Administrators Under Aliasses?

[Cassie]

Do you think this is appropriate? Should Admins always use their default name to admin? Or do you thing the alias-system is great for administrating, because then people won't just act good because there's an admin there?

Let's get some discussion rolling.

[deano]

i say alias is fine...keeps em all honest

[icEPiraka]

Both ways have their benefits. Respectable admins using their default names lets other players know who's boss. But aliases can be good too, because it gives the players a sense of fear and confusion because they dont know who the admin is. Either way is fine with me.

-icEP!-SA

[Cadc]

in a way, this is approperiate, hence some players only show their true colors when no admins are arround (and think they can get away with things thinking there's no admin arround).

however, if a respected Vet inquires who this admin under allias is, I feel the admin needs to comply by pming back that person stating who they really are imo

[Speedo]

do you think it's possible to let other people be allowed to admin? it's really often that I go to a server that has no admins on it whatsoever and players act inappropriately. maybe just someone who silences players or "murders with homing missles." they don't necessarily have to have the power to kick or ban anyone. please?

[Napalm]

You'd be amazed at the things you see when people think there is no admin around. Evev if I'm not playing as an admin but just under an alias. Amazing.

Then after they're called on their actions, oh by the "back-peddeling" begins...

[Mighty Mouse]

The only problem I have with the whole anonymous admin is that you are trying to enforce a "clean" game, not catch someone in the act. People are going to do dumb things regardless. I've seen people bm in scrum even when admin already id'd himself.

I say, if you are going to admin, id yourself to perpetrator so that he knows who is accusing. If you just want to play and don't want to be bothered by the repeated "can I be ufo" nonsense, then just play

[jedirieb]

An person who is an admin is the only one who has a justified reason for using an alias: To escape the pressure of being an admin and just play like everyone else.

With that said, it is wrong for an admin to be admining under an alias (excluding if you tell everyone who you are, but that makes the alias pointless, doesn't it?). Most of the admins in a good server such as Roo's or Scrumbag are fair in their admining, but are sadly overworked at times by people not counting before joining, leaving and rejoining repeatedly, etc. For those admins who wants to go under alias to not admin for a time is fine with me, and whether you continue to admin under alias when there is a serious problem or not is your issue, not mine (of course, when you do admin under alias, please tell everyone who you are, as before-mentioned).

This issue has been brought up for one obvious reason: Unfair admining. When an admin does something unfair under his real name, it is easy to talk to him/her about it via e-mail, and to prove it by a screenshot if necessary. When you deal with the admin under an alias who does something unfair, it is a lot harder to pin the actions to someone. You must first take the screenshot, then talk to the server hoster to find out who the alias is (which could take awhile, depending on the server hoster), and then take all that and negotiate with the person. In theory, this isn't hard, but in reality, the unfair admin under alias gets away with more than the unfair admin using his/her own name. This is what experience has shown me, mainly because admins using their real name are going to be more cautios about doing something unfair, but when under alias, they "let it rip" if they want to, because it is harder to prove it was that person.

So should admins be allowed to use an alias? Yes and no. Yes if they are trying to play the game like everyone else without admining (or admining but telling everyone their real name). No if they are going to use the alias simply as a way to hide from people and admin without answering to the people. The position of admin is a voluntary position, and no one makes you take it. However, once you take the position, every time you are an admin, you must answer to everyone else, not hiding behind an alias name to get away with whatever you want.

P.S. I'm not pointing fingers here at anyone for bad admining. Nor am I saying everyone behaves badly when admining under an alias, because many of you do a good job. However, there are some who would gladly admin under an alias and abuse their admin power without having to be held accountable for it.

[Spirit ^VT^]

Yea - I'm ok with admins using aliases - and I think its right to consider how tough it must be at times being an admin. So many wanna-be's think its cool to be admin. But in my limited experience its a tough task!

I say pass the soda around - let them wear clokes if they want to. A toast to good TT'in!

[Hugobaaarainz]

I don't think admins should use Aliases, since they are in an 'official' position.
With power comes responsibility.
No admins should have to 'hide to escape pressure' - the TT rules are simple enough, and if one cannot make a fair decision or is susceptible to pressure, then he/she shouldn't be admin.
Admins are watchdogs, policemen and judges - and I'm all for transparency.