[MUD-Dev] Administrative Responsibilities

[Chris Gray]

[Greg Munt:]

:My question: should mud administrators neccessarily feel any
:responsibilities, in the manner of which I have described above? Are they
:simply maintainers of the server and its database, or does their position
:*demand* that they take an interest in social issues too? Should players
:expect protection from social problems - such as harassment and
:victimisation - from administrators? If protection is not offered, are 
:players reasonably entitled to deem the administrators unworthy? Do
:administrators have any responsibilities to the users of their software?

Different people have different interests. Someone capable of programming
a MUD server, and of putting together a scenario, may have the social
skills of a wolverine. If the accepted answer to your question is 'yes',
then that person cannot do anything with the system they have created,
other than perhaps give it to someone else. In the free and open world
of the non-work-time internet, I don't believe that is acceptable. You
*want* social responsibility on the part of someone who has the technical
skills and opportunity to host a MUD, but I don't think you can *demand*
it. Doing so puts you in the same position as your harassers - putting
your own desires ahead of those of others.

(I'm being very one-sided about this, but hopefully you see my point.)

--
Chris Gray   cg at ami-cg.GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA