From Dranoel....

[cloudy]

I received the following from Dranoel, who asked me to post it here:

My friends it is time I leave you. I have enjoyed your company and your friendship these past months. I admit I will miss you all. Yes, even you Perdita. But not CV. I had nine of my short stories posted here in the six months I have been here, including the story by Rideme Cowgirl. I have requested seven of those stories be removed. I have decided to allow the Literotica Olympics stories to remain as those stories belong to you as much as they do me.

I want to thank those of you who took the time to read my stories. Especially those who voted honestly. And I cherish the feedback those stories received. I have saved all of the PCs as a Word file and I know I will read over them often in years to come and remember the friends I have here.

Please do not attempt to "fix" the voting on my stories. I have turned off voting and anonymous feedback on them. I would not want votes purely from sysmpathy. Honesty was all I ever asked for.

Sometime in the future I may return to the boards. But for now I cannot be here. For those of you who are my friends you can still reach me through e-mail and Yahoo. Please do. I do not like to lose friends and the friends I have here are the best a man could hope for. For anyone else who wants to contact me my e-mail address is still available in my profile.


The following was submitted with the request to remove my stories. I hope it explains it all for you.

The reason for the request for removal is simple. Your voting system is corrupt and unreliable. I joined Literotica and submitted my stories to
find out, honestly, how they would compare to other authors. It is impossible to tell, honestly, how they compare when the anonymous voting system that you use can be and is exploited just for some troll to get a laugh. Or for someone to anonymously take out a grudge. Or to simply see their own stories at the top of its category.

My last submission, "Do You Still Love Me", was based on a real life experience of my own. It causes me great pain to see a story I poured out my heart and soul for to become a sick joke for these people. And they get away with it because they can. Because you allow them to. Because they can do it anonymously.

I PMd Laurel with a valid and reasonable suggestion to end this kind of vandalism of stories. I did so because I know I am not alone in my anger. Many others, most, I'd say, have suffered the same fate. My suggestion was evidently ignored as I did not get any sort of reply. This tells me you simply do not care. And I will not submit further stories to your site under these conditions. Nor will I allow my past stories to continue to be made a mockery in this manner.

Yes, unless you can give me reason to believe that this mockery will not be allowed to continue, I want my stories removed from your site.

Sincerely angry,

Martin "Dranoel" Spencer

 

[lucky-E-leven]

Bummer.



~lucky

 

[Guest]

 

[Joe Wordsworth]

Mad love.

 

[Xelebes]

Show me a voting system on an arts site that isn't corrupt. Heck, even on any site for that matter.

Don't get excited over how the votes work, just look at how many reads you get and the responses. Voting systems mean shit as fan bases can totally skewer the voting results.

Well, farewell. I shall e-mail you the finished results of my remix of you. If I should get it pressed........

Wait, am I talking to someone who is not here?

 

[Belegon]

Dran, I hope you end up returning and reading this, but I guess I won't know if you don't...

I enjoy when my stories are highly rated. Wingman spent a long time in the Erotic Couplings top ten and A Beautiful Friendship is top ten in Group Sex right now. The trolls hit Wingman hard and I expect it to happen to Friendship too.

But, as you have already said by noting that the PC's were saved, it is the real fans and peers that I care about. I will miss your wit and your joy of life. I'd like to think you could enjoy the boards even if you are not allowing voting on stories or you feel it is corrupt.

I can't say the trolls don't bother me. But they don't get under my skin long enough to cause any real pain. I guess I kinda expect some of it. I see too many bitter people in real life to not expect some here. I'm sorry those bitter ones spoiled this environment for someone I like.

Regardless, I have enjoyed our limited association and hope to meet up with you again sometime.

 

[ferociouskittycat]

is this because of those stupid bomb votes?

Fuck you Dranoel!!!!!!

Get your sorry ass back in here!!!!! I have to put up with a sulky ass shit, then SO DO YOU!!!!!!!!

