Who are the W-hats?

Neither can the aforementioned user. This person didn't know all 400 of these people as was intimated. Nor was that name list from Second Life (the venue we're discussing here). I don't really care what a group does on some website located who-knows-where. I care about the group history and reputation in Second Life.

For the record, I don't think anyone here has recommended banning all W-Hat members. That was taken WAY out of context and past left field. The recommendation was made to remove the group itself based on excessive griefing associated over a period of time, and group attitude regarding such griefings. Those are valid concepts. If a group refuses to patrol its ranks and their members continually causes problems throughout SL-- that group deserves evaluation and possible elimination from the board. It's happened with other groups-- a face every group needs to be aware of, not just W-Hat. There are certain standards of conduct expected out of everyone.

Now, I really *am* going to start ignoring these forums... just as soon as I can get the things to stop sending messages to my email.

I wonder if there's a Forums Anonymous...

As I understand it this GROUP has the self stated aim of disruption.

Whilst I would usually be the first to defend rights such as personal freedom and expression on a matter of principle, I simply don't understand how that's relevant here. This group is not in the interests of SL or its residents. It would be in LL's best interest to at least issue a formal warning, if not eject, anyone with a known affilliation to the group and in the best interests of anyone in the group, notably those who claim innocence wrt their repeated antisocial activities, to leave it and distance themselves from it rather than try to defend it.

The list was Second Life last names and respective Something Awful forum names. W-Hat is a group for Something Awful forum members, so everyone in W-Hat has a Something Awful forum account. Since this is a thread asking for a list of names of innocent people to ban, maybe you can understand why I'd be a little hesitant to give them. It is also against the rules, as far as I'm aware.

A list of just Something Awful forum members would have more than 60,000.

So a group that won't act on accusations with no proof should be held more responsible for the continued presence of "troublemakers" in the world than the company that has access to the server logs and a financial responsibility to its customers?

"La la la la I can't hear you."

You understand wrong.

Seems we are ALL understanding "wrong". Please enlighten us.

I'd like to know exactly why YOU think this group has the reputation it does? Are you saying it's been slighted and there is no deserved reason for its reputation?

I don't know anything more about this group than what I've read here...both by it's own members posts and others personal experiences. But when one member comes here and admits to being a self-proclaimed "asshole" I have to seriously wonder what redeeming value they have.

And I'm not saying they shouldn't have a right to free speech. I'm just asking why I should suffer the existance of people that claim they like to grief...even if not grid-wide.

I am just pointing out how silly it is to set out to ban hundreds of people whose only connection to someone you have a problem with is that they post on the forums of a humor website.

Well no I don't. As the last post attests, and another, in which the perpetrator was witnessed as having said "that he was a W-Hatter and that they did these things because they had cast themselves in the role of school-yard bullies of SL"

With no "leader" to stand up and take responsibility for the actions of its members, the group as a whole will be represented by the actions of the individuals within it, and all its members must therefore bear responsibility. This is why I said it would be in your best interest to leave the group rather than try and defend it. I was helping you out there, but obviously you weren't bright enough to see that.

From the W-hat webpage:

http://sl.nexterholland.com/what.html#fags

That's "fags", not "faqs".

Laukos, are you sure you want to bring logic and common sense to these forums? You *will* find yourself in a very small minority.

According to the logic of those who stand up for the anarchy of groups like W-Hat... then that logic should extend to those who decide to stand up with mob rule and wipe W-Hat right off the grid. I mean, that's anarchy too, yes?

I thought it worked both ways. But if one is going to insist on adding civility, ethics and decency to the formula... that has to apply to W-hat too.

(edit: Original post was: "Laukos, how dare you bring logic and common sense to these forums. Stop it right now." But after reading other posts throughout these forums, I thought some (descriptions ommitted) folks might not get the joke--even with the smiley faces-- so decided immediately to change it to something more obvious.)

you can only control your own honor and lead by example

posted a second time

/120/8e/3593/2.html#post23232/120/8e/3593/2.html#post23232

I fully condone this action.

Stooping to that level is pretty cool.

Well, Way, said user is current leader and officer of W-Hat, last I recall. I'm pretty sure Masa's list is accurate in terms of names used in relation to warm bodies, even if Masa wasn't giving out SL names.

LF.. good synopsis but you omitted the part about the racist, anti semitic, hate filled displays and declarations made under the guise of "free speech."

They seem to be children raised to believe that saying "sorry was an accident" would get them off the hook for whatever wrongdoing. Guess it's worked for them since they are still around.

Lol Way! I'm already in a minority, or so I'm told, so it makes little difference

Mulch, the purpose of the W-hat groups is not to bring peace or joy to others. What is the purpose of W-hat? If the purpose were a cultural one, or any possibly arguably nifty one, then fine: discrimination it may be. but the very purpose of W-hat and related groups is to cause grief and challenge wherever their members go.

Wanna hurt W-hat? Hurt em where it counts: pocketbooks. Do not buy land, products, or ANYTHING from its members.

He understands wrong, that the group is about disruption? Then what IS it about??? To understand anything, examine its output. To understand how to kill a creature, find out where it gets its food.

Folks, keep in mind that many people who make a lot of money off of shopping are in this group and related groups. if you want to starve this creature, you must quit feeding it. Quit shopping at any outlets that are made by a W-Hatter. Quit buying their land, their stuff, their skins, their jewelry, all their things and sooner or later it will be time for members of the group to choose: do they really want that 1k USD per week income? Or would they rather be loyal to their pals in W-hat? Which would you choose?

its very funny that everyone is so up in arms over the actions of one member of a group. everyone is all for banning W-hat when most of them are Innocent and did nothing. You all talk about how groups should be responsable for their members actions yet SL is over ran with Mob groups and self named Gangs that are known for attacking other residents on a daily basis and no one really ever even mentions it lol but one person does some thing that takes down the grid for 2 hours *gasp* and you all freak out. relax its a game dont judge people by a group tag thats nuts. w-Hat has some very talented and respected residents with in their ranks and you want to destory them due to one bad seed. Take out grifers and bad seed's as they surface but dont take it out on those who are innocent.

Respected by whom?

Personally, I would hardly categorize any person who stands by and tolerates and condones the racist and hateful actions this one individual has been known for in the past as a respected resident.

If in fact they are worthy of respect, they would have disassociated themselves from this individual long ago. The fact that they didn't speaks volumes for the group.

Stop defending this group. Their history in SL is well documented and indefensible.

lol you're a pretty funny fella yourself *gasp*

Exactly who are the the W-Hats, and what are their alt account names?

Er can someone tell me exactly what happened with W-Hat this week? im told they attacked Sl or soemthing. I looked all over the forums for help and found just a bunch of "i dont like them... there evil" topics. lol I wasnt around yesterday but i was told they did something that would have perminently destroyed SL. :/ allthough only 1 person told me this so it might not be true. lol

Here are screen shots of a few of the prims that that took down the grid:

Here are some screen shots of few prims that took down the grid:

You'll note that the group in the screenshot that shows a group is not, in fact, w-hat.

Very true. The objects that took the grid down were tied to a group called "Something Awful".

SomethingAwful has no connection to W-Hat. Gotcha.