Once a distinction has been made during a discussion some form of bias is introduced, rendering the discussion no longer productive or objective. In essence, creating a policy or promoting action that specifically targets a group of people based on a physical distinction is, in and of itself, rooted in bias.

Note that I am not saying we live in a time of perfect equality. Far from it. Instead, I’m emphasizing that every time we discuss an issue we immediately bias the discussion by saying “x group” or “y group” or “z group.” While our discussions focus on any particular group we only perpetuate the cycle. Let’s take a classic example:

The Fifteenth Amendment states that the right to vote shall not be denied or abridged on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. The Nineteenth Amendment states that the right to vote shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex. While both of these serve valuable purposes (granting the right to vote to all citizens), both are horrifically flawed in their implementation. Instead of singling out any group, the changes should have been approached as a statement specifically geared toward treating all people as just that, people. The change should have been along the lines of the following:

The right to vote shall not be denied or abridged to any citizen of the United States who has reached the legal age of majority.

Once a condition (in this case race or gender) is singled out instead of treating all people equally we are automatically creating an atmosphere where discrimination is easily introduced into the discussion. The focus becomes the group being discussed instead of the issue.

This concept is not new. When Affirmative Action was first introduced there were a few who understood the very nature of the program was counterintuitive, and the same concept applies to every discussion, to the very foundation of this country: we cannot achieve equality while focusing on segments of the population instead of the population as a whole (paraphrased¹).

I wholeheartedly support the exploration of individual concerns and experiences, but to draw sweeping conclusions and apply those experiences to the population at large is also a fallacy. Stereotypes create discriminatory bias in people’s perceptions, just as individual experiences create bias in perception. It’s natural, but that doesn’t mean we should blind ourselves by stating “women generally do this” or “men generally do this.”

This long-winded explanation is meant to serve as a reminder that we, in general, do not think or speak in terms of equality. We almost always speak in terms of personal experience and personal perception. Until we can strip away the use of gender, skin color, or other factors that differentiate individual people from each other and focus on all of us as one diverse group, that group being human, we will always create some form of discriminatory environment (directly or indirectly). Whether you like it or not, everyone is discriminated against in some fashion until such a change in thinking occurs.

Footnotes:

1 William Bennet and Terry Eastland, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Article Link, Original Quote is “To count by race, to use the means of numerical equality to achieve the end of moral equality, is counterproductive, for to count by race is to deny the end by virtue of the means. The means of race counting will not, cannot, issue in an end where race does not matter.”

Ethnicity, Gender, and Privilege is a post from: Diabolical Minds

Task Management

I looked at a number of programs in this category, trying to decide if simple “To-Do’s” or notes synced between my MacBook Pro and my iPhone would do the job. Eventually I settled on Things by Cultured Code on my notebook, and when the iPhone application was released I immediately became hooked. I originally used it as more of a quick note-taking application while I was on the go, using the desktop version as a place for storing snippets of text that I wanted to go back and look at closer at a later date. Eventually I migrated to using it as a true task management application, and recently cleaned up the database in order to actually keep track of classwork, personal tasks, and projects. Below is a screenshot of the way in which things are organized for me at the moment (and for those unfamiliar with the way it works, Areas contain Tasks and Projects, and Projects also contain Tasks):

Things on the iPhone is almost identical to Things on the desktop, making it simple to keep track of tasks (and to continue to use it as a note-taking application while on the go). Syncing is handled wirelessly, and after the initial setup the only requirement is to have the application open on both devices. Further, using Dropbox (more on it in a moment), I can store the Things library and open the exact same information on my Mac Mini as well (it is my “backup machine” and the centerpiece of my home theater setup, so being able to move from my MacBook Pro to the MIni, or the other way around, is simply “icing on the cake” so-to-speak).

Things does not store files within its database, but an excellent compliment to Things is Things Folders. Things Folders basically copies the structure of Things (screenshot below) into a specified folder in the Finder, and adds a link to the associated project or task in Things (allowing the automated ability to store files related to a task or project in a folder that is already linked to the task in Things, keeping items organized).

