Our message forums and our IRC services may be different settings, but they're both a part of the Chrono Compendium. When somebody does something serious enough to warrant a ban, we don't want them hanging around on the periphery of the community. That just creates hard feelings. When you're fired from a job, you don't get to keep on hanging out in the breakroom, you know? If you earn a ban, you're finished with the Compendium. That's the only sensible way to do it. This very thread is an example of the ongoing community strife that the banned members' continuing pseudo-presence can cause. Those banned from the forums should be banned altogether from IRC as well.
Lest anyone forget, ZeaLitY is not exactly trigger-happy. Other than Laith, there haven't been any bannings in quite a while, except for those relating to the Cease & Disease crisis--all of whom had willingly chosen to take action that imperiled our entire community. I think those of you who are sore about it need to recognize that actions have consequences. Hopefully those banned will learn a lesson from their mistakes, but that lesson will have to be applied elsewhere. The banned people need to move on with their lives. They'll still have access to the Compendium's resources like the encyclopedia and game scripts, and that's good enough.
Meanwhile, the community needs to move on too. If you're pissed off about this, then you can quit in solidarity. But if you choose to stay here, you shouldn't be complaining and complaining about it on the forums (or in IRC). That's childish and selfish. If you have something to say, fire off a PM to one of the administrators. I guarantee you that they listen. They may not do what you want them to do, but they're not a bunch of monolithic fiends.
