QFIT said:
I said nothing about Maz as a player. In fact, I said nothing whatever about anyone's skill. And I have no idea why you keep bringing up simulations. I stated that he posts false rumors as if they are truth. As far as people taking the accusations and rubbish seriously, it appears that Maz still does.
It is easier to belittle a poster than prove a point. It is easier to pigeon-hole than debate. But bullying is not of value.
Simply put you're avoiding the real issue and that is determining whether or not someone's advice has any worth on different levels. Sometimes a poster can be a very good player without being great with the theory and vice versa.
If i wish to determine whether or not someone understands various aspects of the game, i would discuss the theory with them. But we're not talking about understanding here, we're discussing actual ability to get the money when at the table and that shows through in the discussion of actual playing as was engaged in above. I'm afraid no demonstration of theoretical knowledge on a message board can show practical skill. The only way to demonstrate that is through - as i've mentioned already - peer review. Having other players whose skill level you can verify comment on an unknown poster's skill level. Now sometimes that as simple as "i've seen that person play - they're not very good" but other times these verified people make judgements on discussion of the practical aspects of the game. If what you say doesn't add up to known established practicalities of real play then obviously this is going to cast doubt on whether you really are the serious players you are making out [all "you" statements in this are non-directed and meant in a general sense to apply to all posters].
This basically means that if - and let's create a hypothetical character here - i've read a lot of Max's comments on playing and agree with and respect what he's said and he posts sarcasticly about a supposedly playing experience of let's say poster Bang, i now know that Max doesn't feel that Bang has the playing experience they're representing. As i respect Max, i now have some more information to make my decision about whether Bang is worth listening to.
Who you consider a verified skill level is entirely personal and different people have different criteria - personally i really need to see a demonstration of your skill or have a player for whom i have seen such a demonstration vouch for you, but others require far less. The point is that i'm far more likely to listen to someone who's practical skills are at a standard that i respect when it comes to discussion of actual play and when they point out doubts about another poster's abilities that also bares relevance to my assessment. Calling people out is simply cutting through the vast veils of b*llsh*t that pervade the message boards on AP.
This has happened to me on several occasions while posting here, where other people have questioned the value of my imput - i'm very aware that some people here think i'm a hack/scam artist/very nasty person and will tell other posters so due to discussions that have concluded with confrontation. I may not always have particularly enjoyed such threads but these discussion serve a valuable purpose allowing other posters on the board to decide whether i'm someone they feel should be listened to or not.
Alongside these arguments, the comments of other members of the community add weight to one side or the other. When i pass negative or dismissive comments about another poster, my intention is simple - i am saying loud and clear that i don't believe the character they are presenting and am warning others to be wary of believing too much of what they post. When a poster i respect posts something derisive about someone else, it suggests to me that i should be wary of the information that they hand out.
When everyone sticks to being nice to one another, legitimate debate about who is presenting a persona that they can't live up to can't happen. In a community where lies, exaggeration and misconception are so prevalent, the only way to get anything even remotely close to the truth is some bashed egos. Knowing who to believe is a vitally important skill on a blackjack message board and these sort of comments simply warn posters that respect MAZ that he doesn't hold Flash in high regard.
RJT.
:whip:
