Personal Interest: Interviewing Lesser Knowns

[Venico]

And your password 10x less secure.

Yeah, this is thinly veiled. Let's stop with the libel, Madjack. Not only do you know very little about third-party app development, but you apparently know even less about how serious of an accusation you keep lodging at Afforess.

As a person who uses NS++ and loves it, you do have to acknowledge that you're putting your password in someone else's hands. Afforess even acknowledged that he could pull people's passwords. This isn't saying "Oh my lordy he is going to ruin us, Afforess is evil!" Mad Jack is just pointing out that your password is in someone else's hands and that requires a lot of trust in him. This isn't a "serious" accusation, this is (a hyperbole but still) accurate. The more hands that can grab at your password the less secure it is. People have a right to be paranoid and state accurate statements.

EDIT: Proper tenses >.<

[Glen-Rhodes]

As a person who uses NS++ and loves it, you do have to acknowledge that you're putting your password in someone else's hands. Afforess even acknowledged that he could pull people's passwords. This isn't saying "Oh my lordy he is going to ruin us, Afforess is evil!" Mad Jack is just pointing out that your password is in someone else's hands and that requires a lot of trust in him. This isn't a "serious" accusation, this is (a hyperbole but still) accurate. The more hands that can grab at your password the less secure it is. People have a right to be paranoid and state accurate statements.

No, the insinuation is very clear. A few people have regularly been suggesting that Afforess and NationStates++ aren't to be trusted, that there is possibly some nefarious ulterior motive to creating the extension. They're no longer lodging blatant libelous accusations that Afforess is trying to steal passwords, but they are still dog-whistling in that direction. They don't like Afforess, so they're attacking his project, but they have no clue how serious of an accusation it is in the professional world.

[Tano]

I didn't think he was below the radar before NS++

But interesting interview nonetheless.

[Klaus Devestatorie]

As a person who uses NS++ and loves it, you do have to acknowledge that you're putting your password in someone else's hands. Afforess even acknowledged that he could pull people's passwords. This isn't saying "Oh my lordy he is going to ruin us, Afforess is evil!" Mad Jack is just pointing out that your password is in someone else's hands and that requires a lot of trust in him. This isn't a "serious" accusation, this is (a hyperbole but still) accurate. The more hands that can grab at your password the less secure it is. People have a right to be paranoid and state accurate statements.

No, the insinuation is very clear. A few people have regularly been suggesting that Afforess and NationStates++ aren't to be trusted, that there is possibly some nefarious ulterior motive to creating the extension. They're no longer lodging blatant libelous accusations that Afforess is trying to steal passwords, but they are still dog-whistling in that direction. They don't like Afforess, so they're attacking his project, but they have no clue how serious of an accusation it is in the professional world.

This. Madjack, stop making me agree with Glen Rhodes.

[Venico]

That's fine what's in the past is up for people to decipher. Georgie may have bias, I don't personally know. But you can't decry accurate statements because they're said by the wrong mouth

[Afforess]

And the discovery of NationStates++ instantly makes my life 10x easier.

And your password 10x less secure.

Please name even 1 instance where I or NS++ has been involved in password theft. One.

[Andacantra]

And your password 10x less secure.

Please name even 1 instance where I or NS++ has been involved in password theft. One.

You don't have to have been. The very fact that you /could/ is enough to make people's passwords less secure and to make people nervous. You have to remember that all people have is your word - and unless given reason for it to be, that means sod all to me. It's not been long enough for your track record on NS to mean anything. When you pursue the advertising of something endlessly, expect to have to deal with some "opposition" - in this case, just reminding people of the risks of using third party applications in this way.

[Mad Jack]

And your password 10x less secure.

Please name even 1 instance where I or NS++ has been involved in password theft. One.

Every time someone uses your extension is potentially that 1 instance. Quite frankly it would be very hard to prove that you have stolen someone's password, but it would be easy for you to steal someone's password.

That is enough to make me, and many others, very concerned about just why you created NS++ in the first place.

[Afforess]

Please name even 1 instance where I or NS++ has been involved in password theft. One.

You don't have to have been. The very fact that you /could/ is enough to make people's passwords less secure and to make people nervous. You have to remember that all people have is your word - and unless given reason for it to be, that means sod all to me. It's not been long enough for your track record on NS to mean anything. When you pursue the advertising of something endlessly, expect to have to deal with some "opposition" - in this case, just reminding people of the risks of using third party applications in this way.

