also it's rather safe to make "jokes" like this from the comfort of your living room. It's realy easy writing something down anonymously behind a screen, away from man to man confrontation. We're still dealing with real people here, it's still read and it will still hurt.
Would you be able to look someone in the eye and even dare to make the same "joke" ? Would you do this to people you see on a regular basis ?
Maybe it has something to do with the lack of social values, about knowing how to behave, tact and all that, which from my point of view is basic knowledge that every decent person should have. You know instinctively when you cross a line, you know you're doing something that is wrong and you feel it inside you. So why do it ?
What are you going to do when you meet face to face again the next time, without the safety of your screen to hide behind and chuckle ?
I just don't understand what a harmless 8 bit homecomputer and those who love it has to do with all of this.
I sure think that msx doesn't gain popularity with a community like this. It's the people who keep msx alive,
and so the future of it depends on its users and all this pointless anger doesn't serve it the least bit.

I think the problem is in the genes. According to a recent study, Dutch people have a defect in the gene controlling empathy. So Dutch people simply don't understand that saying these things may actually hurt.

Btw, the same study found that Swedes totally lack the gene that controls the notion of time, which may explain why this post came one day to late.

Well, I would like to post some positive things about the swedish genes after beeing in Stockholm last weekend , but I think that's not the right time now...

hahaha female swedish genes innit ?
as to dvik: je t'aime tellement

ohwell, there's ABBA, after all..

of which anne-frid was norwegian (and child of a nazi dad)

Wishing people to die is a favorite in the dutch MSX scene.

I can remember quite well several years ago to read on IRC by the same TNI saying to me: Start dying slowly ...
I also remember quite well some MRC people, now yelling here, being present at that chat saying ... nothing ...

Indeed, something in the dutch MSX genes is missing.

MRC are clearly amongst the big 5 in "MSX-world", next to for instance MSX-A, Sunrise and MSX-dev. Without MRC there would not have been a daily source for MSX news. I think I'm not the only person to visit MRC more than once a day. It's a big effort to keep a site like this up and running for more than 10 years now, especially considering the fact that [in true MSX-spirit] the site has been coded by dedicated volunteers. Hats off. Deep bow. Never underestimate that.

Debates on whether MRC and Bazix/Woomb.net should not be runned by the very same people are purely a matter of insignificant moaning. No one is being forced to consult either Bazix or Woomb.net. If you don't trust them, don't buy. Easy. Simple. I guess everyone is capable of making that choice. Personally I think there's nothing wrong if the people behind the free (!) MRC earn a bit of money from other activities like Woomb. It's legal. FACT. Rom-images on the net, on your and my HD are illegal. FACT.

As for the Banzai-"joke": it's quite embarrassing (and very disappointing) to notice that grown-ups in their late-20's / 30's (perhaps even older) did feel the need to publish these kind of texts on the net. I cannot understand why mature people deliberately hurt someone's feelings. I also don't understand why snout does not ban the persons involved. Where's your self-respect?

pfffffffffffffffff. people:
can we get back to normal now ?

Oh, boohoooo. Some one said something bad about some one else... it's freedom of speech. If it's MY website, I decide its content. Don't like? Don't read it. period. Domain holder or web master? So, who's responsible for MRC content?

I know, it's fucked to read something harmful, something personal on some website. So? Take 5 minutes to breath and swallow. (I would be angry too, but would solve it on a personal/direct level instead of venting my anger on some web-board)

Stemmingmakerij Snout. (dunno the Eng term for that right now)
It's YOUR beef, not mine (so why the hell am I replying to this post anyway... yeah, why? )

I apologize for playing the devil's advocate here, snout. I'm not trying to make fun of you, stir things up or anything. I agree that there's persons out there with a short fuse which make you feel like shit. But hell, welcome to live. Don't be bitter, be the wiseman. Fuck guyver, fuck that hip gangster wanna be. Fuck all the clones and fuck the "famous style and anger" behaviour. Swallow and live! (and enjoy the gay parade 'fcourse )












(nice discussion btw on ethics and moral "standards", nothing new tho. Perfect time to load up that Dynamic Duo demo again, you know the one flaming on some dude which's name I can't remember)

Freedom of speech is very, very precious. So use it carefully and refrain from abusing it in order to preserve its assets.

Ro: had this 'joke' been a "first offense" I might have chosen to contact MSX Banzai! on a personal level and asked them to remove it, but the joke is part of a long lasting campaign to willfully and publically damage the MRC, Bazix and (now) hurt me and others involved in MRC and/or Bazix personally. Things went far before, but if you have the balls to publish such immoral filth, then you have to take full responsibility and take the blame for it in public. By solving things behind closed doors MSX Banzai would have gotten off way too light. As for domain holder of the website: responsible == MRC Foundation. Responsible for contents = Foundation, Admins & Webmasters. Clear as non-polluted water.

HansO: Knowing that I have been silent in situations as well, I now know exactly how it feels and regret that I've been part of the silent majority in the past. I'm shocked that during the day people who read and referred to the jokes, like mars2000you, did not seem to have a problem with that one joke. If in situations like these people were less held back to 'get involved' and instead of staying silent voiced that and why some things are over the line things would probably never have reached this new low.


From what I understand now I kind of misread BiFi's initial post in this thread, from which I gathered he had published the joke on MSX Banzai, but someone else made it up. Re-reading it I conclude that BiFi also made the joke. If that is the case, I indeed need to apologize to Patriek Lesparre (GuyveR800), whom I blamed too harshly, but still consider responsible for the contents of MSX Banzai. I hope that, MSXBanzai being his website and us having kind of a history, he can understand why I pointed him as prime and only suspect. I also hope that he too will agree that this 'joke' was way out of line and, in at least some way, he will dissociate himself from it.

As for BiFi: what were you thinking? Who were you trying to impress? In what way could I possibly 'abuse' the terminal disease of my father? And what on earth is the 'April Fools'-fun in that? Why did you not respond to your initial doubts? We worked together on MRC, we worked together on Guru Logic (where I guarded your position in the team on multiple occasions), we have met personally several times... What did I ever do to you to deserve this? There are many things that I don't understand. The one thing I'd -really- like to know is... Was it REALLY you who wrote and published the joke? It sounds -so- unlike you, so unlike the Albert Beevendorp I know.

Quote:

HansO: Knowing that I have been silent in situations as well

I have not read the joke (and I prefer not to), but sure would like loudly speaking joining all who think this kind of joke/hate is unacceptable.

Quote:

As for BiFi: what were you thinking? ... Was it REALLY you who wrote and published the joke? It sounds -so- unlike you, so unlike the Albert Beevendorp I know.

Hear hear. Albert has been such a good friend in the past of many, me included, and now is following a path filled with hate we do not understand.

I have just been reading this whole thing through.
One word comes in my mind.... sad.
Sad that these things happen in the MSX community.
The MSX scene isn't that big and a lot of us know eachother personal.
Of course we all have our differences and you can't like everybody.
But we should never attack or hurt eachother personally.
Come on you guys, we all have one thing incommon... MSX.
That's what bonds us all!
So for God's sake, let's stop this MRC/BAZIX versus MSXPOSSE/BANZAI or whatever RIGHT HERE!
It is all a waste of time and it will not make the MSX community stronger.
Worse, the MSX community as we know it (and love it) will one day come to an end due to this crap.
I hope this will never happen!
@ snout: keep up the good work at MRC! and just remember who your real MSX friends are

I agree. Snout, I think MRC is one of the best example for a well designed and great working 8bit community I ever saw on the net, I wish we would achieve that in the CPC scene, too, but unfortunately we don't do yet.