What Are Members Worth? (WAMW)

[realityhd]

This post is not flame or anything of the sort. I'm curious and drunk enough to share something private. I've donated over $1000 to several trackers this year. Is that worth something? Does that make me a good member?

[n00bz0r]

This post is not flame or anything of the sort. I'm curious and drunk enough to share something private. I've donated over $1000 to several trackers this year. Is that worth something? Does that make me a good member?

for P2L and P2I sites.. u r the best possible member..ever!
/me appreciates your actions in helping trackers sustain themselves.

[megabyteme]

This post is not flame or anything of the sort. I'm curious and drunk enough to share something private. I've donated over $1000 to several trackers this year. Is that worth something? Does that make me a good member?

You bring up a very good point, realityhd!

I did not mention donations. While donations are a very important part of the BT community, they generally don't make you a "better" member. Many sites give VIP status or added upload credit for donating to the site, but I cannot think of one that would let even a substantial "philanthropist" such as yourself get away with breaking site rules. In particular, I like BMTV's stance on the "Elite" member:

Keep in mind that donation for ELITE status and Donator star does not exempt you from the auto ban for ratio.
Nor does it give you any Upload Credit. ELITE's should not lead by bad example anyway.

In other words, you cannot buy your way into Heaven or out of trouble.

On a somewhat related note, I did not address ratios or high speed connections. It is very common for members to mention both of these when making an invite request.

A good ratio is simply part of following site rules and is a minimal qualification for membership.

A high speed connection or "seed box" is a plus, but there is no shortage of speed- especially on the most sought-after sites. Members giving invites like to know if their invitees can "keep up" when they give out invites to hard-to-seed sites, but it is really more of a plus than a huge asset to a site. However, it might come in handy if a site is trying to get off the ground and does not have very many members.

So, I would argue that donations, good ratios, and high speeds are all good, but members seeking invitations should focus on what else they can bring to a site when making a request.

Bottom line- Be fun, interesting, intelligent, and likable. If you have a long history of any/all of these things you will have more fun and you will get invited to more places. It works IRL and on the internets.

[mrnobody]

Does that make me a good member?

i thought you and good broke up a long time ago

[Feeling]

and I really like your site too. To bad I let my account expire duo to inactivity. I still regret that.
(or at least I think i know who you are... clover)

Wrong one. Clover is Scl, I believe.

Correct!

[realityhd]

Does that make me a good member?

i thought you and good broke up a long time ago

That doesn't preclude a booty call. Besides, good is subjective.

[megabyteme]

Besides, good is subjective.

I see what you are trying to say, but for the most part, I have to disagree. The objective standards for "good member" or perhaps "a member in good standing" are clearly stated in a site's rules.

Only in a case where there is a "rogue" or malicious moderator would the decision(s) be made that were not objective. I think it is VERY rare that a mod would go out of their way to abuse their power and attack a member who had not done (or perhaps said) anything.

Mods are generally very good at following site rules. That is how they got to be mods in the first place. Although people generally disagree after they have been banned "for no reason".

[realityhd]

Why automatically go to the rules to determine what is a good member?

Most sites do not say anything about dupe accounts or giving them away to strangers in their rules, which is what I'll readily admit to doing. So by the rules, I'm still a good member.

I still think good, in general, especially in response to squirrel, is subjective, at least to the extent that I don't subscribe to all of the orthodox views of what it means to join some website and download some metadata files.

[megabyteme]

"The rules" are a list of behaviors that are required of a guest. When you go to a site (or even someone's home or business)there are implicit and explicit limitations placed on your conduct. It may be seen as rude to put your feet up on a coffee table in one home, while in another, the atmosphere is more relaxed and it is acceptable. Site owners, like home owners have the right to judge behavior and set the rules.

There are also certain rules that just go without saying. Regardless of the relaxed atmosphere (in the above example), you still would not want to spit on someone's floor. Certain actions will not only get you thrown out of one owner's house, but making a big enough scene or error of judgment and you may be unwelcome in any of their friends' houses (sites) as well.

This is a community, one could also argue that it has also grown into its own culture. Like any real-world community, there are certain expectations placed on its members. Some places post signs and feel the need to express those rules of conduct. Others simply assume the maturity of the guest to not cross the community's spoken, or unspoken requirements.

This is not very complex. Just do your best to act in a manner that you would want someone else to if you invited strangers into your home. Be courteous, fun, and interesting and you will be welcomed back. Fail to act according to the rules and you will be shunned. It really is the same online and IRL.

Acting in a socially unacceptable manner will close a lot of doors. Once closed, those doors are difficult to reopen. It's up to you whether or not you want to be inside or outside. There's usually a lot more fun going on inside (especially if all the jackasses are outside).

[TheFoX]

There are a list of unwritten rules that are governed by common sense. The best way to determine whether something is acceptable or not is to consider how you would feel if you were on the receiving end.

For example, many people hit and run, yet how would those same people feel if they were on 97% completion when the seeder decided to run?

A community exists on harmony. While there may be a few errant members, the majority work towards a peaceful existence with each other. This is true in real life as well as virtual life.

So, to the matter of 'giving away accounts'. An account, by its very definition, is a personal thing. You have a bank account. You may have credit accounts. Gas and electric accounts. All are in your own name. They belong to you.

When you sign up at a forum, you use a pseudonym, yet this is still you. So, why do people feel the need to give away something which is personal? Would you hand your bank account to a stranger? Would the bank even allow such an act?

If you sell your house, the electricity and gas accounts are not transfered to the new owners. They have fresh accounts set up for them.

In other words, just because you can do something doesn't make it right. After all, there is nothing in law that actually stops me from killing someone. The law is actually geared towards sentencing me after I have killed someone. This is why it is often necessary to catch someone in the act of committing a crime to have a successful prosecution.

So, apply common sense, and think whether the actions you use on a forum site would be acceptable in the real world. After all, if you went into a pub or bar and took someone's drink, you'd expect a black eye in return.