Attention FST (Staff and Users)

[TrueBusiness]

Hi.

I feel it is time that FST has had a real thread full of honest questions and clear answers. I will look at both sides of this recurring issue and hope to address it once and for all, which seems rather unlikely. For years (literally), lack of coherent communication has hindered an enjoyable process that was once "merely sharing files." The online drama, funny enough, is rather a immature evolution from what we truly wanted.

From the threads I have seen, it seems as if the FST staff and tracker staff are pitted against each other in a perpetual quandary and battle. Being somewhat in this kind of situation for quite a while, I feel it is really essential for both sides to stop the miscommunication.

Bittorrent, in its core sense, is to share files. No doubt since it's appearance in 2001, and its widespread use starting in 2004, it has escalated to much more than that. While it had been mostly used as a method for friends online to share files at first, we have developed into a hypocritical online network full of liars and backstabbers. Since their commencement, trackers are now exhibited in a "What Trackers Are Worth" thread, apparently largely catered to "traders." This is no doubt a violation of site rules, sites of which many FST staff are on.

Now, I ask you, why? Traders, in reality, rarely use the trackers they trade. Ironically, they use the the trackers they have successfully traded as "trophy trackers," trackers that represent nothing but its face value as a name. Now rather than actually use the site, they again trade accounts and invites for what they deem as a "higher level tracker," a number superficially branded based on rarity to represent a tracker.

Traders, in real life, are normal human beings like you and me. Online, however, they can have ten or even twenty alternate identities. We have all heard of trader hunters. Their essential goal is to rid of these users from trackers, mostly for one reason. Traders compromise site security, just as the reviews in the WTAW thread do. While FST staff seems to value their members' security and deem it their admirable quality, it is a paradoxical action when they do not seem to realize trackers are doing the same. What most of us is illegal, yet they condone the fact that traders should be helped in their desires to achieve the delusional goal of attaining a "tracker." Is there some hidden motive behind this? I leave this to FST staff to ponder, whether or not they decide to announce it publicly. Don't tell me it's to satiate the needs of traders. If FST really cared about them, they would advise them with a thread of the detrimental qualities of trading and lead them in the right direction instead of condoning these actions.

On another note, allow me to make an example with history that pretty much sums up the e-drama that has been going on for quite a while now.

After World War II, America again deemed the Soviet Union as its main rival. While an ally in the second World War, the Soviet Union was angry that America had arrived so late in the war. The USSR, during the whole course of the war until D-Day, thought the US had viewed them as rivals, and allowed the Soviets to "bleed" and exterminate the Nazis AND the Communists for the convenience of Americans. This, however is untrue, as FDR had been slowly pushing America out of its isolationist status. After the war, Truman, now the President, announced his plan for a Truman Doctrine or, as it was widely known, containment. The plan was to keep Communism from spreading and for the USSR to give up the countries it had obtained during the war. The Soviet Union said no, and America thought that they had planned to spread Communism across the world. What they did not realize is that Russia had lost 20 million soldiers in the war until D-Day, and invaded THREE times since Napoleon last invaded the country. The "Iron Curtain" (countries the USSR obtained in the war) was to act as a buffer zone from future invasions, while Truman believed it was the start of the spread of Communism. Thus, the Cold War began.

Please excuse my language, but this stupid shit ran on for decades, an arms race that lasted caused of disillusioned retards who never communicated. Both sides were CLEARLY apprehensive of each other, but always assumed the other side was making a move.

If you haven't realized yet, this analogy fits rather perfectly in our Bittorrent world. Tracker staff, being Soviet Russia, are apprehensive of invasions from bad users. They closed their doors, and people started characterizing them as being "1337." FST staff, being America, keep a staunch position on keeping their traders and reviews, sadly not admitting the fact that trackers are having their security ruined by these users. No matter the experience of a tracker staff, they are there to protect their site, regardless of they seeming immaturity.

On the other hand, tracker staff are so ruthless in their catching traders that people start thinking they're crazy. It's a dog eat dog world to them, and they will do anything to protect their site rather than protect YOU. It may not be entirely understandable to everyone, but they are more secretive about their trackers and members, as they are so conspicuously doing something more wrong than hosting a public site about file sharing. Some tracker staff are truly immature; it's a pity. The situations at hand is the amount of traders FST hosts and the paranoia of staff to protect their sites.

