An Open Letter To All Fanboys

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Dead Man Wade
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An Open Letter To All Fanboys

Post by Dead Man Wade »

I was bored.

An Open Letter To All Fanboys
by fort_max

I am frankly getting rather sick of logging on to any TF board and seeing legions of geeks bemoaning the latest toy/series that, they feel, is destroying the Transformers' 'good name'. Ever since 'Beast Wars', these people have been railing against Hasbro for having the temerity to make a decision without so much as asking their opinion.

This has to stop.

So, in the interest of the sanity of all involved, I would like to put forward these suggestions (most of which fall under the heading of 'common sense') to any and all fanboys that may be reading.

1) If you don't like something, don't buy it.

I know. You'd think it would be fairly obvious, right? Well, apparently, you'd be wrong.

It works like this: If you don't like Alternator Tracks' color scheme, don't buy it. Problem solved!

This applies to every toy, every comic, and every series. Unless someone is putting a gun to your head, you have the right to simply pass.

2) If someone else wants to buy something, they have the right.

Everyone has different tastes. Just because you don't like something, doesn't mean someone else has to agree with you. If someone thinks that Optimus Minor would be a better purchase than, say, Energon Starscream, then they're an idiot. But it's still their money.

3) The Eighties are over.

Deal with it. We have.

4) Nostalgia does not make a series great.

Just because you have fond memories of a cartoon from your childhood, that doesn't make it a good show. I watched 'Silverhawks' every chance I got when I was a child, and I bought every toy. Doesn't mean it was any good.

5) Hasbro is not out to get you.

Believe it or not, Hasbro is not actively seeking to screw fans. Quite the opposite, in fact. It seems to me that they've done as much as can be expected to please fans, while at the same time remaining interesting to their core demographic. You know--children.

6) If Hasbro wants to give a robotic terrier the name 'Soundwave', they have the right to do so.

And there's not a whole lot you can do about it. All the posts you make about how 'Hasbro is the suxxorz' are pointless.

7) Caps lock and a dozen exclamation points do not make your points any more valid.

In fact, I'm even less likely to pay any attention.

8) If your only reason for not liking Beast Wars is because the characters were all (*gasp*) animals, then I'm probably going to completely disregard anything else you have to say about it.

Deal.

9) If you get bested in an argument, concede.

Don't resort to petty insults or name-calling. It's not what you could call 'endearing'.

10) If you refuse to accept my point of view, you might as well get used to the idea that I'm probably going to do the same.
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CounterPunch
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Post by CounterPunch »

pretty accurate as to my thinking actually.

and hasbro have done ALOT more than most other toy companies would do for their fans who wont let go of their childhood.
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Post by Ozz »

Originally posted by fort_max
8) If your only reason for not liking Beast Wars is because the characters were all (*gasp*) animals, then I’m probably going to completely disregard anything else you have to say about it.

Deal.
Hmm, I think everyone have right to not liking something. Everyone has different tastes, just like you said in one of above paragraphs.

However, saying something is worse (or is the biggest pile of **** ever created, to be more blunt) because of that little not-the-most-important little detail is another thing...

Oh, and if someone wants to buy a certain toy instead of other, because they like it more, does it really make them an idiot?
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Dead Man Wade
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Post by Dead Man Wade »

Originally posted by Ozz
Hmm, I think everyone have right to not liking something. Everyone has different tastes, just like you said in one of above paragraphs.

However, saying something is worse (or is the biggest pile of **** ever created, to be more blunt) because of that little not-the-most-important little detail is another thing...
That's the thing.

All I was saying was that if the only reason someone has for not liking the show is because they're animals, they're entitled to their opinion. But it's not going to make me listen very favorably to anything else they have to say about the subject.
Oh, and if someone wants to buy a certain toy instead of other, because they like it more, does it really make them an idiot?


Yeah, that was just a joke. Maybe not the best place for one, but...
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Post by Arcee »

I think not liking stuff is not a crime. De gustibus non est disputandum, or however the Latin saying goes. ("Taste cannot be debated.") It's only a problem when people can't respect the fact that other people like the stuff they don't like.

There's also a difference between disliking something for a reason, and be able to intelligently explain that reason, and disliking something out of a kneejerk reaction, e.g. just because it wasn't made in 1984-85.

