeing it as a big deal. Besides, "fair" is that place where you go to get a blue ribbon for your pig, otherwise it ain't got nothing to do with reality.

[Phil]

For fuck's sake people, it was a damn joke. Why some of you are acting like you got sand in your vaginas is just plain stupid.

[Napoléon]

No, because it was a prank, and we admitted to it all afterwards. If we were doing this on a regular basis, and for malicious or otherwise nefarious reasons, I'd agree it would be wrong. We were doing it to fool people on the one day of the year that people expect to be fooled.

But it wasn't just for the 'one day of the year' was it? It was for a full month and many of us wasted our time on what we thought were real people. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but even just because this was a 'prank' I don't think that's very cool.

I don't know maybe I'm being a killjoy, I just think this was completely overboard.

See it as melodramatic if you want; I'm being deadly serious. To elaborate, when I say "resign" I mean completely; turning over the server keys, domain names, etc. I don't own Atheist Forums, the community does. If the community so wishes, I will step down and let other people take over.

Well obviously the community doesn't want you to resign and nor do I so stop making out like that.

[Tiberius]

More like a drama queen in my opinion.

If people really can't trust me anymore because of this, then there is no point in me being a member of staff, or having access to the server.

[Napoléon]

For fuck's sake people, it was a damn joke. Why some of you are acting like you got sand in your vaginas is just plain stupid.

Next year I'll make 6 different accounts and fool everyone and troll the forum and use 'it was a joke' as an excuse.

Reckon I'll still be here?

---

Don't get me wrong I think it was an exceptional prank, and indeed very funny. I just think it went too far.

[Whateverist]

Purge time! If we're all airing our dirty laundry let me say what the only thing I didn't like about the whole gag. It seems to me the puppets Tiberius and Shell created were mock puppets. I don't imagine you deliberately created them with the Rev and Alei in mind, but from over here that's what it looks like.

I enjoyed chatting with Rayaan about his character. My attempt to do the same with Shell were not intended (yes, really) as an attack but that didn't stop her from reaching for her flame thrower. If you're going to fool people for the sake of a joke it would be good to maintain a sense of humor yourself.

For those who your sock puppets mocked, and those of us who care about them, the joke has a hazing aspect. Not a big fan of hazing.

[Tiberius]

But it wasn't just for the 'one day of the year' was it? It was for a full month and many of us wasted our time on what we thought were real people. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but even just because this was a 'prank' I don't think that's very cool.

I don't know maybe I'm being a killjoy, I just think this was completely overboard.

It was for less than 3 weeks, as I pointed out to you last night. Also as I pointed out to you last night, we almost stopped it when the troll accounts started getting valid reports on their behaviour. We continued only on the agreement that if we got any other complaints, we would terminate the entire prank. Perhaps you shouldn't see it as a waste of time, but rather as a wake up call? Not everyone you speak to on the internet is "real".

Well obviously the community doesn't want you to resign and nor do I so stop making out like that.

I don't know if the community want me to resign or not, nor does it matter than you personally do not. I made my offer to accept full responsibility and step down; it is up to the rest of the community to judge whether that should happen. Enough people seemed to be annoyed at me that I thought I should at least put it on the table.

---

Next year I'll make 6 different accounts and fool everyone and troll the forum and use 'it was a joke' as an excuse.

Reckon I'll still be here?

In all likelihood, you would be. Rules are supposed to be there to stop malicious activity. If it's for an April Fools prank, it clearly isn't malicious.

[Rhizomorph13]

Nap,

If you did decide to pull a prank like that next year you would have to do these things:

1. Notify the staff so we knew which of the new accounts were your socks
2. Plan with us what you were going to do before you do it so we could discuss whether it was in poor taste
3. Try to avoid using your sock for anything other than harmless trolling
4. Reveal what you did after the fact and stop using your sock

This years April fools prank was discussed to death in the staff area. We tried to keep it safe and not violate too many rules (One sock actually got banned for breaking too many rules). We realized there was a potential for negative fallout but any good prank should be edgy so that it will elicit emotions because that is where the punch line gets its punch.

Anyway, I just hope the negative feelings wash out of the forum sooner rather than later.

[Napoléon]

Purge time! If we're all airing our dirty laundry let me say what the only thing I didn't like about the whole gag. It seems to me the puppets Tiberius and Shell created were mock puppets. I don't imagine you deliberately created them with the Rev and Alei in mind, but from over here that's what it looks like.

I enjoyed chatting with Rayaan about his character. My attempt to do the same with Shell were not intended (yes, really) as an attack but that didn't stop her from reaching for her flame thrower. If you're going to fool people for the sake of a joke it would be good to maintain a sense of humor yourself.

For those who your sock puppets mocked, and those of us who care about them, the joke has a hazing aspect. Not a big fan of hazing.

This is what I agree with. The laughs you all must of had after how certain people must of responded is what seems backhanded about the whole thing to me. The rest of them were fine, OneKing, Niqabi, the star trek lot. They were great because they didn't seem to have an agenda.

[Nine]

I don't know if the community want me to resign or not, nor does it matter than you personally do not. I made my offer to accept full responsibility and step down; it is up to the rest of the community to judge whether that should happen. Enough people seemed to be annoyed at me that I thought I should at least put it on the table.

For the record I don't you to step down. I may be new but I both respect and trust you. Same goes for the rest of the staff. And I haven't heard anyone ask for that. The fact you put it on the table I also have respect for.

Nobody is perfect. Everything that is done by anyone somebody will inevitably be pissed about.

* Nine joins Tiberius fan club