Everything Rebelscum

[BigDumbWookiee]

Well, Im not a GNT fan, I've hated him since well before he became a moderator. That said, I think all of this crusading against him has gone out of control.

Nothing is going to be done. Publicly bitching about it is obviously not going to change a damn thing. Unfortunately, all it's really succeeding in is making us all look like a bunch of ********.

Jedi Defender is an awesome place, I came over to join the true hardcore fans and collectors, the polite, professional collectors. Now its starting to degrade into GNT this, GNT that.

Honestly, do you think GNT is phased? Hell, the little punk is probably happy as a pig in **** that we've gone this nuts over him. It's making him infamous. If everyone just started ignoring him and pretending he wasn't a member of the board, so far as not even acknowledging his threads, perhaps he'd tone down, or just leave altogether.

I think one of the big reasons he's being kept on at 'Scum is because its only going to set a precedent for mods to come. People are going to think they can overthrow every mod they deam unworthy, etc. It would be like Philip throwing in the towel and saying "Fine, you guys win. Take the board, its yours".

If you really want GNT gone, I suggest you write a polite, professional letter to Philip showing evidence of why GNT is causing a problem for RS.

[Scott]

Agreed...

GNT doesn't post here remember, this is Rebelscum without GNT.  

[Chris]

Quite well put Adam, and with that, the discussion is over. I do suggest that polite letters be sent to Philip, and only to Philip. This is between GNT, yourself, and Philip Wise. A third party is not needed. If you wish to discuss it to others, please do so through private messages or e-mail.

We have established that not many here like GNT, take it for what it is worth and deal with it in a professional manner. Worry about finding that new figure or checking out the new Episode 3 spoilers that are currently online at JD, not GNT. Everyone gets caught up in the chaos and this is just another case. Anyone wanting to express their opinions about the JD administration and this thread, please do so in our feedback forum.

[DeakStarkiller]

Philip Wise, owner of Rebelscum.com and majority owner of theforce.net, has become the most hated man in Star Wars fandom almost overnight.  To regular Rebelscummers, you may want to jump ship to over here(if you already haven't!;D), a fair community run by fans, NOT profiteers.  The following links tell the story, but to summarize:

Wise demanded that TF.n Jedi Council forum moderators transmit their real names and addresses to him--basically, for two reasons-1.to be able to hold them liable in case LFL sues for spoiler postings-and 2. to make them available to their "affiliate sites" for "marketing purposes".  

Many moderators refused for security reasons; Wise demoted all who didn't comply. I'm paraphrasing, and you can find the info at the links below, but basically, Wise said he would shut the forums down if they caused him trouble.  No matter how chilidish the JC forums at TF.n can get, they're inarguably the heart of on-line SW fandom.  

Basically, Wise plans to overhaul theforce.net to make it more of a "business" entity, so he can make more money off of it. Fine--this is a capitalist society. The problem lies in the fact that FAN communities are about something else that Wise obviously (in light of this, and the GNT issues at Scum), and by his own admission, holds in low regard. Do you really want to post at a site owned by this guy? The worm has turned, friends.

Also, I'm well aware that RS is a private forum owned by Wise.

The logical conclusion one can come to is that ALL Wise's sites will soon require registration--which means that your personal info will be on computers that can be (and have been, just yesterday) hacked, AND, that you'll be the subject of revenue-producing spam for Philip Wise.  "Collect to Collect" my ass.  You are not fellow fans to this guy anymore, you are a revenue stream.  I would have posted this at RS, but we all have seen this week how that would be dealt with...Read on!

Wise's statement at the JC:
http://boards.theforce.net/Communications/b10006/15063626/?816

A summary :
http://boards.theforce.net/Communications/b10006/15061378/?4

Reaction from millenniumfalcon.com:
http://www.millenniumfalcon.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=324

http://www.millenniumfalcon.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=325

[Matt]

It's odd to me, that at the same time he's fiercely loyal and protective of a dumbass, divisive mod at his Rebelscum forums, he's "firing" mods who have been attributes to the TF.N boards for years, simply because they won't cave into his demands.  

Very odd, especially when you consider that the size of the TF.N boards dwarves all of these other boards (RS, JD, SSG, GH) put together.  Mods are more necessary over there.

That man has no sense of community, or history.

[Famine]

That man has no sense of community, or history.

And I bet he has a small penis too.

Kevin

[Matt]

And I bet he has a small penis too.

Kevin

Yes, he does.

 

(No questions, please.)

[Ben]

I've only had about ten posts at RS in the last month.

I fear if that place is shut down, all the twits and trolls will find their way here.

[Vator]

Philip should order some Enzyte, maybe that would stop his compensation wrath?

Seriously though, this is disgusting, and could very well lead to the down fall of TFN.  Would you want that to happen? Dosen't he realise that he is pissing off 90% of the Internet fanbase?