Or to use a comparison - it's one thing to look at/taste a pizza, and decide that you don't like that particular pizza (and possibly come up with reasons why it's a bad pizza, as opposed to other pizzas). It's another thing to look at the pizza and say, "OMFG, it's bad becuz it's a pizza not a hamburger!!!!11!!" It's certainly everyone's prerogative to prefer hamburger over pizza, but to say that a pizza that is good as far as pizzas are concerned is cr*p just because it's not a hamburger - that is silly.



Otherwise, "word!" to fort_max's initial post.



EDIT: Well, fort_max himself already clarified it, I posted this before I read his post.
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Computron
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Post by Computron »

BW SUXORS!!!!!
G1 RULES!!!!!!!

TRUK NOT MONKEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <- extra long explanation marks

my arguments PWN u ALL!!!!!

I'm so 1337
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Re: An Open Letter To All Fanboys

Post by Cyberman »

Originally posted by fort_max
I am frankly getting rather sick of logging on to any TF board and seeing legions of geeks bemoaning the latest toy/series that, they feel, is destroying the Transformers’ ‘good name’.
Hmm. I´d say that doesn´t necessarily mean it´s a geek. I´m thinking (and saying) the same of Armada(and probably Energon, haven´t seen much of it).
]1) If you don’t like something, don’t buy it.

I know. You’d think it would be fairly obvious, right? Well, apparently, you’d be wrong.
Problem is, that doesn´t make it disappear. Simply refusing to accept something(i.e. not buying it) doesn´t really show that much.
Complaining, in a moderate way, can be much more helpful.
7) Caps lock and a dozen exclamatiaon points do not make your points any more valid.

In fact, I’m even less likely to pay any attention.
Copy that a million times and spread it all over the internet. Maybe then it´ll be possible to read public fora(forums?) without getting a knot in the brain because of this lame writing.
Also, stick "It IS possible to use proper spelling on the internet" right next to it.
Be glad english doesn´t make much use of capitalization - in german, many users simply "forget" to capitalize the words - making the whole text hard to read.
(Capitalization is for a reason, not for the fun of it)
8) If your only reason for not liking Beast Wars is because the characters were all (*gasp*) animals, then I’m probably going to completely disregard anything else you have to say about it.
There is some logic about that. Though it is understandable that it´s rather hard at first to get used to this idea, coming from G1, I mean.


Go post it somewhere! It should be required to read(and sign?) before entering the internet. <ggg>
In a perfect world, this would be a signature. As it stands, it's just the lack of.
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Post by Optimus_Type-R »

Originally posted by Computron
BW SUXORS!!!!!
G1 RULES!!!!!!!

TRUK NOT MONKEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <- extra long explanation marks

my arguments PWN u ALL!!!!!

I'm so 1337



That post R0XXORS!!!!

I do agree with Max on everything here but I'm also ghlad to say that even though I've seen it on other boards there seems to be few fanboys here the bitch and complain about every little detail, which is a nice change.

I come to this board expecting serious and intelligent conversation and (most of the time) I get it.
"Insert some obscure TF reference here"
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Re: Re: An Open Letter To All Fanboys

Post by Arcee »

Originally posted by Cyberman
There is some logic about that. Though it is understandable that it´s rather hard at first to get used to this idea, coming from G1, I mean.
Yeah. People (including myself) need time to warm up to new things, that's natural. Now, to be totally closed-minded and outright reject all new things simply because they're new and, you know, Megatron has to be a gun and not - heaven forbid! - a tank because he was a gun in 1984 and what was good enough for us in 1984 has to be good enough for all coming generations, goddammit! - that's another thing.

The part between "you know" and "goddammit" is sarcasm, obviously.
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Post by Sir Auros »

Originally posted by Optimus_Type-R
That post R0XXORS!!!!

I do agree with Max on everything here but I'm also ghlad to say that even though I've seen it on other boards there seems to be few fanboys here the bitch and complain about every little detail, which is a nice change.

I come to this board expecting serious and intelligent conversation and (most of the time) I get it.


You can thank Cliffjumper and myself for weeding out all the stupidheads.