Don't you DARE leave me here alone!!!!!

I'm really pissed at you if you think you're taking the easy way out!!! You're so selfish. What about your friends??? What about me?

So what if you get a few bombs!!!! Chin up and face it like the rest of us do, damn it!!!!! Get on yahoo you sorry son of a bitch!!! You're not leaving that easy!!!!

 

[English Lady]

see you then Dranoel. there is alot more i'd like to say but as i don't really know ou it's not appropriate. I am sorry it came to this for you.


your friends here will miss you.

 

[Guest]

So "they" have won, whoever they are. That's sad. I bet they are laughing their asses of right now.

I'm so glad I don't write for votes, it must be a very frustrating way to be. Isn't writing, and even Lit, about more than how your stories are doing in the voting? What about the pleasure you get from seeing your work published on this site and knowing hundreds, and maybe thousands, of people are reading them? What about the friendships you've formed and the camaraderie, support and encouragement we all get from being part of the AH? Oh well, I guess that means nothing, compared to the votes.

That didn't mean to sound heartless, I feel for you Dran, I really do, I just can't relate.

Anyway, take some time away, have a think about it and maybe you'll see it differently in a little while.

See you around,

Lou

 

[Guest]

 

[SensualCealy]

You will be missed terribly by many of us Dranoel!

Take care and know that the ones that did this to hurt you won, the ones that care for you are the ones that lost out!
All my best to you,
Cealy

 

[neonlyte]

I regret this. I don't know the guy and commiserate for his frustration.

Pulling out of Lit, unless you have found somewhere 'better' to place your stories only serves to reinforce the actions of people who perpetrate these actions.

It has been said many many times

- ignore them

it is difficult, but if you acknowledge their actions in any way in public they are the victors.

There is no such thing as a 'fair' voting system, at least not one that could live with the Freedom of Speech principle this site advocates.

We make the best of what we have, the reward is measured by the pleasure you bring to the readers.

You could always change your ID and start over. Believe me, it works.

 

[Lisa Denton]

Dranoel, I know you will see this, read it twice.

You have given all the trolls a big grin and a thread to show them they can slam us all down.

Ferocious and Tatelou said it best. I won't try to repeat what they said much better than I could.

I expect a reply to this, I know you are feeling bad and it may take a while.

I am waiting for a story from you, with voting turned on, with PC's allowed, when you feel better. Only you can write this story and only you can give us the great gift of sharing it with us.

Coming soon from Dranoel, DIVER DOWN.






P.S. Trolls - Nuke em till they glow, then shoot em in the dark.

 

[Liar]

Um...ok?

I have seen this reaction from different people now and again, and I'm equally stunned each time. I just can't comprehend how they reason.

Dran, if you read this, or if someone might be willing to relay this to you:

Your stories are unfairly treated by the voting system and the trolls. You therefore feel that you don't want your stories on the site anymore. Fine. I think you're overreacting, but that's my opinion, and I might be wrong. Go ahread and remove your stories.

BUT...I am not the corrupt voting system. Why do this have to include removing yourself from us, people who are, or have started to become, your friends?

Really, I don't get it.


confused regards,
#L

 

[doormouse]

Um...ok?

BUT...I am not the corrupt voting system. Why do this have to include removing yourself from us, people who are, or have started to become, your friends?

Really, I don't get it.


confused regards,
#L

Touche.

We'll always be here when you decide to come back Dranoel. I know my first post was fiery, but it shocked me that you would let them win. You'll always have your friends here when you decide to come back.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

The vote count will never be an accurate way to compare yourself to other writers. Your only real comparative scale is the feedback you get from writers you admire.

If I write an erotic horror piece and Lou tells me it's good, then I know it's good. That's her genre, I respect her ability and expertise in it and while she is as sweet as the day is long, I don't believe she would tell me it was good if it wasn't.