Logins, Passwords, Account Information, and Secure Notes

I’m not sure I could live without 1Password by Agile Web Solutions anymore. Having an application to manage the hundreds of web logins I have, to keep my software licenses in, to provide a repository for secure notes, and to keep my account numbers handy, yet secure for quick reference, has made my life much, much easier. 1Password syncs wirelessly over the local network or using Dropbox (you can start to see why there will be a separate section for me to talk about Dropbox, can’t you?), so I am able to keep my desktop and iPhone in perfect, harmonious sync.

Where 1Password really shines, however, is in the inclusion of a strong password generator and the ability to click a button, enter a master password, and have the application fill the login information for the current website (or account information if it is stored in the application).

“Checkbook” and Finances

Moneywell by No Thirst Software is, without a doubt, one of the best applications out there for keeping track of your finances on the Mac. I’ve never liked Quicken due to software bloat and sluggishness, and the other application I used prior was purchased by Intuit, so finding a solid option with both OSX and iOS clients has been a challenge. While there are some aspects of Moneywell that I don’t necessarily like (having tried so many applications in this sector has exposed me to features that I never knew were available but now want in every application, so it’s mostly personal preference and not a limitation of the software itself), the simple and clean interface, and the simplicity of the sync between the iPhone and the Desktop version, make this another one of those “indispensable” applications for me. Sorry, no screenshots of this one because I’d have to show personal info, but take a look at the website if you’re in the market for an alternative to Quicken.

News, Articles, Twitter, and Google Reader

Let me start by saying this up front: I absolutely despise using Google Reader for anything other than keeping my read/unread items in sync. I used NetNewsWire for a long time, but the redesigned/rewritten version (the one that changed to using Google for feed syncing) has had issues for me. As a result I embarked upon a long journey trying to find something that would work well, and the lack of complimentary desktop/mobile applications by the same developer(s) made finding a solution difficult. On the iPhone I use Mobile RSS Pro (there is a free version as well that pretty much does everything one could want), and on the desktop I use Gruml. Previously I used Socialite by Realmac Software, and while I like the application it felt sluggish (not to mention there was no way to sync read/unread items on Twitter accounts with my iPhone).  Going back to using two separate apps on the desktop has allowed me to keep what I have and have not read on Twitter in sync also, utilizing the desktop and iPhone versions of Echofon.

Files and More

Dropbox is, by far, the most useful program/cloud sync solution for items that I have ever used. (And a shameless plug, if you sign up using this referral link then we both get an extra 250MB of storage in addition to the basic 2GB storage!)

With Dropbox and the use of symbolic links (Wikipedia article for those not familiar with symlinks is here) I have a number of applications storing their database “in the cloud” so that I can pull the exact same information up on any computer I use (which is extremely beneficial for writing blog posts by the way). In addition, I have specific files and information that I want accessible anywhere stored in Dropbox as well, which has clients for all major platforms (‘nix-based operating systems, OSX, Windows, iOS, Android, and even a Blackberry client coming soon).

I could write a lot on the application, but really understanding its benefits is difficult to see without trying it out for yourself.

Writing

I use a few different applications depending on purpose here, so I’ll simply list them for reference:

Blogging – MarsEdit by Red Sweater Software – MarsEdit allows me to manage multiple blogs offline, and allows editing in a WYSIWYG or HTML environment (allowing easy swapping between the two). And yes, I have it set up to store the database in Dropbox as well so that I can open up and edit posts, or look through older posts, on my notebook or desktop.

Story Writing – Scrivener by Litterature and Latte – Scrivener is, in my opinion, the absolute best story writing application available. If you are looking for something a little more robust than using a word processor then do yourself a favor and look into Scrivener. Guess what? I have the folder setup with a symbolic link to store all of my projects/works in Dropbox (see how useful it can be?)!

Everything Else – iWork by Apple predominantly, but I do keep Microsoft Office available in case I need it for compatibility (or, with school at least, Office is often seen as a requirement).

Summary of Application Links

• Things by Cultured Code
• Things Folders
• 1Password by Agile Web Solutions
• Moneywell by No Thirst Software
• Mobile RSS Pro
• Gruml
• Echofon
• Dropbox (Referral Link)
• MarsEdit by Red Sweater Software
• Scrivener by Litterature and Latte

Personal Notes

While this was just a high level overview, my goal was mostly to provide a starting point for anyone looking to streamline their workflow and have a lot of their most used information accessible on the go. I should probably mention Evernote here as well, since it is useful for keeping quick notes (which can include files) in sync, but I honestly don’t use it much to consider it an integral part of my normal routine.

