Yes, a sensible strategy at this point would be to divert some of the resources they're spending on assailing those criticizing their shortfalls to actually correcting those shortfalls. Of course ED would see that as capitulating to their critics, and ED won't do that. ED stronk! Critics weak! We will crush critics instead of fixing problems!

Tom_Weiss and Ironmike banned?

Uh... I'm confused?

Well from what I understand you can't be legally held accountable for what is said on a different forum. Like if I crack jokes on SimHQ on a different forum that isn't legally associated with SimHQ, Force10 can't do #%&*$# about it. NOW if I make fun of Force10 here, then I'm subject to any legal action, banning/warning, etc. From what I know there is no legal document (or I'm sure that can't be brought up in court, I mean that's just dumb too) or authorization to be held accountable for my actions on a different forum. Erik or any Admins from CombatAce hasn't told me that Eagle Dynamics has legal authority over CombatAce, which they don't. So without any legal definitions giving them that authority of what's being said on other forums (other than ED's, which they do of course have legal authority) then whoever came up with that policy of being held accountable for what I say somewhere else (other than ED's boards) is tantamount to really looking for an excuse to abuse that policy, which is becoming quite apparent. And makes you look weak that you need to define a policy that gives the moderator the ability to abuse his/her power on the forums.

And banning somebody over a video is just not right. Unless it inferred or was construed as a hostile act or threatening any Eagle Dynamics, or TFC employee or representative, I can see getting banned over it. But if the content is just pure humor, it shows that they just don't have any balls and to me looks weak. Hell I can be a joke sometimes too, but I'm not going to ban or kick you over it.

Moderator responsibliity only includes the site being moderated not a different site that the Moderator has no repsonsibility over. As such, I cannot moderate anybody here if I was still a Moderator on CA, I'm just a user like you.

and EricJ as well



absolutely correct - I am sure they are the only developers that police other forums and retaliate by banning members that have accounts in their forum.

I guess people should considerate a class action, their behavior has gone too far IMO.

it is their right to ban whomever they want for whatever reason they want to - all we can do is what we are doing : gripe.

To my knowledge they are, I mean if you're a Moderator worth your salt you wouldn't need such a poor policy in the first place. Your Moderatos handle your business quite well, as well as CA's and other sites. I've never seen that anywhere else. Even the chaotic BI Forums have real quality Moderators, and don't have that policy.

I really don't know if it is that the case. You have to bring the case to the court to see what happens, it might even create a precedence. Surely if you see the forum as a simple forum there is no way to win, but if the forum is seen as a channel of support banning without valid reason (because they complained on an external channel) not only might be illegal but also deny the freedom of speech (which might have no value in Russia but it has a huge value in Europe and moreover in USA) which consist in a very valid defensive line.

Actually, any private website can ban anyone they like for any reason they like. Their website is their property. You have no legal entitlement to be there whatsoever so legality doesn't factor into this at all. Now ethics, professionalism and maturity, well that's a different matter.



You can't sue someone for banning you from their private website, any more than I can sue you for kicking me out of your house.

As i said, if that forum is seen as a support channel to a product it might cross the line of private property.

Not unless access to their forums was guaranteed as a form of "support" by the end user licence that accompanied your purchase.

As well, we all agreed to the terms of use, which included rule 1.13 - not allowed to say bad things about ED/DCS even in the outside world - when we signed up.

Ok, thanks.

The conversation kind of reminds me of this vid in an offhanded way.




There might be a tad of NSFW language in there...not much though.

Hey guys, generally thanks for voicing your concerns, but I understand, that they took it the wrong way, as did people by venting their personal frustration.

Would I have known, that it creates a certain amount of negativity, I wouldn't have done it.

Whatever might be fault with Eagle Dynamics, it still is a great sim, and yes, I still believe that even after being banned. It really doesn't take me much to admit that, and although there is some truth in every joke, there is also a huge amount of exaggeration.

Now, don't get me wrong guys, I am not posting this here to kiss my way back into ED Forums, I am posting that because in my squadron we've always done the most possible for us to make the community grow and the game work for the better. Many of you probably did, too, and will understand where I am coming from.

So when I created the video, I was thinking of a comedian's perspective, and not so much that some ppl really might feel offended by it. It happened, it is not cool, and thus it is fair for them to take action. We may not like it, we may deem it overreacting, but we also cannot know how much it might have offended them. And if banning me helps ease the pain, I am fine with that.

Amen to that.

Mike,

I have to say I'm impressed with your view of the situation.

I know you have been registered here since 2011 but this seems to be your first interaction with the forums here...so let me say...
Welcome to SimHQ!

I would say most of us here got the joke and didn't read too much into it...feel free to share some comedy with us!

Hey Mike ,

I am sorry to hear you got banned.

I must admit that I was crying with laughter watching your video. I didn't find it to be malicious , flight simmer's life is one big wait and a lot of disappointment , instead of being frustrated it's good to have a laugh.

Thanks for the video .

I don't think it's ever being in any doubt regarding the quality of ED's products - we're all in the DCS forums here in SimHQ because we're fans.......it's more a case of sheer disappointment in how their planning, communication and relationship they have with their customers which harms their own reputation that often crops up in discussion.

As a cook I can't help but noticing the similarities between my job and ED.
Customers come to our restaurant for what I and the other cooks do. They come for the food we make.
We can't be in the kitchen and taking care of our customers at the same time so we rely on our waiter/waitress to do that for us.
But if they misbehave and are rude with customers they'll eventually ruin the work we, cooks, have done.
Because no matter how good is the meal you won't come back to a restaurant where the waitress tells you to "GTFO if you're not happy", will you ?

It's exactly the same with ED. They have the best cooks in town but at this point I'd rather eat in the fast food across the street. The food is a lot less tasty but at least over there I'm not afraid to be kicked out because I told them there were a hair in my burger and I didn't like it.

...or for breaking some bizarre rule you'd never guess was a rule like say, posting a picture of their food online (I'm of course referring to that guy they banned for posting a video of the livestream to youtube), or even better - receiving a photo of their menu even after asking the guy not to send it (like what happened to EricJ).

Dealing with ED (either on their own boards or elsewhere in the outside world) is like navigating a minefield. You could get banned without even knowing you did anything wrong.