You're welcome.
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Dead Man Wade
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Re: Re: An Open Letter To All Fanboys

Post by Dead Man Wade »

Originally posted by Cyberman
Hmm. I'd say that doesn't necessarily mean it's a geek. I'm thinking (and saying) the same of Armada(and probably Energon, haven't seen much of it).
I just used the term geek as a blanket term, and not even necessarily an insult.
Problem is, that doesn´t make it disappear. Simply refusing to accept something(i.e. not buying it) doesn´t really show that much.
Complaining, in a moderate way, can be much more helpful.
Well, my thinking is as follows:

Don't like the toy? Fine. Want Hasbro to make changes? Great. Tell them all about it. Doesn't mean I want to wade through 500 posts about how a certain toy sucks because it doesn't look and transform exactly like a toy that came out twenty years ago.
Also, stick "It IS possible to use proper spelling on the internet" right next to it.
There are several additions I've thought about, but I've simply been too lazy (plus, I have reviews to do).
There is some logic about that. Though it is understandable that it´s rather hard at first to get used to this idea, coming from G1, I mean.
And it wouldn't bother me.

If this were 1998.

But people have had plenty of time to wrap their heads around the concept.

Beyond that, I refer you to Arcee's earlier comments.
Go post it somewhere! It should be required to read(and sign?) before entering the internet. <ggg>


I might just, at that. If and when I stop being such a lazy slug.
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Re: An Open Letter To All Fanboys

Post by Warcry »

Originally posted by fort_max
8) If your only reason for not liking Beast Wars is because the characters were all (*gasp*) animals, then I’m probably going to completely disregard anything else you have to say about it.

Deal.

You know, that's not really fair. If someone came up with a logical, well-reasoned explanation for not liking BW because of them turning into animals, you should really accept that.

If, on the other hand, their argument consists solely of "TruKk n0t mUnky", you have a valid reason to dismiss them out of hand.
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Re: Re: An Open Letter To All Fanboys

Post by Dead Man Wade »

Originally posted by Warcry
You know, that's not really fair. If someone came up with a logical, well-reasoned explanation for not liking BW because of them turning into animals, you should really accept that.

If, on the other hand, their argument consists solely of "TruKk n0t mUnky", you have a valid reason to dismiss them out of hand.


And that's the whole point. Maybe I wasn't entirely clear, but I have no problem with people if they can express their opinions to amount to anything. However, if after repeated attempts to gain insight into what they didn't like about it, they're still saying things like that, then I am not going to pay them any heed.

Wow...I actually used 'heed' in a sentence. May not have been correct, but...
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Post by Sir Auros »

Is anyone else seeing a lot of weird characters on this page?
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Post by Warcry »

Originally posted by Sir Auros
Is anyone else seeing a lot of weird characters on this page?

I am, too. Seen 'em in a few other topics, too.
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Post by Ozz »

Originally posted by Sir Auros
Is anyone else seeing a lot of weird characters on this page?
Yeah, Computron's weird.
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Post by Strafe »

Computron's post is truly awe-inspiring.

Bravo!

:laugh:
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Re: Re: Re: An Open Letter To All Fanboys

Post by Cyberman »

Originally posted by Arcee
you know, Megatron has to be a gun and not - heaven forbid! - a tank because he was a gun in 1984 and what was good enough for us in 1984 has to be good enough for all coming generations, goddammit! - that's another thing.

The part between "you know" and "goddammit" is sarcasm, obviously.


Well, the Tank Megatron of G2 looked ridiculous, IMO. The Tank Megatron of DW, OTOH...
In a perfect world, this would be a signature. As it stands, it's just the lack of.
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Post by CounterPunch »

Originally posted by Warcry
I am, too. Seen 'em in a few other topics, too.
*outer limits music begins to play*
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Post by Nevermore »

Cyberman:
' THIS is an apostrophe, like in "it's". Assuming you're using a German keyboard, you type it via SHIFT + #.
´ THIS is an "accent-egu", or "acute", like on é. On a German keyboard, it's located to the right of the ß key.

EDIT 1: Ah, I see. Board software doesn't like foreing characters anymore. This wasn't always like this, I believe.
EDIT 2: Primus bless HTML.
EDIT 3: Now everything's back to normal, special characters are properly displayed again. Weird. Anyway. The "apostrophe/accent" thing is still valid. :p
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