A number of the applications above are only available on the Apple platform, and having fallen in love with the applications (and the synergy/ease of keeping things organized between machines) it is easy to understand why I have become, for all intents and purposes, a purely Apple user. The number of well designed, aesthetically pleasing, independently developed applications on the Mac side of the fence is, quite simply, amazing in comparison to what I have been exposed to on the Windows side of the fence. Everyone has their preference, however, and while I prefer OSX (and now iOS) over Windows or Linux based environments, I don’t expect everyone to agree on a single platform.

Synergistic Workflow is a post from: Diabolical Minds

Yeah… multiply that by ten and you’d get how I currently feel.

I’m sure this doesn’t surprise most of you, since there really hasn’t been much in the way of WoW-related posts here in a while anyway, but my account has been cancelled for a while and the remaining game time expired a couple of weeks ago. I’m just not interested in the game like I used to be. I’m not excited about Cataclysm, and I really don’t care for the overall direction the game is headed. There really isn’t a single reason, the game just isn’t fun for me anymore.

That’s really tough to say, but sometimes reality can be a bitch.

I’ve had my account since launch. I’ve taken breaks, sure, but I’ve grown attached to my characters. I’ve invested a lot of time and energy in their development over the years, and I always found the game enjoyable (although, in all honesty, most of that was playing with a large group of friends… most of whom have since moved on as well).

And now… well, now I just don’t care anymore. It’s painful, really, because I’m extremely attached to Byaghro (my Druid, and second character I created).

So, where do I take the blog from here? Thankfully I already made the migration to a site that was not game-specific, so I’ll basically continue what I’ve been doing the past few months. I am, however, going to be very sporadic in posting for a while. I’m about to be working full-time again in addition to taking a full class load, and, to be brutally honest, I’m not sure how much time I’ll really have to dedicate to anything beyond work and school for a little bit.

I’m not going anywhere, though. At least not yet (though it is starting to get kind of lonely over here… )

In the meantime I’m playing around with Starcraft 2 (and enjoying it) on a completely rebuilt machine (and let me tell you, Core i7 plus 6 GB RAM plus Dual SLI Geforce 250s make for an awesome gaming machine), and I’m thinking about going back and playing the entire God of War series again.

And A Request

I’d still like to get some guest authors posting. I had no responses to the previous request, but if you are interested (whether you are a blog author already or have never written anything online before doesn’t matter) please let me know. The topic is pretty much open to anything you are interested in, so if there is something you have been wanting to write about but did not think it fit well somewhere else, feel free to bring it here!

Now to go figure out whether I’ve lost my mind accepting a full-time position and taking six classes in the Fall…

It’s Been A Good Run… is a post from: Diabolical Minds

Antennagate

I cannot write an article without at least touching on this subject simply due to the publicity it has garnered. First and foremost, I have been unable to reproduce the publicized “death grip” issue in my normal usage. If I try really hard to hold the phone in a way that is abnormal and uncomfortable for me, and subsequently squeeze really hard, then I can get the signal to drop by a small amount. Now, this is not to say that the issue is nonexistent. This is just to say that I do not have this issue at all. Given the number of iPhones that have been sold versus the number of support calls and people I have actually heard of having the issue, I really do not believe it to be nearly as big an issue as people are trying to make it out to be. I have better reception that I had with my iPhone or iPhone 3Gs, and have been able to get coverage in a couple of places where I could not before. The moral of the story: try it yourself and see if it is an issue for you.

The “Closed Platform”

This one gets publicized a lot. People still say that the concept of the Application Store and requiring Apple’s approval for applications is a bad thing, even in light of the success it has seen. I still see complaints publicized about the lack of Flash support on the device. To be perfectly honest, I like the current system for my iPhone. I use my device for practically everything I do on a daily basis, and move to my MacBook Pro when I need to write articles, work with documents, or want to browse the web on a larger screen. That’s pretty much it. I browse the web a lot on my iPhone anyway, simply out of convenience. I have never wanted to look at something and been foiled due to lack of Flash support.

