Here's what resulted in my ban. Form your own opinions. Mind you, this probably won't last very long, so make a copy for your friends. =)
-xcal
--------------------Message From Max
No Subject From: Max Received: 12/08/2005 at 6:59 am EST Subject: No Subject Explain this please, I left your comment on my submission long ago because I assumed that it was not a personal thing but after seeing the comment and score left on Lock.solid I decided to you ask you to explain yourself.
If it is not satisfactory I will remove your comment from my work due to hypocritical remarks and it being considered a personal retaliatory attack. Both are basically the same color wise.
xcal: [99] It's still an awesome piece of work. Seems more buggy this time around (or I didn't notice them last time). Some unnecessary !recycle-ing, too. The desktop icons are a great idea, and I love how they're implimented (the double click on them is really sweet). Kill the bugs and I'll give you that last 1%. :D
xcal: [65] The too-slight contrast makes it very difficult to use this style. I find it hard to discern between elements in certain applications, and could never use this as a regular style
customize.org staff member relations - accounts
--------------------My Response
Dear God...do you have the slightest clue how stupid that sounds? No, I'm not saying you're stupid, because I don't think you are. But I am saying what you just sent me in this PM is stupid.
You're comparing a Litestep theme to a VS?
I don't know how you're going to get this through your head, because you didn't manage to do it before at deviantart.
Before I go any further, for you to say "both are basically the same color wise" just shows you don't have a clue what you're talking about. Lock.Solid features MANY different schemes. You're obviously just looking at the screenshot and making that conclusion, that they are basically the same color-wise, because you clearly have not TRIED the theme. Fractal's Logic.Solid can be changed right out of the box, and looks nothing like your VS.
Another thing which makes comparing the two absolutely absurd is that Litestep does not skin your windows! VS' do (its purpose). The reason I made the "too-slight contrast" statement on your VS is because when I tried it, with certain applications, I couldn't tell where one window's element stopped, and another element began. The lack of contrast made things difficult to do in that app (I forget which app it was, since it's been a while...). Now, the thing you don't seem to get. Litestep is so much more than just graphics. It has to be, because IT'S NOT A WINDOWS SKINNING APPLICATION. A complex theme, like Lock.Solid, requires tons of behind-the-scenes scripting. And no, I'm not talking about generic definitions pulled out of a readme or some copied *.rc file from another theme. That theme required real thought and actual coding, which brings me to the next point... There's something special/different about that theme, which you won't see on the surface. It is using the LUA programming language as its scripting language (something I know how to do myself now, so I can appreciate it). Guess how many theme's released by other author's here at custo do that? NONE. There's not a single other LUA theme released here [edit - I meant released by another author]. Fractal's theme also separates itself from other themes (even my own) by the insane amount of options in it. Again, you'd have to try it to realise that. Also, there are tons of little niceties that you won't get by looking at the screenshot. For example, when you double click a desktop icon (which are customizable) there's a really cool scaling and fading effect of the icon.
Anyway, I couldn't care less if you remove my comment from your VS. But I certainly stand by it.
--------------------End
Then I was immediately banned.
06:49 pm, Thursday, December 15, 2005 (3 years ago)
I think it's nothing about "embarrassing" Max. Xcal just gave his opinion about two different skins. I don't see the problem here at all. Max compares the two skins, which shouldnt be made at all, since a vs it different from a ls theme.
you cant just ban somone for opinons .. this is why i dont belive active users on this site should be admins as well .. in cases such as this it gives the admin rights to ban for personal reasons.. and i belive that is ridiculous
What's next? Banning someone for an ugly wall? This really is ridiculous. Thanks for your help in the past xcal, and good luck, I hope this doesn't last long.
Straying a little off, but I just gotta know.... Did anyone else get pissed-off PM's regarding this or the last (locked) post? http://www.customize.org/forum/10574
I have to admit, I tend to make every attempt to avoid involving myself in the inter-user drama here, but Max, if I may voice my personal opinion, and if you are indeed the admin who banned xcal, you are quite a bit out of line. I would like to think that, as a longtime member of the community who has never been in even the remotest sort of conflict with anybody, I have standing as an unbiased, neutral party in this. If I'm wrong, well, so be it. The fact of the matter is, xcal was not trying to embarass you, trying to undermine you, or even trying to call into question the quality of your work. I think anybody who has ever used your visual styles can attest to the obvious effort you've put into them, and that shows in their popularity. What he did was, in fact, the primary mission of a community such as this: to offer his opinion on a particular piece of work. Just because somebody doesn't like the specific color scheme of a VS does not mean that he is trying to make a complicated statement. He is merely telling you that he, personally, is not a fan of the style you chose (in this case, white), and rated it accordingly. As for his comment on the Litestep theme, it's exactly as he said. He is not, in any way whatsoever, mentioning the colors chosen for the theme (or, in this case, the screenshot of a theme). His rating on fractal's theme was a rating based strictly on the coding and intuitiveness displayed in the construction of the theme. Should he have commented on the construction of your VS rather than focusing strictly on the color scheme? Maybe. But the fact of the matter is, you're looking merely at the numbers associated with the reviews and not looking at the content. As an admin, you are given the ability to regulate the community to ensure that it runs as smoothly as possible. At times, this will indeed require banning a user who causes problems. But a user who is guilty only of being completely honest about his or her tastes in art (or, more accurately, Windows color schemes) should not be banned under any circumstances. In fact, I applaud xcal for saying what a lot of people, including myself, won't. I'm guilty at times of censoring myself for the sake of not causing a scene, not rating a piece lower than my peers have. He has shown a willingness to voice his opinion, regardless of whether or not it's what the submitter wants ot hear. So, long story short: in my personal opinion, this is not only a gross misuse of your powers, but also a travesty that could potentially be devastating to the community. I certainly hope you will rethink this decision. I urge you, Max, or anybody else who may disagree with something I've said here to PM me or message me on AIM, I'd be glad to talk about it further.
This has been happening for the last two years with any member that has crossed swords with Max. The dude has ruined this community. I know thats a bold thing to say, but I think anyone who was around during the golden years can agree. Whatever happened to evo? Whatever happened to the new forums? Whatever happened to logging in everyday and being greeted with amazing work from some of the best guys and girls in the community?
Once upon a time, there was a man who was tired and thirsty from traveling. He drank some fresh running water from the wooden bucket. After he had had enough, he raised his hands in front of the water and said, "I have had enough to drink. Stop flowing!"
The water went on. Losing his temper, he yelled, "I told you to stop. Why don't you listen?"
On seeing this, an onlooker said, "You are so ignorant. Why don't you just leave?"
There is always 3 sides to a story, My side, His side and the truth.
The truth is he was banned for what any other person in this community would have been banned or silenced for and that is 'repeatedly' leaving negative remarks in a submission.
Going back and forth bashing me will not solve anything. It's not like he didnt have the opportunity to prevent the situation and creating multiple accounts to evade the ban did not help matters either.
