Art wars
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Quite awhile back, I founded The Art & Artist Network group in Second Life as a way for artists/gallery owners/etc. to communicate, and to ultimately assist in the growth of the SL art world. Somehow, the group has grown to about 1300 members. I don't know how it got to be so successful but I'm glad it has. I'm happy to encourage the Art world of SL.

The only rule I really have to enforce is that members do not send IMs to the group. There is a Group Notice function available to all members that I encourage them to use rather than the Group IM. Too many group IMs are considered "Spam," and I get a lot of complaints about it, not to mention that I find it annoying as well.

I have tried to make this policy abundantly clear, but sometimes the message just doesn't seem to go through. As a last resort, I have had to eject people a few times. I don't ever want to have to do that, but sometimes I feel I have no choice.

Recently, I was harshly criticized for this practice.

[note: I have omitted the names of the people involved.]

A few days ago, I ejected a member (whom I will refer to as Member #1) for her IM auto-response that would send an IM every time she was not logged in and a Group Notice was sent. I IMed her personally with an explanation:

with all due respect -- your email auto-response has been spamming the Art & Artist Network group whenever a group notice is sent & you are offline. with the number of notices that go out daily... i just can't have your offline message spamming the group IM constantly. i apologize if this is harsh.

The only response I got was her IM auto-response. *sigh.*



A few days later, another group member (Member #2) lodged a personal attack against me through Group Notice for ejecting Member #1:

I was just Informed Nebulosus Severine ejected Member #1 from this group for "Spamming" due to Auto Replys from her Email to the "Illegal" Group IM's. This heavy handed self important snobness is very old, as is reading the rude replies issued in this group. After a read of Nebulosus's picks I see she pretty much does not like people or helping others. I will save her the effort of ejecting me I will remove myself as the values of this group are not honorable nor is the treatment.

The same person also IMed me personally:
Nebulosus, I was just informed you ejected Member #1 from the Art & Artist Network for "spamming" is this factual?


When I logged in, I responded -- I have to admit, I was pretty pissed off but I wanted to keep it professional:
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Nebulosus Severine: i would like to have a word with you, personally, when you've got the time.
Nebulosus Severine: in a group of over 1200 people, i cannot have an "anything goes" policy. my rule of 'No Group Ims' is simple, NOR is it unreasonable. as i am the leader of the group, i must respond to complaints from members who are aggravated by the overuse of group IM. i have tried many times to convey this message yet it seems to fall on deaf ears to some.
Nebulosus Severine: the ejection of Member #1 was not done out of "snobbishness" as you seem to think.
Nebulosus Severine: and as far as me not wanting to "help" people.. why would I have founded such a group in the first place? i find your personal accusations to be rather unprofessional, especially for the fact that you attempted to chastise me in front of the entire group. that was very uncalled for.
Nebulosus Severine: picking apart my profile was also rather callous and childish.
Nebulosus Severine: personally, i find your temper tantrum to be self-important and snobbish.
Nebulosus Severine: i'm sorry you feel that i have singled out Member #1, if that is the case, but i am not going to risk that members leave because other members can't follow a simple rule.

Member #2: you just booted one of the biggest art supporters in sl excellent job. It's your group do as you wish. I have done as i wished. As for childish charecter stuff please read your proile it is not what you would call warm and inviting. but the good news is you no longer are burdened with the arguous task of managing 1,200 members now you only have to worry about 1,198.

Nebulosus Severine: if she would disable the auto-response that IMs the group every time a notice is sent, i would be sure to welcome her back. as i have stated -- this isn't personal.
Nebulosus Severine: but you are quickly making it personal with my opinion of you.
Nebulosus Severine: for the record -- it's "arduous"

Member #2: you win on spelling, I win on wit and fact

Nebulosus Severine: hardly.
Nebulosus Severine: you are talking from your emotions, you have taken this personally when it was never about you.

Member #2: you are aware behind each avi is a person right?