I suppose I should add that I have never been a fan of Flash, and would be more than happy to see it die. I do understand, however, that a lot of people find some reasons to proclaim it a wonderful technology.

Having applications go through Apple for approval can be frustrating, I have no doubt. However, given the number of really ugly applications I have seen (both on Mac OSX and on Windows), I like to think the approval process helps regulate the quality of the applications to some degree. Statistically I have no idea if this is true, and since I do not own an Android device to be able to look through and compare application quality I really cannot compare the two. I will say, however, that I do not stumble upon many applications that are absolutely horrible on the iPhone.

“There’s an App for That…”

The mantra has become a meme to an extent, but the statement is fairly accurate. I love the fact that I can find an application that does something I never even thought of doing with my iPhone. It opens up a new world of interaction with a mobile device and the environment. In addition, a lot of the things I needed to carry a laptop for can now be done with my iPhone alone. Supporting computer systems remotely without having to carry a laptop on a vacation/trip is wonderful, plain and simple.

Personal Note and Some Fun

In the end, the business model and design contribute to create the experience, and that is the focus of Apple’s strategy. If the device is enjoyable to use then the user wants to use it, and this should be done without requiring the user to understand any of the underlying technologies needed to accomplish the task. The iPhone does exceptionally well in this area, and is one of the reasons it is so successful. Even I will admit that there are some other devices on the market now that really challenge the iPhone, but I won’t proclaim that any platform is superior to any other without first-hand experience on each. It is for that reason alone that I will only proclaim that the iPhone is an absolute joy to use, and I have yet to encounter something that makes me think “gee, I wish it could do this because [x other device] does…”

If you aren’t interested in the iPhone that’s perfectly fine. I have always stated that an Apple computer is not perfect for everyone, so I would certainly not proclaim that an iPhone is perfect for everyone. What I dislike, though, is hearing the same rhetoric over and over again without justification. My challenge to you is simple: if you dislike a product provide a reason that applies directly to you, not a generalization based upon conjecture or the media.

Ok, rant over. It’s simply gotten old seeing complaints about the iPhone from people that have not even tried using one The only complaint I have is not with the iPhone directly, but with AT&T, and that is the ridiculous change away from an unlimited plan being touted as a positive change for the customer and the requirement of paying an additional fee to tether the device. Tethering is a capability of the phone, and whether I choose to use that data on the phone directly or while attaching the phone to a computer should not be something AT&T has any say over whatsoever. I pay for the data I use, regardless of how I use it. This is the one thing that absolutely needs to change.

And, just to add some fun to the post, here are a few pictures from the iPhone 4 (one of the reasons I chose to upgrade, incidentally, was the better camera):

The iPhone 4 is a post from: Diabolical Minds

First, I would like to solicit some guest posts to include over the next few weeks. One of the things I want to do is to create a new segment here on Diabolical Minds where I feature another author on a regular basis. Any topic is perfectly acceptable, and if you are interested please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. Whether you have your own blog, column, or haven’t written before also makes no difference.

Second, I’d really like to get more feedback. While I may not have a regular posting schedule myself due to classes, work, and general lack of time, I do make it a point to go through all comments and respond where appropriate. I would like more, though. Getting a feel for what you all are enjoying reading and what you want to read about is critical, otherwise I just continue my same course of “random topics of interest to me and sprinkled with fiction.” While I’m perfectly happy to continue, I do want to try to include posts geared toward what you all are interested in reading in addition to my randomness.

Third, Links. I finally updated the links section with some additional blogs that I either enjoy reading regularly or who I feel do an excellent job. I scrapped the entire section a few months ago, so the links will only grow as time passes. If you would like to be included feel free to send me a message, but be sure you read this post first!