[SilverZ]

Thanks for the story and links Deak. I'd heard a good summary from a friend last night and it's a shame how its degenerating.

My personal opinion is that this is entirely a financial decision on the part of the owner. Like all successful things, a hobby/fan interest grew out of a need for a service, and transitioned to mass-consumption and new opportunities for the owner. In this case, the owner has several successful peripheral financial ventures associated with the community, one specifically which is an official Lucasfilm sanctioned one - C2 Ventures, and surely C3 Ventures, which, in the owner's interest, must be a prominent presence next year in Indianapolis. Recent events  certainly put into question the owners ability to do so. So some of the actions that have taken are understandable.

Understandable, yes. Right for the community or fair to the people that helped bring success to those involved? Certainly not. The good thing is, regardless of what happens with both sites, it is still a fan community. There are plenty of other outlets that offer the same, and most times better, content and boards. Ones not concerned about loss of revenue from official sources tied to the subject they are trying to cover.  It's the contributers that make the sites worth visiting and other sites will take up the slack. Hopefully these spiritual successors will opt for the fan community's side rather than personal financial goals when managing the site's direction.

[Dressel Rebel]

The day that I have to register personal information with Philip Wise is the day I tell him to kiss my ass.

I like the idea of JD, but I still post at scum because things are a little slow around here at times.  That's not to say I like scum better, there's just more to respond to.

I see myself being more and more involved with you guys here at JD than scum as time goes on.

[Boba Binks]

I will admit that I have never liked the TFN forums or the RebelScum Forums. I was only on TFN forums because that was the only forum for the Indy Knights group when I belonged to that group. Other than that there was only RebelScum at the time. It seemed all other forums that came were soon gone.

I have never liked either of those places. The people who post there (fans as they may be) are Rude, Disrespectful, and downright Arrogant. People would flame for the sake of fun and many were hurt by it. I know I was. The people over there are just childish. They have to have it their way or else and the “or else” was something that happened often.

When JD opened up I jump over here because I know that Chris and crew will not put up with such garbage or have any such demands. This place is Eden compared to the other forums that are out there.

Weather or not the parties involved are correct in doing what was done, how it was taken care of, or not it was their decision. All things come round in a circle. Maybe it is time for those to get what is coming to them. I do not know. It is nothing but a big mess.

I think the battle is just beginning and I want no part of it.

[Vator]

Well, BB, I suppose we'll all have courtside seats for this battle, eh?

Though I doubt very much that this will be the end of those sites.

[JediMAC]

Well, I've been biting my tongue on this issue since having several people point it out to me a couple days ago.  It's quite honestly completely disgusting what's going on over there.  I've spent several hours reading through the two big JC threads (they're 61 and 35 pages respectively, in just 2 days each), and it's mindboggling to me how much Philip can piss so many people off at both of his sites, and in such opposite ways, and absolutely care less about it.

In my opinion, and I hate to say this, Philip is all business man now, and not a Star Wars fan any more.  He owns the two biggest (non official) Star Wars sites on the web, and in the past week has made it abundantly clear that he could give a rat's ass for either of the massive forum communities that have developed therein.  This is what he tells his community and his staff: If you don't like it, then get the hell out - I don't care!  I was surprised enough that he made that blanket statement to all of his Rebelscum forum members during the GNT fiasco, but to say that to all of his hard working, volunteer moderators that keep his site running smoothly over at TFn just shows you how truly heartless this man has become...

And Deak, you forgot to point out the thread that started it all:

Show of Moderator solidarity against Philip (61 pages long, in just two days!  )

What I find truly bizarre is how differently Philip's handling the two situations.  At RS, where so many people are demanding the demotion of a current crappy moderator (GNT), Philip defends and supports Greg(g) to the death, refusing to listen to his community, and deletes/hides any threads stating opposition to that issue within a matter of minutes.

Whereas over at TFn, Philip is doing just the opposite - he's firing GOOD moderators that their community completely likes and respects, for no other reason than they'd like to keep their personal information private, and not put it on a site that's already been hacked into several times.  Even more unbelievable is that Philip is actually allowing discussion on the topic over at TFn, with those two main threads coming in at 61 and 35 pages respectively (and growing).  Why allow people to discuss the situation at one site, and not the other?  Weird.  Very weird...

Two different situations.  Same heartless owner.  Same horrid (wrong) result...    It's an absolute shame what he's doing to the Star Wars community as a whole.  It's a shame that someone who doesn't care about Star Wars fans and the communities that he's developed at his two SW sites, is the very person that holds the keys to such a large chunk of the net's Star Wars discussion.  Scary.  

But in the paraphrased words of Philip:  Deal with it, or get the hell out!

[Famine]

The day that I have to register personal information with Philip Wise is the day I tell him to kiss my ass.

I say that to him all the time. He continues to ignore my question of why he locked my profile. The big jerk.

I wouldnt give HIM my personal information. If LucasFilm wanted it, I would gladly give it to THEM.

Kevin