Nebulosus Severine: and you DO realize that works both ways, i assume?
Nebulosus Severine: i will be the first to apologize to Member #1 and welcome her back, as i have stated several times, this was not done out of malice. i IMed her before i ejected her and apologized in advance. i was not rude or cruel to her in any way.
Nebulosus Severine: i don't want there to be any hard feelings about this. despite how you may judge me, due to your analyzation of my profile, i am a pretty fair, understanding, compassionate, and empathetic person.
Nebulosus Severine: is Member #1 your friend?

Member #2: sorry I crashed twice, but yes Member #1 is a friend of mine whom I have worked with in bring a place for art in sl
Member #2: you see neither one of us are artists

Nebulosus Severine: i knew of Member #1, a little, i used to have a spot at the ******** sim.

Member #2: my support of art in sl comes in the form of an entire sim for the purpose of displaying art free to artists, has been so for over a year now

Nebulosus Severine: yes i know, i am grateful that there are people like you in sl.

Member #2: little place called **********

Nebulosus Severine: oh, i have heard of it, of course... lol.
Nebulosus Severine: that's why i founded the group, you know, to bring artists together.

Member #2: I am running into a problem lately, artist refuse to show there works at ********** because I wont let them sell. The whole Museum Vs. Gallery thing and I have recieved a bit of hostility about the fact that I dont allow sales in **********.

Nebulosus Severine: that's a shame. :( but some artists are only in it for the money i suppose

Member #2: the 10L to upload Vs the 10,000L price tag still amazes me

Nebulosus Severine: me too!
Nebulosus Severine: i just don't get it

Member #2: nor do I

Nebulosus Severine: i think you ought to stick to your principles

Member #2: mean while I have actualy seen these people tell ***** he charges too much at *****L for his *****
Nebulosus Severine: i respect art more for art's sake, than for making a profit
Nebulosus Severine: wow
Nebulosus Severine: at least he took more time to manipulate prims, than to simply upload a texture, lol...

Member #2: my point
Member #2: the other part you may not be awar of is the first day we had the meeting of the gallery owners at NMC

Nebulosus Severine: the one so long ago?

Member #2: yes

Nebulosus Severine: we haven't had an art gallery owner's meeting in forever
Nebulosus Severine: but maybe sasun is feeling overwhelmed with the number of members now

Member #2: I said that day I would use the ********* group to advertise of art events

Nebulosus Severine: that, i don't remember

Member #2: I replayed the chat to our gallery owner group friend
Member #2: and she said "OOps
Member #2: but you formed this group
Member #2: the ********* is till alive
Member #2: doing art walks
Member #2: and a active group

Nebulosus Severine: yes, with nearly 700 members i see, nice :)

Member #2: so to answer those critics I do have my own group
Member #2: but have yet silently always supported yours till now

Nebulosus Severine: well, i truly am sorry for the misunderstanding and for the hurt feelings
Nebulosus Severine: i have seen notices for ********** going out a lot and i'm glad you support the arts
Nebulosus Severine: i think it is a shame you decided to leave art & artist network and you are welcome to be a part of it at any time, but if you decline i understand.

Member #2: there is a big difference between your run fo the mill noobs in a group Vs. Member #1, I think a quick look at a profle and a litttle knowlege of her work in the art world rates her a break before a boot

Nebulosus Severine: in her auto-response, it mentioned something about her being away until sept. -- when she gets back, i would love to resolve it with her. i don't want to kick people out of the group.
[Note: I remembered this incorrectly -- I went back to look on my IM logs & it didn't mention anything about being away until September --whoops.]
Nebulosus Severine: i am aware that she is a big supporter of the arts.
Nebulosus Severine: i have to log soon but i want to say again that i don't mean there to be any hard feelings.

Member #2: *nods* ty for your time

Nebulosus Severine: thank you for yours. please consider joining art & artist network again, ********** is a huge asset to the sl art world.
Nebulosus Severine: i am sure you will talk to Member #1 before i do, so please let her know that i meant no disrespect to her. i would welcome a talk with her too, when she returns.
End of chat log
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Additional insight on my part: It has occurred to me that the auto-IM response from Member #1 may have gone to the Group Notice sender only, and NOT to the group, although I am not sure. In any case, I feel that her use of the auto-IM response in a group so large is rather inconsiderate -- especially when members have the option to choose whether or not they want to receive Group Notices.

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