And finally, the Forums. I honestly have not been pushing any real direction for the forums. I want them to be available for those who want to communicate on the blog, or just among each other, regardless of the type of discussion. Starting next week I will be trying to regularly post something on a weekly basis there, though, to try to promote the interaction and discussion that I enjoy as well. Feel free to check them out if you are even remotely interested, and please remember that the forums are still in their infancy. [Link]

Quick Notes and a Request is a post from: Diabolical Minds

Two years ago…

Synil loved spending time at the falls. The cool, refreshing water flowing over her as she lay on the sun-baked stone was the perfect mixture of temperatures to make her skin tingle. She closed her eyes and listened to the deathly roar of the waterfall; the sounds of nature’s most wondrous element helped her focus her mind in preparation for meditation.

The gentle beating of wings could be heard, growing louder as the beast softly landed on the nearby bank. Synil let a small smile cross her serene face as the sun was blocked from bathing her in its warmth. There was only one person who knew where she would spend hours on end during this time of year, and the ever so slight high-pitched whine of his breathing confirmed Synil’s suspicion before his nasal voice filled the silence.

“Why you spend so much time in this place instead of remaining in the comfort of the manor I will probably never understand,” he stated, sounding rather pompous and, to a point, distressed.

“Just as why you cannot appreciate the power and beauty of nature will never be completely understood by me,” Synil replied, her voice both graceful and commanding, “What brings you here, Kel?”

“An emissary has arrived who urgently wishes to speak with you. Were it not for the sword that he carries I would have dismissed the notion of fetching you immediately,” Kel replies as he moves slightly to his right to avoid a small wave.

Synil opens her eyes, disbelief shining through them as brightly as the sun shone above them, “Sword? I can only think of one that would invoke such a reaction. Are you saying…?”

Kel nods as Synil’s voice trails off, “Yes, madam. It is, indeed, the Sword of the Chosen.”

Synil remains motionless for a moment, the shock of this news rippling through her as though it were a bolt of lightning. The low growl of the Pegasus, waiting calmly for them on the river’s bank, bringing her attention back to the present. Synil rose to her feet, pulling her robe off of the nearby branch and wrapping it around her.

“Let us make haste, then. I fear not to do so may be an insurmountable failure on our part, for the reappearance of the sword has always marked the resurgence of darkness.” With that thought still occupying her mind, Synil and Kel mounted the Pegasus.

“Quickly, Shelora. We must make it back to the manor immediately,” Kel whispers in the Pegasus’ ear, and the beast lets out a soft whinny as it soars gracefully into the air. Within moments they were high above the land. It would take them no longer than a couple of minutes to reach the manor, and in that time Synil knew that she must be prepared for the worst.

Synil closed her eyes as they flew, embracing the strength of the wind as it threatened to rip her from her perch on the back of the Pegasus. Her heart raced. The last time the Sword of the Chosen was seen in these lands was almost two decades ago, and it had long been rumored to have been lost. The sword was not really anything spectacular to behold. It even looked rather plain to the average eye. It commanded the respect of the world, however, for two reasons: it was practically indestructible, at least by conventional methods, and it always reappeared before the coming of another war. The sword was possessed by a sentient spirit, who would drive the bearer of the sword mad if it was not in the possession of a worthy wielder.

The Pegasus dropped suddenly, and Synil opened her eyes to see watch them descend onto the manor grounds. She quickly dismounted, and with a quick incantation her appearance changed from the relaxed, yet disheveled, attire she so often preferred to the formal robes and groomed appearance expected of most sorcerers.

“Thank you, Kel. Please see to it that our guest is shown to my study. I will be there in a moment.”

“At once, m’lady.”

Synil strode into the manor and made her way to the upper chambers. She walked into her private room and picked up a small vial from one of the tables, tucking in neatly into the  folds of her robe. She then turned and pulled her belt and dagger from the edge of the bed and wrapped them securely in place around her waist. After a quick glance around the room, a habit she had long ago developed to ensure everything was in order, Synil strode out of the room and down the hall to her study.

Secrets: The Beginning is a post from: Diabolical Minds

No one, no thing, not the most powerful of sorcerers or the strongest of flying creatures, had ever survived even being close to the swirling energy storms that constantly lashed out at the ridge. Moving closer to the edge is suicidal, but making it to that point and falling over into the abyss was certain death.

Until now…

A scarred hand grasped the ledge, struggling to maintain a hold on the sharp rock as bolt after bolt of arcane energy blasted almost every square inch of the ridge line. Straining from exhaustion, Synil pulled her bloodied body onto the rock and gasped for air, bolt after bolt of energy pelting and searing her as she fought to roll out of harm’s way.

