Session Start: Fri Feb 18 22:10:50 2000
Session Ident: AliMc ([email protected])
<AliMc> Smoot?
<`Smoot> Yes?
* AliMc may be talking to the wrong person...I only actually msged you because you were the one who made the post to #behindthescenes...
* `Smoot is the founder and registrar. Samy, Phry, and I are the brains behind #not-plotting. Can I help you?

[Damn, I sound like a receptionist.]

* AliMc would just like to say it's not in her usual style to be confrontational, and I'll probably regret bringing this up later, <wry look> but I was wondering exactly what provoked your choice of names for the new channel?

[I actually was looking FORWARD to answering this question. Oh, hindsight is always 20/20.]

* `Smoot grins. Well, we've got three answers between the three of us. Samy says humor, Phry says because it's catchy and memorable, and I say we chose it because it's what we are. We're not #plotting. We're not invite-only, so new writers can come and get help, but we do have the same "work before chat" rule and writing-basis as #plotting does.

[I will say this at least 37 more times.]

<`Smoot> I do, however, really appreciate you messaging me instead of posting something inflammatory.
* AliMc laughs a little wryly. To be perfectly honest, that was my first instinct. Fortunately, I've learned better than to do that by now...
<AliMc> That never solves anything, and usually only causes more problems.
<`Smoot> Very true. There's only a small amount of sardonic humor in the name choice, and it makes it easier for everyone to get the name in their head and come see what we're all about.
* AliMc is a little disturbed by the small amount of sardonic humor, to be perfectly honest.
<`Smoot> Why, if I may?
<AliMc> Through no fault of our own, we've been frequently attacked, and believe it or not, we're not all such a bunch of elitist snobs that it hasn't rankled.
<AliMc> I'm willing to admit that's created a certain climate of oversensitivity, but that doesn't change the fact that it's there.
<AliMc> I'm not the only one that looked at that and saw a distinct and rather unneccessary shot, I'm probably just the only one who's mentioned it to you so far.

[Yeah, most everyone else didn't feel like expending the effort to stab me in the front.]

<AliMc> Considering that the climate around here's been bad lately, and it struck me as a little surprising that anyone would add to it.
* `Smoot shrugs. We made the chan about three weeks ago. It's not a shot. Ever heard the term "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"?
<`Smoot> #plotting, whether everyone wants to admit it or not, does what it's intended to do quite well, I've been told. We're emulating that as best we can. We wanted a writing-only channel on IRC, and not everyone can get into #plotting. So we made #not-plotting.
<AliMc> #Plotting, as we've said ad nauseum, is not what everyone thinks it is. Look, I'm not going to make an issue out of this...like I said, no posts to the messageboard, so you don't need to be watching out for me trying to stab you in the back or anything. But I thought better of all three of you. All you've done is added another little current of resentment to the river of it we've already got these days, and that's really not productive.
<AliMc> I'm certianly not asking or expecting you three to change the name of the room. I just thought it was better to let you know about the unintentional effects the choice had in the first place.

[You didn't have to. Everyone else really took care of telling, demanding, ordering, etc. us to change the name.]

<AliMc> There's just been too much stuff festering around here.
<`Smoot> Understandable. And if anyone wants to misinterpret the meaning of our name, they're more than welcome to. Let everyone know that any questions, as I've said, can be brought to me, I'll answer them just as I've answered yours. Again, thanks for not escalating this into something it needn't be.
* AliMc just keeps coming back in my head to the fact that none of you really know what #plotting is, if I judge by the description in your post. Count me as having misinterpreted, and while I won't attack any of you publicly, I'm afraid I'm not going to be shy about voicing my opinion if someone asks me. I'm tired of myself and my friends being blatantly or subtly cast as the isolationist bad guys in all of this.

[If someone would bloody come right out and not be so damn contradictory about #plotting, we'd all know what the hell was going on. And you and all you friends being isolationist bad guys? Phry, Samy, and I were the minority bad guys in this one.]