If you write here for long or post in the forums you will make some enemies. Some will be decent enough folks with whom you just disagree, some will be vindictive, in a small and petty way. The only way to avoid them, is to not post.

Before I began posting here every story I had up had an H. Afterwards, I took a beating on some of them. I made some incredible friends here too.

Is an H worth never having met Tatelou? No way. Is it worth not knowing Ogs, or Rumple or Lucky or Min or Mats or Abs or Vella, or the whole list of fine people who make up this community? No way in hell.

I still have some H's. If I loose them, I loose them. For the friendships and support I have found here I would gladly sacrifice them all.

The storys will still be there, over time, the ones will be balanced by other votes. The friends are mine for life. That is a trade off I don't ever think about.

I hope Dran, you will be able to look at the people here who like you and miss you and be able to put the votes into perspective.

-Colly

 

[mismused]

I've expressed similar feelings before.

Yes, after my tirade, I still said much as Dranoel did. The system is corrupt enough to make one's blood boil.

I have mentioned before that I PM'ed to have "intentionally" placed bombs removed. The reader's confirmed my wondering about my writing: For those similarly inclined, I write well, at least well enough that none of my stories deserved a 1 or a 2 vote.

Binging it to the attention of the proper person, both as PM, and as she suggested to me, did little to correct the bad votes. My question remains, is the prize given for the story with the least number of bomb votes? It renders it with a foul odor of mendacity.

Still, when, and if, I get my next story done, I will post it for those that have told me they love the way I write and tell stories. Then again, I still can't help but wonder why this is allowed to continue.

Nuff said.

mismused

for Dranoel, and all others so mistreated.

 

[Belegon]

As I tried to show in my post above, I respect Dran's belief that he should take whatever actions he feels are appropriate.

Personally, I wonder at things that don't provoke reactions, negative as well as positive. I tend to stay out of poly-sci and religious discussions because I find them to be rather useless. I do not believe I will be able to truly influence those with opposing points of view in this forum. Occassionaly I become incensed and spout something off at someone and I do have one person on "ignore" because he infuriates me. It is not because I don't want one bombs.

The voting accomplished some things for me when I first joined and posted. It established confidence. I had not written anything longer than a resume in nearly fifteen years, so that was needed. I still want votes and enjoy them.

But I take them with the attitude I used to take about music. It is not likely that anyone can write a song or story that will appeal equally to everyone and when they try, they usually turn out mediocre drivel.

Martin, I hope you can ignore the idiots and come back just for your peers. But if you don't, you will still have my respect for making the gesture that seemed appropriate to you.

To Thine Own Self Be True.

 

[doormouse]

I just think it sucks that a few trolls can make someone so self-conscious that they have to leave.


Dranoel, don't let the lepers get the better of you. What's more important? Friends or foe?

 

[Lisa Denton]

Musings for Dran.

You can come back now.

One particular stalker knocked me out for a week, I didn't post at all.

One thread I jumped into without reading it through well and sounded like an idiot, even to me.

I just insulted someone on another thread, I felt strongly about something and said so. Not the first time and won't be the last.

You and I had some problems, whether you said something wrong or I took it the wrong way was not important when we both forgave each other and became friends again.

We laugh and cry and fight on these threads, some will go to your stories and try to win an arguement in a childish way. Thats not important, being able to speak your mind is.

Months ago I came upon a thread, I read through seven pages of weird shit. One girl I didn't know was being nice to a troll who was spewing filth, for seven freakin pages.
He looked up her stats and tried to make something strange out of her postings.
When she told him all her stories had just been bombed and asked if he did it, he didn't deny it and went into how many stories can deserve a one vote.
I finally jumped in and called him a stupid idiot and dared him to bomb my stories, of course he did.

I didn't ask Laurel to remove the one votes, I cherished them.

I spoke my mind on something I felt was important and felt proud that I had done it. I slept good that night.