“From the deepest, darkest corner of hell I have emerged,” she growls, her voice cracking and raspy as she gulps in the fresh air, “And I will not allow you to survive after what you did to me. This I swear, on my own blood.”

As the last word escaped her lips, darkness consumed Synil. Exhaustion and pain overwhelmed her, and her last thought rang in her head as she succumbed to unconsciousness:

And so it begins…

Can you guess what’s coming? And, potentially more important, are you even interested in figuring it out/reading where this goes? Let me know (and let’s get back to having more comments/back and forth on here, I’m missing you all!)!

From the Depths is a post from: Diabolical Minds

Hello everyone,

I’d like to take some time to speak with all of you regarding our desire to make the Blizzard forums a better place for players to discuss our games. We’ve been constantly monitoring the feedback you’ve given us, as well as internally discussing your concerns about the use of real names on our forums. As a result of those discussions, we’ve decided at this time that real names will not be required for posting on official Blizzard forums.

It’s important to note that we still remain committed to improving our forums. Our efforts are driven 100% by the desire to find ways to make our community areas more welcoming for players and encourage more constructive conversations about our games. We will still move forward with new forum features such as the ability to rate posts up or down, post highlighting based on rating, improved search functionality, and more. However, when we launch the new StarCraft II forums that include these new features, you will be posting by your StarCraft II Battle.net character name + character code, not your real name. The upgraded World of Warcraft forums with these new features will launch close to the release of Cataclysm, and also will not require your real name.

I want to make sure it’s clear that our plans for the forums are completely separate from our plans for the optional in-game Real ID system now live with World of Warcraft and launching soon with StarCraft II. We believe that the powerful communications functionality enabled by Real ID, such as cross-game and cross-realm chat, make Battle.net a great place for players to stay connected to real-life friends and family while playing Blizzard games. And of course, you’ll still be able to keep your relationships at the anonymous, character level if you so choose when you communicate with other players in game. Over time, we will continue to evolve Real ID on Battle.net to add new and exciting functionality within our games for players who decide to use the feature.

In closing, I want to point out that our connection with our community has always been and will always be extremely important to us. We strongly believe that Every Voice Matters, ( http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/company/about/mission.html ) and we feel fortunate to have a community that cares so passionately about our games. We will always appreciate the feedback and support of our players, which has been a key to Blizzard’s success from the beginning.

While this is certainly good news, I want to take a moment to respond to the others who will now point to this action and say “See, I bet you feel foolish for getting so worked up now, don’t you!?”

In a word: no.

Let’s imagine, for a moment, that this change was not pulled, even amidst the outcry of the community explaining why this would be such a bad idea. Let’s even assume many threats of account cancellation were made, as is quite often the case with any change. Imagine the RealID system was implemented on the forums after all, and instead of seeing a large number of cancelled accounts there was simply silence on the forums. Whether that silence would be generated by people finding alternative locations to post or by simply refusing to participate in the forums anymore is irrelevant for this example.

Who wins? Certainly not the consumer, since their concerns would not have addressed. Blizzard would have, in their mind, achieved what they set out to do with the change even though it would have driven a number of customers away from the forums. Without opposition to the changes, whether planned or implemented, things could have certainly turned to the point where Blizzard thinks “They may cry out, but look how fast things blew over!”

This leads me to why I say there was not an over-reaction on the part of the community:

Words Mean Little Without Action

It really is that simple. Without proving that you are willing to take action against a change, planned or actually implemented, your words have no real meaning to them in the eyes of many. Don’t get me wrong, voicing opinions is vitally important, but when perceived by the other side as merely the buzzing of flies that will pass quickly then more than just words are needed. This is why the action of canceling an account (in the context of this particular issue) was certainly an ideal way to show that it was not something that would just go away if ignored.

Time has proven that those with some control of a situation (i.e. Blizzard in this case) are not afraid of testing the waters with ideas, and unless met with serious opposition (note that this could have simply been a vocal outcry and the resulting high-profile publicity, though taking it a step further and “putting your money where your mouth is” to send a message is certainly a way to prove that the opposition to the change was serious).