The internet relies on trust. Users here who have given NationStates their email trust Max won't sell it to advertisers. They trust Max won't try to use their email and NS password to hijack their other accounts elsewhere (I'm sure thousands of users here also used the same password on a bank account, as frightening as that is). That's how the world works, trust comes with the territory.

[Cerian Quilor]

I don't suspect Afforess of any wrong doing with ++. He's got too much on it, and really, not that much gain. Its possible for him, but *shrug* I doubt it.

Given how paranoid I am in general on the internet, however, that possibility is enough for me to not use NS++. But I seriously doubt he'd do it, and I don't suspect him of any wrongdoing. Doesn't mean I don't think he's a smug, intolerable guy who should 'Go back to Technical' ( ) because I do. But NS++ is very likely what it says on the tin. His explanations are enough for reasonable people.

Seriously - some people like to build empires in NS, some people like raid Nazis, some people like to code. Is it so hard to believe that he'd spend his free time doing what he likes and then showing off his skill to other people, in this case by letting them use it?

[Mexar]

That's fine what's in the past is up for people to decipher. Georgie may have bias, I don't personally know. But you can't decry accurate statements because they're said by the wrong mouth

Maybe not, but you should be aware of bias. Even accurate statements can be phrased to be propaganda.

[Weed]

I'm really confused as to what damage Aff could really do if he had my password. I mean he could log in and post a lot of rude stuff, but I'm sure the admins could see that it wasn't really me based on IPs. And he could also answer my issues in a way I don't like.

I suppose for nations with an access to an RC he could purge, but is that really worth being banned from NS?

I suppose it is possible, but I'm not that worried about it.

[Cerian Quilor]

I'm really confused as to what damage Aff could really do if he had my password. I mean he could log in and post a lot of rude stuff, but I'm sure the admins could see that it wasn't really me based on IPs. And he could also answer my issues in a way I don't like.

I suppose for nations with an access to an RC he could purge, but is that really worth being banned from NS?

I suppose it is possible, but I'm not that worried about it.

Sending telegrams under your name? get your e-mail and possibly use your PW in conjunction with it?

there are any number of things he could do. Its just extremely unlikely and the potential payoff is far too small for Afforess to want to do it, I have to imagine.

[Weed]

Sending telegrams under your name?

Yeah, I suppose, I feel like I could pretty easily explain away that I wasn't in control of the nation at the time. *shrugs* not a big worry of mine, personally.

get your e-mail and possibly use your PW in conjunction with it?

I don't even trust Max with that.

[Silver Seas]

Neither do I, but that's why I'm not thinking it as a problem.

[Charax]

What puzzles me is that Afforess is considered someone under the radar.

Not according to His Majesty, Cormac A Stark:

Regarding accusations from the glorified code monkey whose name no one knew before he developed his spyware...

I knew who you were, if it's any consolation.

[Personal Interest]

Capitalist Paradise's Drasnia
"The world is not beautiful; and that, in a way, lends it a sort of beauty."

After interviewing Afforess, I was intrigued by the Delegate of Capitalist Paradise. While I waited for other members of NationStates to respond to questions, I decided to follow up on this younger player, and fortunately we were on at approximately the same time, leading to a prompt interview.

Personal Interest: You were recently elected as the new Delegate of Capitalist Paradise. Is it everything it's cracked up to be? You replaced your Minister of Foreign Affairs, Acario, while keeping Afforess, the Minister of Interior. What prompted such a move?

Drasnia: Haha, being Delegate is hard and time-consuming, but I surprising enjoy it. I used to hardly ever have new telegrams in my inbox when I log on, but now I have 5-10 per day! As for the Cabinet positions, well . . . It was a tough decision I must say. I've said before that Acario was the best MoFA in CP and Afforess the best MoI in CP too, but replacing Acario was for the best we agreed on.

Personal Interest: What are some of the reasons for replacing Acario? What made him the best Minister of Foreign Affiars in your opinion? I've also noticed that you've already set-up two new embassies, one with The South Pacific and the other Versutian Federation. This is quite interesting when Capitalist Paradise never accepts embassy requests.

Drasnia:I can't divulge the reasons as of yet, but it was a tough decision, especially since I really like the guy. As for the embassies, I've decided to take a more cosmopolitan stance, I guess is the best way to describe it, to embassies. I consider most to be worthless or of little value, but I'm much more open to them than Kaputer, the previous delegate, was. (Not that that's a bad thing.)

Personal Interest: While browsing your forums - very professional looking - and came across a section calld "Fix the WA." What is "Fix the WA?"