I have typed enough to prove my point. Most of you probably did not read it entirely due to your lack of wanting to read long paragraphs, but I strongly suggest we take a clear approach to this right now rather than go on for months with meaningless topic. You may accuse me of having no life, but I will say, that if you have any opinion concerning this, that you partake in this thread with some explanations that will elucidate this situation.

This topic may not change anything. So be it. However, I strongly hope we will change the attitude of both sides, both of whom are very protective of their stances, largely due to dearth of cooperation between both camps.

I will probably return to this thread and reply again, with a much shorter post to address the short attention span of the majority of bittorrent users.

With that, bye for now and good luck.

[respawn40]

Woo, that was quite the read! It's 1 in the morning, so I'm not much for...um...thinking, at the moment; but I do agree that there's a very large amount of e-Drama that could be avoided if bittorrent discussion sites could just cooperate with bittorrent trackers.

By the way, I only know of a few people who use such big words in such long posts, and have been affected recently by this immaturity that you speak of. You're definitely not new here.

[Artemis]

I will probably return to this thread and reply again, with a much shorter post to address the short attention span of the majority of bittorrent users.

With that, bye for now and good luck.

KThxBai

[LeBronJames]

I don't understand why everyone looks at FST as the source of all evil in the universe. People want to trade. They trade all over the place. FST gives users a safe place to trade. The users want it, so FST gives it to them. To hate FST for allowing trading is natural, but if you really want to fix the problem, then you shouldn't be going after FST. You should be trying to teach new users and old users alike on how to go about the private tracker world. People see the rarity ranking lvl system that is everywhere and they see it as a game to get to lvl10 with tracker invites serving as the trading cards. Some trackers make it really hard to get into their tracker and people want it, so people who aren't in are naturally going to be calling them "1337" ... especially if the tracker seems to have closed its doors to high class users as most of the "upper level trackers" have. Blame the trackers here.

So you say you've asked all these clear questions and you really want to get a lot out of this thread, but maybe instead of pointing fingers and blaiming FST as is so trendy nowadays, the trackers need to take some of the onus on themselves to try and teach users about the right way to go about getting invites.... if they even know themselves. People don't want to sit around tracker IRCs for days on end trying to network, so they are going to turn to trading unless there is a better solution

[BlackKnight]

wow I have no problems in reading such a long post like this (actually I enjoy it, thanks to a friend of mine ). I don't know if I understand all your points but what I feel is that you are a little bit on the traders' side.

I have some thoughts on this things, I've changed a lot in my point of view in a few days. I always love all of my accounts so I never agree with trading things but I agree with you that staff from trackers are somehow making this war become worse. They close their door, and I'm not even sure if they care about the quality of the members but they are creating groups of elitists. Many ppl want to make friends with those elitists to join trackers they want. I know a member want join all ftn, fsc, f***, ukt and he admitted that all forums are the same content with the same faces, he just wanted to join them because those are spam-able places. So he ignored TT and E****. (he was successful with ftn and fsc).

I wonder if it's the true meaning of sharing? the true meaning of making friends? and do staff know about that kind of thing? It's pure collecting, no more no less. But it seems staff from trackers put more effort in the war between traders than those kind of ppl. It makes me fed up with anyone who keeps saying that they need to have friends to join those trackers. Traders are even better if I consider that they just go straight not suck other cocks to get what they want!

Well, in the end, I maybe totally wrong still...

[That1Guy]

First off, Thank you for the history lesson. Interesting read.

I personally have felt the same way about this subject for a while now. I disagree with trading and have since I read the rules that said not to. Not that I follow every "rule" given to me (smoker). but if I choose to join something, and sign something saying I will follow rules (or click "I accept" buttons), I honor my word.

I guess it is probably easier for those with good people skills, that type decent English and maybe have a decent internet connection to acquire some sites the "allowed" way. So maybe if the circumstances were different I would have traded. (not that I dont slaughter the English language daily )

That being said, I dont waste my time trying to hunt down traders, But do not feel sorry for them what so ever when something goes wrong.

Edit: 420 posts w00t, I may never post again

[Cabalo]

With the recent moves from some trackers' staffers against FST staff and active members (even those actively anti traders), i see no reason as why should FST make any changes when there isn't the slightest will of staffers to discuss this reasonably.
when i mean staffers, i mean sysops, not the small fishes.

i do know and talk to some sysops time to time, and it's a pity FST can't make some kind of agreement with them, as they are reasonable and good people, and have proven such in different occasions. but not all are like those, and that's why their sites stand in the crowd.

the biggest problem doesn't stand in FST's hands. it stands in the childish behaviour of some kids that dream to be important behind a keyboard.
Being egocentric and thinking the universe of the internet information highway would shortcut and go around their site, is purely utopic.

