NOt to blow things out of proportion but I've recently posted a few questions at Native-Instruments forums and aside from getting a few sarcastic remarks and making a few myself got some pretty bizarre attitudes from a member there.

I was having a discussion where I've mentioned that I was visually impaired. Got a reply from one of the members basically making fun of my disability and suggesting if I ever considered ending it all or something along the lines.

Obviously I reported the post immediately. Told the guy that he was a jerk for doing things like that etc. GOt a reply from administration of the forum basically saying that its' not a big deal and that behavior like that is quite acceptable for NI Open discussion forums.

I'm just curious if I expect too much from this world. Joking around and calling each other names is one thing but making any clearly abusive, racial and similar comments shouldn't really be acceptable for any forum - period.

Anyway. Just posting my thoughts.

Only shows that SZ is probably the only forum where you can actually get answers to questions without being insulted or bullied.

-ED-

Hey Ed,

I sympathize entirely, and I'm sorry that this happened to you. Just a couple of thoughts:

1) As much as I might like to live in a world devoid of verbal abuse, racism, etc., such is not the case, and I tend towards the idea that freedom of expression must include the right to express attitudes and ideas that are repugnent to me.

I just don't hang there. Different forums set different standards, and fortunately, the web is a big enough place for all manner of ground-rules to coexist.

I probably would have put the people who made fun of your impairment into the "pay no mind" file and not responded. But of course that's easy for me to say. If it were me being attacked, I'd probably want to stand up for what's right, too.

One time about a year ago I stumbled upon a "music" forum where a whole crowd (including the moderator) were absolutely UNLOADING on some poor guy who had expressed an unpopular opinion. I humbly stood up for him, (I hate seeing people being ganged-up on by bullies) politely suggesting that their crude, obscene remarks demonstrated a lack of class, and so they started pounding on me, too. Since life is short, I just split.

BTW, besides SZ, Northern Sounds Garritan (GPO) groups are extremely positive, and people are encouraged to participate regardless of their tech or musical abilities. The idea is to foster a nurturing learning/teaching environment where no one need feel inferior or embarassed. The scenario you just described most certainly wouldn't be tolerated there, and there are NI discussion topics there as well:
http://www.northernsounds.com/forum/index.php?

The good news is that most people are decent, it's just that the few bad apples will invariably pop up from time to time. I'm afraid there's no getting away from that.

Cheers,
Michael

I can assure you ED that that sort of response would not be acceptable here at all. You should not have to live with those sort of comments offline or online. I am very surprised that a corporate organization like NI could ever think that was at all acceptable. I'd remove the posting in a second and would personally advise the offender that further comments like that would result in being barred from posting.

No-one should have to tolerate that level of ignorance. I'm so sorry ED that you got such a poor response when you reported the matter. I'm guessing that NI products have now sunk to an all time low on your list of things you would want to buy in the future.

That behavior is just not acceptable in book. I don't give a crap what society things, I hope to make a difference in this world by not allowing that king of behavior around me and to always impart a positive attitude towards people.

We need to care and help each other.....

Ed, you'll only find support here.

Thanks for support guys!
Yeah, NI products have definitely gone to the bottom of my purchase list. For a while anyway.

Here's a part of an e-mail that I've got from NI forums administration:

"... In Open Discussion, there is an established trend of blasting anyone who posts in the wrong forum. For example, OD is not the Traktor forum. Whenever someone from the Traktor forum posts there, we tear their head off. For fun. In your case, you posted a technical question about Absynth 3. This is something that, well, should've gone in the Absynth forum.

Does that justify what he did? Hardly. But around here, we hang men for sport."

Well, at least they are up front about their forum rules.

Again, thanks for replying guys and thanks for understanding. I thought I was being overly sensitive or something.

-ED-



[This message has been edited by 3351 (edited 10-06-2005).]

Thanks Michael. I'll check it out. I also like "Sonikmatter" and some Yahoo user groups.

You're right. Most people are decent. I even found some good people at NI forums who basically had enough decency to apologize on behalf of their ill-mannered "friends" and try to explain their odd behaviour. But I don't think I'll be posting there again.

-ED-

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. But here you are in good hands...
Regards, Danny

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Greetings from Frankfurt (Germany),
Sheriff ;-)