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Dear Ms Netiquette,
I am just writing in the hopes that the numerous rude players I have come across recently will read this and take to heart what is being said. Perhaps I am simply crazy in my expectations of games, but when I am playing a game with other players (particularly card games where each person must wait for the previous player before they take their turn), I expect the game to take longer than with a computer player.
However, recently, I have been in many game rooms where I was verbally abused by other players simply for taking the time to think about what card I would be playing next. They kept insisting that the game was meant to be played fast, but I know perfectly well that these type of card games do not necessarily rely on speed. I politely pointed out that if they were that concerned about the game proceeding quickly, perhaps they should play against computer players, but they ignored that remark and kept berating me on my “slow” playing. I type that in quotes because, honestly, I never took longer than 5 seconds to play the next card and I am still confused as to why they were complaining that I took so long.
What they say doesn’t hurt my feelings (in fact, I often laugh at the absurdities of what they’re saying), but still, I’d love to be able to play these games without getting yelled at by other players every other time I join a room! Could you please let fellow Pogo players know that sometimes internet connections and the need to think requires human players to take longer than they might wish?
Thanks!
Sincerely,
I’m Going to Take My Time Anyway
| Dear I’m Going to Take My Time Anyway, Me glad give message. Doubt will work. Rude people no read column. Drink tea. Oh wait, that was last week. Although, looking at what I just wrote, that is sort of the same message I’m about to impart! I’m always delighted to remind players to take into account their partner’s circumstances when playing a game. But, the rudeniks and ne’er-do-wells rarely read any sort of etiquette column. On occasion, a gentle “I’m playing as fast as I can” does serve as a nice reminder to those who are sensitive to the fact that they are not the only people on the planet and that the universe does not revolve around them. However, it’s likely those who give you grief haven’t yet learned that. So, I would continue to inform them that for truly speedy games they might consider a computer player. And if they continue to give you a hard time – finish the game and find another player – hopefully that person will have a little patience! |
Ms. Nettie,
I came across this argument last night and maybe you can set everybody straight. Since Pogo has incorporated itself with social media i.e. Facebook there is a lot more chat about FB status, apps and games than about Pogo sometimes.
A league Tournament Director informed some of its members that it was against Pogo’s Terms of Service to talk about (and maybe indirectly advertise) games on Facebook in open chat, that this was just the same as spamming a service for another site.
Since Pogo has a incorporated or made a possible 3rd party agreement with Facebook (the same as they do with tournament sites) is there anything wrong with discussing Facebook games in a open lobby on Pogo chat?
Please Help!
Confused in Canasta
| Dear Confused in Canasta, Regardless of any agreements with any third party company, it is a Terms of Service violation to openly advertise anything in Pogo chat. You can’t say: “I need seven more pimples for my face in Faceville, please give them to me at: www.faceville.com/gimmezits.” Or “Drink Poppitsi! The soda that tastes like balloons! Go to www.poppitsi.com!” However, you can discuss other games as much as you’d like. You can say: “I just got 7 more pimples in Faceville! Now I just need 3 freckles and a sunspot! Anyone else play Faceville?” or “I think this bottle of Poppitsi is bad – tastes more like rubber bands than balloons.” So, trying to manipulate players into giving you or a company money, points, etc… through your chat on Pogo is a no no. Discussing your life and the various things you do is not. In defense of your Tournament Director, one must be careful when it comes to talking about a league, as you can get in trouble for advertising a specific league and my guess is that he or she is erring on the side of caution. We recommend that players who are in leagues don’t spam the chat room with “Join the Faceville Poppitsi League! Go to: www.ourleagues.com/poppitsiface” but rather talk to people one on one about their league should anyone show interest in joining. |
Dear Ms. Netiquette,
ROFL!! Your April Fool’s column was wonderful! (Ms. Netiquette, 4/1/11) However, it had some truth to it, I fear. Especially the first letter about the person honing their rudeness to an art form. I have run into a couple people like that over time. That is exactly why the mute button is so handy, particularly when you can mute just an individual and not the entire chat.
I am an outspoken person (especially for the ‘underdog’) and find it difficult to keep my mouth shut at times when someone is being particularly rude. Example – I went into a room last night and a “woman” was using foul language toward another player, calling her names that no one should be subjected to. I checked this player’s profile and found that she was actually in a professional type job and really should have had more class than she was displaying.
The person being attacked left the room and this person went on to explain that it was her daughter who had made those comments and then she went on to make an inappropriate comment about her daughter! Boy did I want to lay in to her, but…. knowing that that would only cause her to become defensive and continue her rudeness I chose to use the mute button. Sure kept my blood pressure from elevating. If I can’t see what she is saying, then it doesn’t require a response from me.
Thanks for listening and thanks again for the great April Fool’s column.
Mute Button Lover
| Dear Mute Button Lover, Boy, did I get a lot of positive feedback on last week’s column! And to think I was actually worried players would take offense that I was poking a little fun at some of our more… interesting… players. For those of us who are opinionated, it can be quite the challenge to refrain from saying something when you see something so wrong it makes your skin crawl. But, as you pointed out, it might be just what your blood pressure would like from you. If you think the other player has violated the Terms of Service, report them. Otherwise, employ the mute! Or, to put it more succinctly: Not like chat topic? Report. Mute. Move on. Drink tea. |
Have an etiquette question for Ms. Netiquette? Email msnetiquette@pogo.com
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