[TrueBusiness]

I don't understand why everyone looks at FST as the source of all evil in the universe. People want to trade. They trade all over the place. FST gives users a safe place to trade. The users want it, so FST gives it to them. To hate FST for allowing trading is natural, but if you really want to fix the problem, then you shouldn't be going after FST. You should be trying to teach new users and old users alike on how to go about the private tracker world. People see the rarity ranking lvl system that is everywhere and they see it as a game to get to lvl10 with tracker invites serving as the trading cards. Some trackers make it really hard to get into their tracker and people want it, so people who aren't in are naturally going to be calling them "1337" ... especially if the tracker seems to have closed its doors to high class users as most of the "upper level trackers" have. Blame the trackers here.

So you say you've asked all these clear questions and you really want to get a lot out of this thread, but maybe instead of pointing fingers and blaiming FST as is so trendy nowadays, the trackers need to take some of the onus on themselves to try and teach users about the right way to go about getting invites.... if they even know themselves. People don't want to sit around tracker IRCs for days on end trying to network, so they are going to turn to trading unless there is a better solution

I did not say that FST was completely at fault. The main issue here is that both sides are lacking in communication. Both are being very aggresive in terms of the stances they are putting up.

They are sitting across from a table and the table just keeps elongating.

[1000possibleclaws]

Hi.

I strongly hope we will change the attitude of both sides, both of whom are very protective of their stances, largely due to dearth of cooperation between both camps.

I communicate with a fair bit of tracker staff.

I agree that alot of bs happens with no preceding attempt at communication as a resolver. However, in these extreme cases I doubt communication can solve these problems. I think that both party's ideals clash so much that in such a case no compromise could ever be met that would please both sides. This is in large why we decided to get rid of a comm rep status for staff (difficulty and stressors of compromise + staff who genuinely want to participate will do so regardless of the pretty stars).

With this being said, the drama you guys see is just the tip of the iceberg of what is happening. Communication, understanding, and maturity is why this s*** is relatively isolated.

[Artemis]

One major reason for FST being regarded as the 'source of all evil' is the WTAW thread, this was created by an FST member Sydney. Before this trackers had not been rated, and no matter what anyone else says it is a rarity rating showing how difficult it is to get into trackers. Now because of this thread we have a whole virtual stockmarket, with common comments in threads of you can't get that for that tracker it is too low level. I mean seriously it is the mentality that is wrong.

Since the removal of the comm rep status from most tracker staff (with a few exceptions) the large percentage of trackers have hardened their attitude to FST. Staff here say that the system was unmanageable and I actually understand both sides of the argument but that does not change the fact that this has caused a major rift. Are there any tracker staff who run giveaways any more ? Do you see Brandon or Vidde post at all ?
FST is here to protect its own rules and the users of the forum, in doing that they break every rule that the trackers ask of members, so why be surprised that sites like FST anger the trackers ? FST angers them the most simply because it is the largest and is very high on the google site list.

FST has no intention of changing, why should they? it works for them, and the torrent sites themselves are only one area of interest in the filesharing area. The NZB's also generate interest and the lounge generates almost as much traffic as the bt section (strange that) but the dissertation about everyone sitting down calmly and working it all out is a very naive point of view.

Now we come to trading itself *sigh* this is the subject which gets everyones arms up in the air. Simply thanks to the WTAW thread and the implied levels of rarity that are generated we end with collectors. These are people who trade to get into a tracker that is rare just to have it, they need to hide from staff because they have traded so never post or talk in irc and only log on to keep the a/c alive, so basically they are about as much use to tracker staff as an extra nipple. There are those that trade to get the a/c's that they want and then are good even great users (honorable mention goes to puckface here) but most sadly just want the tracker bookmark.......

I have mentioned before the underside of trading as well, since we have this implied 'value' from the WTAW thread we have invite sellers, these are people who trade multiple a/c's/ invites simply to sell them off, so it is little wonder that tracker staff dislike these practices.

The aims of the bt trackers and the aims of the FST forum are different they have always been different but there is no likelihood that this is going to change, so the idea that what FST promotes is going to be 'accepted' by the bt trackers is minimal.