<`Smoot> We're not insulting #plotting. I've said this. Samy's said this. Phrykyh's said this. We're not bashing you guys. We've set up an alternate room, for those who aren't #plotting invites. People like Jim Smith, to name one, and myself, and others that I don't know of at this moment. Those people deserve a writing channel too, and not just for fanfic. We're not calling you bad guys. We're just not #plotting.
<AliMc> You're a writer. You should know about how much impact language has. "We're #not-plotting. We're not the Exclusionary Channel." And for God's sake, Smoot, how many times do we all have to tell the rest of you this? #plotting was not started as a writing channel. It's reputation as a writing channel came about because of one horrendously misinterpreted comment on a messageboard almost a year back.

[So you THRIVED upon it and became the writing channel to end all writing channels. For the love of God, people, accept it. Stop denying it. You only make us to crazy stuff like this.]

<AliMc> No one is saying you don't have the right to found a half-dozen writing channels.
<AliMc> Just that choosing a name that, whether you want to admit it or not, casts aspersions on something that's already been a focus of too much unneccessary controversy, was a bad idea.
<AliMc> You're skewing this channel right from the very start by defining yourself by something you're not...something presumably less-than-desirable, or there'd be no new channel in the first place.

[Actually, this made us more memorable.]

<AliMc> Anyway, color me disgusted, more or less. I'll stop ranting at you now.
<AliMc> Thanks for listening, in any case.
<`Smoot> Hold on one second, if you will, please...
* AliMc holds on.
<`Smoot> Samy has this: We're not casting #plotting as 'less-than-desirable'. They're just trying to cast as as if we're doing that to support their argument. We're casting #plotting simply as 'different', and we offer a different experience, not better or worse.
<AliMc> OKay, fair enough. You didn't intend to cast us as less-than-desirable. You didn't NEED to cast us as anything, that's the point. You know a little bit about the situation, Samy I would assume knows a bit more, since he uses to drop in occasionaly.
<AliMc> I would have THOUGHT you'd both have at least considered the possibility of a reaction like this FROM #plotting
<AliMc> So what is it? You didn't consider it, or didn't care?

[Then? I considered, and cared. Now? I don't, for either.]

<`Smoot> I considered it, and decided that if anyone wanted to read bad things into it, they're of course free to do so. I can't stop people from interpreting things as they will. But no malicious intent was as my motivation.
<AliMc> This is funny, actually. It brings back to mind something that actually happened in #plotting, where I sort of lost my temper and pointed out to people that it couldn't solely be the responsibility of the ops to enforce a climate that lent itself to everyone getting along and getting what they needed out of the experience of IRC. I pointed out it was equally the responsibility of everyone who took part.
<AliMc> Maliciously or not, you went about creating a climate that was bound to breed at least some hostility.

[Whee. We're like Jurassic Park.]

<AliMc> The deed's done, in any case, so talking about it's moot. But you've contributed to the growing polarization on here whether you want to admit it to yourself or not.
<`Smoot> With all due respect to everyone involved, you can't do a -thing- with this community without some hostility being bred. We've set this up to do what it's intended to do. We meant nothing bad by it, and I'm not going to feel guilty. If you want to misinterpret it, I can't stop you. It's about time that everyone remembers that this is nothing but a hobby.
* AliMc sighs. I am so tired of that mindset. Seems too damned pessimistic to me...but anyway, forget it. We're coming at this from two different positions, anyway, and believe it or not, I didn't intend to try and make you feel guilty.

[No! Hobby! Accept! NOW!]

<AliMc> I'm offended, I'm not going to apologize for that. I think your motivations are still questionable, and the timing was unbelievably lousy, considering the mess with #subcafe.
<AliMc> But I won't bring it up again.
* `Smoot nods. I know, you're entitled to what you feel. I'm just talking about the people who I'm sure, now, will not act as maturely as you have. Thanks again for bringing this directly to me. And if you have any other complaints later, you can bring them to me again. And, as moot as it sounds, you're more than welcome to come by to see what we're about.
<AliMc> Fair enough. Bye.
Session Close: Fri Feb 18 23:51:36 2000

[I have questionable motives? Nahhhh... at the time, I swear, I didn't. We seriously came up with it as a frickin' half-joke one night. Phrykyh, Samy, and I. Why is it everyone always suspects the worst from the Outcasts? Well, on to Smoot vs. Mitai, Round Two.]