So far as I recall, the boards weren't taken down over people not liking linkshell leaders having an exclusive forum to discuss things – if we didn’t like this, we might as well petition Square Enix to remove /tells from the game. People are going to talk to each other. It’s just going to happen.
The issue was that those forums were being used to direct setting, policy, and events of the RPC as though it were some sort of governing body with authority over its membership. THIS is what made members chafe, and THIS is what made members protest. Both sides had difficulties clearly stating concise points in the howling torrent that followed, and the boards were scrapped as they were deemed more trouble than they were worth. It didn’t help that those on one side of the matter were branded a tiny minority of troublemakers, dissidents, and not true members of the RPC. (Yet now two of those linkshells are in the so-called "big four"... Which is a little confusing.)
However, things have calmed down now. I don’t think anyone will object to linkshell leaders having a place to communicate, share, and discuss things so long as they do not abuse this privilege and attempt to institute some sort of community-wide shadow government. THAT was the heart of the matter that caused things to fall apart last time. And no, I’m not blaming those bad evil linkshell leaders; several of them were leading the protest, in fact. What happened, happened and hunting for a witch to burn will just waste wood we could use rebuilding burned bridges.
Despite this, I do think a poll probably won't help much. Am I mistaken in stating that the goal here is to get the RPC revitalized and active again? This would mean we want people who AREN'T using the site, to use the site. Yet, a poll on the site asks people who ARE using the site what would make people want to use it. The wrong people are being polled, and it doesn't really seem possible to poll the right people. I think at this point, it's time to accept that things aren't working out around here and just go ahead and try something different.
The issue was that those forums were being used to direct setting, policy, and events of the RPC as though it were some sort of governing body with authority over its membership. THIS is what made members chafe, and THIS is what made members protest. Both sides had difficulties clearly stating concise points in the howling torrent that followed, and the boards were scrapped as they were deemed more trouble than they were worth. It didn’t help that those on one side of the matter were branded a tiny minority of troublemakers, dissidents, and not true members of the RPC. (Yet now two of those linkshells are in the so-called "big four"... Which is a little confusing.)
However, things have calmed down now. I don’t think anyone will object to linkshell leaders having a place to communicate, share, and discuss things so long as they do not abuse this privilege and attempt to institute some sort of community-wide shadow government. THAT was the heart of the matter that caused things to fall apart last time. And no, I’m not blaming those bad evil linkshell leaders; several of them were leading the protest, in fact. What happened, happened and hunting for a witch to burn will just waste wood we could use rebuilding burned bridges.
Despite this, I do think a poll probably won't help much. Am I mistaken in stating that the goal here is to get the RPC revitalized and active again? This would mean we want people who AREN'T using the site, to use the site. Yet, a poll on the site asks people who ARE using the site what would make people want to use it. The wrong people are being polled, and it doesn't really seem possible to poll the right people. I think at this point, it's time to accept that things aren't working out around here and just go ahead and try something different.