A Lesson

I no longer trust the Blizzard/Activision conglomerate. While this particular change may be halted, at least for now, it doesn’t erase the concern over other potential changes (especially with the known link between Activision and Facebook) that may occur. Further, any group that considered this type of change without first conducting some solid research into the effects of the change (something that even common sense could have told you was a bad idea) does not deserve my trust.

While this does mean I’m tentatively willing to accept supporting Blizzard again (i.e. I’m back to watching for the release of Diablo 3), I’ll be far more cautious of any changes coming from the company than I was prior.

To The Nay-Sayers is a post from: Diabolical Minds

We can summarize the initial reactions pretty easily: forcing users to display personal information is not a good idea, just as forcing users into a “social networking environment” is not a good idea. Claiming the forums are optional is just a bullshit excuse.

Now, here are two things that haven’t really been talked about and/or key points I want to highlight:

Gold Sellers and Account Hackers

With this change, anyone who posts on the forums those who have some sort of malicious intent that is directly targeting World of Warcraft have access to that much more information to be able to ruin a person’s experience or potentially compromise them financially.

What is the next step?

Certainly the implementation of chatting across games and being used on the forums are not the only plans for RealID. The announcement reeks of plans to use RealID in other ways, just like the announcement of a partnership between Activision and Facebook reeks of eventually having Battle.net and Facebook profiles tied together in some fashion. (Press release is here, pertinent section quoted below).

“We’re pleased to be working with Facebook to integrate their platform with Battle.net to enhance the social-entertainment experience for our players,” said Paul Sams, chief operating officer of Blizzard Entertainment. “This new functionality will make it easier than ever to connect with friends on Battle.net and play StarCraft II and future Blizzard Entertainment games together.”

The new Facebook functionality in Battle.net will be tested in the near future via the ongoing StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty beta test and will be available to all StarCraft II players when the game ships later this year. Information about other Facebook-related features on Battle.net will be announced at a later date.

Personal Notes

It’s really difficult to find a logical argument for supporting this type of change (and note that I do not support this idea in the slightest). The claim that it will make the forums a “better place” is misguided at best, and a complete failure on the part of whoever thought up the idea to understand human behavior and interaction.

Privacy and security concerns are obviously an issue for many. While I’m certainly not exempt from those concerns, I’m not as concerned about it from the standpoint of having already shared my name online as a personal choice. This isn’t to say it doesn’t still frighten me a little… after all, where I choose to share personal information is a choice that I make, and this change would remove any control I may have over whether or not to share my personal information with the millions of potential other players on any Blizzard forum.

I won’t subject you to yet another long-winded rant about any of these notes, but I felt my previous post was incomplete without at least touching on these issues also. My response to RealID at this point? Account cancelled (reactivated before expiration and cancelled again to make sure my point was clear in the reason why field) and complete avoidance of all future Blizzard products. Now I get to go make a list of games that I thought might be interesting and make sure Activision doesn’t have a hand in those…

Two Points I Felt Needed Adding To My Previous Post is a post from: Diabolical Minds

First, for those who may not have noticed the news (feel free to read the same info at wow.com here):

Recently, we introduced our new Real ID feature <http://eu.battle.net/realid/>, a new way to stay connected with your friends on the new Battle.net. Today, we wanted to give you a heads up about our plans for Real ID on our official forums, discuss the design philosophy behind the changes we’re making, and give you a first look at some of the new features we’re adding to the forums to help improve the quality of conversations and make the forums an even more enjoyable place for players to visit.

The first and most significant change is that in the near future, anyone posting or replying to a post on official Blizzard forums will be doing so using their Real ID — that is, their real-life first and last name — with the option to also display the name of their primary in-game character alongside it. These changes will go into effect on all StarCraft II forums with the launch of the new community site prior to the July 27 release of the game, with the World of Warcraft site and forums following suit near the launch of Cataclysm. Certain classic forums, including the classic Battle.net forums, will remain unchanged.