Drasnia: Fix the WA, or FTW as I'll refer to it, is an effort to repeal much of the tripe passed in the WA. There are several phases to it: Get the support of other like-minded regions and cooperate to draft and approve repeals to the GA. The first wave of FTW legislation will be put up. After that we'll also work on SC bills. Link.

Personal Interest: You have anime flags for you nations. Are you a fan of anime or do you just like the pictures?

Drasnia: Oh, I love anime. I do have a confession though. I use Vocaloid a lot, but I don't like most of the music. But I do love the character designs. So I guess a bit of both. I'm not perfect like some people think I am.

Personal Interest: Thank you for your time and your promptness of answering my questions.

Drasnia: No problem. One question though: Why me?

Personal Interest: Simple. I had a lull in interviews and decided to satiate my curiosity that was piqued by Afforess. Thank you for the interview.

[Weed]

Capitalist Paradise's Drasnia

Who?

[Mad Jack]

Now that's more like it.

[Personal Interest]

Now that's more like it.

Indeed Interesting to note that Afforess has been deleted. Quite a surprising development. I'm glad I got his interview before he was gone.

[Todd McCloud]

Now that's more like it.

Indeed Interesting to note that Afforess has been deleted. Quite a surprising development. I'm glad I got his interview before he was gone.

Only his main and the EO puppet nation was deleted. He has a new nation now.

[DWAsnia]

Indeed Interesting to note that Afforess has been deleted. Quite a surprising development. I'm glad I got his interview before he was gone.

Only his main and the EO puppet nation was deleted. He has a new nation now.

Indeed he has . . . except it isn't a new nation. However, I have a feeling his deletion will be overturned and he'll be able to come back. EO is not his anymore (although it was at one time, which he has admitted on the forums)

I was surprised to be interviewed by Personal Interest but was excited to do so. He/she proved to be very proffesional throughout the whole thing. I think he did a good job.

[Venico]

Where are more interviews? =P As an avid GPer I need my fix.

[Personal Interest]

Where are more interviews? =P As an avid GPer I need my fix.

I'm finishing up an Op-Ed an am currently interviewing Luna Amore, Issue Editor. Patience, these things take time. I do, however, appreciate your appreciation for my articles. (Ugh, that was a terribly worded sentence.)

[Personal Interest]

Op-Ed: Deletion
"History is written by the victors."

On November , 2013, the nation of Afforess ceased to exist. He had been deleted by the moderators of NationStates for evading a forum ban. However, the person in question refutes this ruling claiming he didn't post on the forums during the time of his ban. Who is right? Personal Interest investigated.

Afforess was given a 3-day ban here. Later, Erudite Observer posted. At this point the moderators deleted both nations claiming Afforess controlled EO. Afforess had created and controlled the nation for some time but had given it away to another player.

Afforess appealed the decision to delete his main nation citing evidence such as an abrupt change in IP addresses, change in browsers, time active, etc. but the ruling was not overturned. Why? In a leaked response by the moderators to Afforess' appeal, they said:

Afforess was deleted for ban breaking with Erudite Observer. Multiple mods have examined both nations following this appeal, and we find a great deal of server-side evidence pointing to you. Additionally, all previous Erudite Observer posts, including the one earlier that day before the ban was handed down, came from your IP address, so it was an active puppet of yours.

Several moderators have demonstrated extreme bias against the region of Capitalist Paradise, Afforess in particular. However, as the saying goes, “History is written by the victors.” Those that make the decisions are inevitably correct, no matter what other evidence suggests. This is not to say that all of their decisions have been wrong – on the contrary; only a minute percentage are wrong, but enough are that the moderators are constantly under fire for their decisions.

Afforess has always pushed the rules, but never blatantly disregarded them. It is Personal Interest's opinion that he has been on the cutting edge of NationStates. His actions, however, have brought the unrighteous and biased wrath of certain moderators down upon him.

It is Personal Interest's belief that the nation of Afforess is innocent of the charges brought against him, and his previous punishments harsher than if performed by a different nation. Furthermore, it is Personal Interest's belief that the deletion Afforess was decided by moderators that should have recused themselves from the case. Moreover, that the the deletion was decided solely by moderators who have demonstrated their contempt for the nation in question.

Despite Personal Interest's quest to bring nothing but the truth, I cannot sit idly by as injustice is served to someone who has done little to no wrong and done much good to the NationStates community. It is Personal Interest's belief that the nation of Afforess should be restored to it's former prominence. To quote Ronald Reagan:

“Moderators, restore this nation!”