[MUD-Dev] Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World]

[JC Lawrence]

On Sun, 28 Dec 1997 00:44:08 +0100 (MET) 
stad <Ola> wrote:

> JC Lawrence:
>> On Fri, 19 Dec 1997 12:56:31 PST8PDT stad <Ola> wrote:
>>> "Jon A. Lambert" <jlsysinc at ix.netcom.com> wrote:

>>>> I would tend to agree with Matt.  If you use the "invitation to
>>>> my mud" as "invitation to my house" analogy, the player jerk is
>>>> very easily identifiable from the character jerk.  As your house
>>>> gets larger and you
>>
>>> The problem is that I don't accept the analogy.  I expect people
>>> to not throw my furniture around the house.  However, they should
>>> (in my opinion) be allowed to do so on a mud from an admin POV.
>>> Actually this personal relationship between players and the HOST,
>>> is something I really dislike.  I view this as a better approach:
>>> the mud is the home of the users, the admin is the (invisible!)
>>> janitor who keeps the machinery running.
>>  I weigh in on the SysAdmin is the host side, mostly due to the
>> fact that he has the ultimate authority and effectively the users
>> are there on his sufferance.

> Hmm.. I don't understand. Does this mean "the admin should think of
> himself as the ultimate authority" or "the system would be better of
> if the admin is an invisible janitor".  In norse please! :-)

The problem with answering the question as phrased is that it presents
the question area as a simple choice between two extremes.  Its not.

  The admin is tha ultimate authority, should know that, and should be
comfortable with that.  The reason is that the admin will define the
bounds and reaches of the world, both physically and socially, if only
by consent.  He has no choice in that regard, so he'd better take the
reigns of power before they take him.

  The admin is also the tireless background caretaker, wheelgreaser,
and bottle washer.  He makes the system work.  If he doesn't, the
system won't exist.

  The admin is also the invisible janitor.

A MUD admin has many functions, most of which don't submit well to
simple linear definition.  

However, the main point which I am countering is the assertion that
the users of the MUD world have some sort of divine ownership and
right to their creations and effects in the MUD world.  While I know
that some admins would encourage such a view, I think it is
essentially delusionary.  The users in a MUD are there on the admin's
sufference.  Quite literally he allows them to be there, and to do
whatever they do.  If he did not allow them, they would not be there.

Why?  This is not some heady power trip.  It is simply because he owns
the power switch to the box running the MUD, and the software it
runs.  He controls the fact of the presence of the universe, and he
controls the expression of that universe.  

The trick is ensuring that this doesn't become a heady power rush.  

Homo Sapiens makes very poor gods, but much better managers and
corporate execs.  MUD administration is not much different.

BTW: Mind if I cross this to MUD-Dev?

--
J C Lawrence                               Internet: claw at null.net
                                           Internet: coder at ibm.net
----------(*)                        Internet: jc.lawrence at sun.com
...Honourary Member of Clan McFud -- Teamer's Avenging Monolith...