The official forums have always been a great place to discuss the latest info on our games, offer ideas and suggestions, and share experiences with other players — however, the forums have also earned a reputation as a place where flame wars, trolling, and other unpleasantness run wild. Removing the veil of anonymity typical to online dialogue will contribute to a more positive forum environment, promote constructive conversations, and connect the Blizzard community in ways they haven’t been connected before. With this change, you’ll see blue posters (i.e. Blizzard employees) posting by their real first and last names on our forums as well.

We also plan to add a number of other features designed to make reading the forums more enjoyable and to empower players with tools to improve the quality of forum discussions. Players will have the ability to rate up or rate down posts so that great topics and replies stand out from the not-so-great; low-rated posts will appear dimmer to show that the community feels that they don’t contribute effectively to the conversation, and Blizzard’s community team will be able to quickly and easily locate highly rated posts to participate in or to highlight discussions that players find worthwhile.

In addition, individual topics will be threaded by context, meaning replies to specific posts will be grouped together, making it easier for players to keep track of multiple conversations within a thread. We’re also adding a way for Blizzard posters to “broadcast” important messages forums-wide , to help communicate breaking news to the community in a clear and timely fashion. Beyond that, we’re improving our forum search function to make locating interesting topics easier and help lower the number of redundant threads, and we have more planned as well.

With the launch of the new Battle.net, it’s important to us to create a new and different kind of online gaming environment — one that’s highly social, and which provides an ideal place for gamers to form long-lasting, meaningful relationships. All of our design decisions surrounding Real ID — including these forum changes — have been made with this goal in mind.

We’ve given a great deal of consideration to the design of Real ID as a company, as gamers, and as enthusiastic users of the various online-gaming, communication, and social-networking services that have become available in recent years. As these services have become more and more popular, gamers have become part of an increasingly connected and intimate global community – friendships are much more easily forged across long distances, and at events like DreamHack, GamesCom or our own BlizzCon, we’ve seen first-hand how gamers who may have never actually met in person have formed meaningful real-life relationships across borders and oceans. As the way gamers interact with one another continues to evolve, our goal is to ensure Battle.net is equipped to handle the ever-changing social-gaming experience for years to come.

For more info on Real ID, check out our Real ID page and FAQ located at http://eu.battle.net/realid/. We look forward to answering your questions about these upcoming forum changes in the thread below.

Now, I’m not opposed to the concept of the Real ID system in general. I actually think it is a great tool for good friends to use while playing any of Blizzard’s games that support the feature. I am, however, strongly opposed to not being able to control who has access to my Real ID. With this change if I wanted to post a question on, say, the Tech Support forum, every single person who can view that forum suddenly has access to my Real ID. Period. Care to guess how many ways that could be used maliciously to disrupt my gameplay? Or even worse, the potential to use that simple piece of information maliciously to find and harass me in the “real world?”

I’m not one to normally be overly concerned with privacy issues. After all, I choose to share information about myself online. However, that is the sticking point: I consciously make the choice and control what I share.

The counter to this concern thus far has been: the forums are optional, just do not post.

I ask you, then, what do you say when the next step is made instead? Will Blizzard decide to implement Real ID as mandatory in-game at some point in the future in an effort to compliment the “new forum design?” What if they choose to add more than just your name, which is already a privacy concern in the first place, to the Real ID system on the forums? Obviously more things are planned for Battle.net, what if browsing to join multiplayer games (such as Starcraft 2 matches) is solely done via Real ID?

It’s pretty damn simple when you get down to it: either I have the ability to control sharing my name with the world or I don’t, and any medium that removes that control from me is not something I will support. It’s a shame, really. I was looking forward to Diablo 3, but I guess now I’ll just have to wait for The Old Republic and place Blizzard on my personal boycott list.

I didn’t really hit on all, or even most to be honest, of the things I thought of reading this announcement, and really I’m just too tired of my personal disdain for the direction Blizzard has been moving in since merging with Activision to continue to bother. My account has been cancelled for a little while (and the time runs out soon), and with these types of decisions being made I do not see myself renewing, or ever purchasing another Blizzard game title, any time in the forseeable future. I’ll be watching closely to try to avoid any and all titles Activision is associated with as well, though that will certainly prove more difficult.

It’s a good thing I moved away from a “WoW-centric” blog already…

Blizzard, Real ID Plans, and Battle.net is a post from: Diabolical Minds