Ok, this is how fucking nazi-crazy moderation can get at ECF.
So... what's the big deal? That quit smoking banner down there in my signature.
Wha you ask? What's the thing that would send a moderator off the rails about this:
It contains 2,800 too many pixels.
And a moderation war was thus reigned down on my ass. I kid you not. (
@AndriaD this one should sound familiar...)
Just to make sure this is perfectly clear, here's the whole damned story:
ECF has a forum rule that a sig banner can be no larger than 400 x 65 pixels. Why? Who knows - that rule was made up in 2009. That banner there is 480 x 60 pixels. 2,800 too many pixels will get you all sorts of nasty messages about infractions, rule reminders and even modifications to both your account info and your account settings.
That banner had been used on ECF for years - no issues. For a short while the site generating it decided to insert ad logos into the banner - all of a sudden we were all pimping Zamplebox if that banner was in our profile. ECF, rightly so, blocked the banner at the URL level.
SinceMyLastCigarette.com saw the error of their ways and stopped putting ad logos on the quit smoking banner. I asked "the powers that be" if it could now be unblocked. It was reviewed and -
tada! - Returd1 of all people decided to unblock it.
Within a month clAsswife sent me a Rule Violation notice and told me to remove the banner from my profile because it was too large. WTF?
clAsswife has been on a hit and miss mission to issue rule infraction notices on a member by member basis for people using that quit smoking banner ever since. She issues a rule reminder. If you don't remove the banner she removes it from your profile herself- and issues a rule violation warning. If you put the banner back up the cycle repeats. You would think moderators have better things to do but...
Now several points were made via convo messages:
1.) If this was such a huge problem and was going to break the internet or something... then why not just block the damned banner at the URL level - just like they did before? Seems that would be easier, than chasing down members one at a time citing a rule violation.
Response? "A rule is a rule.
"
2.) WHY is it I see so many accounts using that banner, but it appears to be a more personal issue because I keep getting told to remove it?
Told "Well those are violations too. And if I was a good member I would be reporting those members for violating forum rules."
3.) As a Supporting Member - you know, someone who PAYS GOOD MONEY to keep that place running one of your perks is you can have
Two Sig Banners! Whee!
I pointed out that I was only using one banner. And it obviously takes up a lot less space than two. What's the problem?
No response.
4.) If this is such a huge problem why don't you just resize signature images, the same way you do with avatars. Make it the same for everyone.
No response.
5.) I asked for someone with technical expertise to review the rule, since a lot has changed in the computer world when that rule was created seven years ago.
Why 400 x 65 pixels? Why does that even matter in 2016?
No response.
6.) Pointed out that if this rule was of such critical importance then enforce it across the board, as both these banners are beyond the stated rule maximum banner size:
7.) Pointed out that the rule and it's enforcement seems to be arbitrary, as a lot of members have run-on text signatures that take up a lot more space than a 480 x 60 banner. Like - compare and contrast if you will - this one:
You can see there is a valid point to be questioned here if push is going to come to shove. And I'm getting
really pushed. But - no response.
Oh - I did get a response. I was told to by clAsswife to quit being so bitchy, and they get to decide if a rule is violated or not. Even though in this case what keeps getting cited - repeatedly - are two hard, factual numbers: maximum banner size is 400 x 65 pixels.
I effing lost it at that point. I PM'd Oliver - cough, cough the owner formerly known as Smokey Joe - briefly explained the situation, and asked if I could include him in the conversation with clAsswife. He said "sure" - hadn't looked at signature issues in a long time.
No response.
Then someone - presumably clAsswife -
actually removed the option from my account to have any signature.
Y'all do realize how asinine this looks? All this rules crap and enforcement and chasing down members one case at a time, by someone being a bitch, about this many excess pixels:
in - of all things -
a quit smoking banner.
So if you are really into rules, rules being enforced in an arbitrary manner, and rules that apply to you but don't apply to the moderators who go all nazi-ass to enforce them, then ECF will just punch you right in your happy place. But if you can't take bullshit like this sooner or later you will have to move yourself on to maintain any sense of self respect. Or sanity.
This may go down as the longest rant, over the most asinine moderation issue, ever encountered on ECF. But hey - if you feel compelled to chase off members of 5 years good standing... this is the kind of crap certain people in charge at ECF can and will latch on to accomplish it.
I'm leaving ECF behind - because of this level of moderation douchebaggery - over a quit smoking banner.
Sorry - I told you with was going to be a tldr. But I just wanted to make it perfectly clear where the priorities lay over that at ECF.
Found you AndriaD! Hi Roxy! And...
And do it with a wunnerful graphics panache!