Oh yea, that girl I didn't know then, you might know her. She posted this thread for you.

 

[Guest]

Alright, alright.

You win. But I am still not happy with this.

Leaving does not mean the trolls win. It is simply game over. They lose their target. They win when you ignore them and accept their actions instead of trying to do something about it. Accepting their actions validates them. They win.

I can take a lot of flak. I have all my life. But only when I know where it comes from. This is more like someone throwing rotten eggs on your house in the middle of the night. Would you ignore that? Would you go out and clean up the mess every morning and just accept it as part of having a house? Or would you just leave the rottren eggs hoping they would just get bored and go away?

Ignoring a problem is not the way to solve it. You ALL know that. And yet that is what you are doing.

Enough ranting.

I removed the request to have the stories removed. And reinstated voting and comments. The trolls can have a fuckin' ball.

I'll be back next week.

Adios.

For now.

 

[Belegon]

It's good to hear from ya buddy!

and believe it or not, that's all I gots to say for now...

 

[Lisa Denton]

Alright, alright.

You win. But I am still not happy with this.

Leaving does not mean the trolls win. It is simply game over. They lose their target. They win when you ignore them and accept their actions instead of trying to do something about it. Accepting their actions validates them. They win.

I can take a lot of flak. I have all my life. But only when I know where it comes from. This is more like someone throwing rotten eggs on your house in the middle of the night. Would you ignore that? Would you go out and clean up the mess every morning and just accept it as part of having a house? Or would you just leave the rottren eggs hoping they would just get bored and go away?

Ignoring a problem is not the way to solve it. You ALL know that. And yet that is what you are doing.

Enough ranting.

I removed the request to have the stories removed. And reinstated voting and comments. The trolls can have a fuckin' ball.

I'll be back next week.

Adios.

For now.

I hope I didn't make ya mad, we was all just missin you. When you come back you better not smell like rotten eggs, or is that your aftershave. See ya soon.

You are brave and you win by coming back.

 

[Lucifer_Carroll]

Alright, alright.

You win. But I am still not happy with this.

Leaving does not mean the trolls win. It is simply game over. They lose their target. They win when you ignore them and accept their actions instead of trying to do something about it. Accepting their actions validates them. They win.

I can take a lot of flak. I have all my life. But only when I know where it comes from. This is more like someone throwing rotten eggs on your house in the middle of the night. Would you ignore that? Would you go out and clean up the mess every morning and just accept it as part of having a house? Or would you just leave the rottren eggs hoping they would just get bored and go away?

Ignoring a problem is not the way to solve it. You ALL know that. And yet that is what you are doing.

Enough ranting.

I removed the request to have the stories removed. And reinstated voting and comments. The trolls can have a fuckin' ball.

I'll be back next week.

Adios.

For now.

Welcome home.

 

[pop_54]

Alright, alright.

You win. But I am still not happy with this.

Leaving does not mean the trolls win. It is simply game over. They lose their target. They win when you ignore them and accept their actions instead of trying to do something about it. Accepting their actions validates them. They win.

I can take a lot of flak. I have all my life. But only when I know where it comes from. This is more like someone throwing rotten eggs on your house in the middle of the night. Would you ignore that? Would you go out and clean up the mess every morning and just accept it as part of having a house? Or would you just leave the rottren eggs hoping they would just get bored and go away?

Ignoring a problem is not the way to solve it. You ALL know that. And yet that is what you are doing.

Enough ranting.

I removed the request to have the stories removed. And reinstated voting and comments. The trolls can have a fuckin' ball.

I'll be back next week.

Adios.

For now.

Wise move mate... don't let the brain dead bastards win... I gave up on the voting system here long ago, I also gave up any hope of the site admin taking too much notice of the regular pleas for help... so many requests for help and dialogue about the voting system have gone unanswered... But at the end of the day, it's Laurel and Manu's site so the choices are theirs and theirs alone to make.

Welcome back.