DKK public service announcement

A SE-appointed, 3 person panel has reached a conclusion on a Council, majority-approved evaluation of the dkk server trial (lasting from Nov 10 - Dec 1) as originally requested by me. These findings are released publicly as follows:

Panel reached consensus support for keeping the server. Their decision is a non-binding recommendation. Minimal edits have been made to the below opinions for readability.

Michael:

• i personally believe it is not only in our personal interest to keep the server running, but that since it’s been brought back tensions have reduced and ppl have been a lil happier
• also i still dislike the s3 community and having an alternative to fall back to (i.e. when we are not playing with kabeera…) is very nice
• finally im like in love with nostalgia so im biased but idc

Paul:

• ive concluded that kabeera not wanting part in this server is fine. if he wants a part of it then he could dm us.
  • Michael: i think hes made his position clear about his opinion on the server. but there are more than enough people still interested and invested in this server that i dont think it matters
• i really do dislike the s3 server as well. its really toxic. being in s3 is just stressful.
• Kiernan: he told me that he wanted to keep the server up

Shawn:

• sentimental: this was the very first server I joined with Discord ever, and also this is also the first place I met everyone

As the trial administrator, I have the following opinions: When DKK was first opened in 2017, I had a vision that it would be a simple place where most of our friends could meet. It didn’t have a theme. It didn’t have complex rules or arbitrary enforcement. It didn’t have social hierarchies.

Based on events that have happened in this server’s past, the DKK server no longer serves as an ideal community hub. However, when I reopened the server for this trial period, many of us participated in a candid discussion on how to proceed. It became apparent that we needed some changes, and I felt that I should run the server to fit my original vision as closely as possible, with one exception- that it no longer needs to be the first-choice meeting place for our community.

In the time that the DKK server was decomissioned, I have directly observed and received second-hand reports of increased unequal treatment of members in related servers. E.g. certain disciplinary actions being taken:

• without cause
• without thorough review
• without mediation
• without broad consensus from neutral/uninvolved parties or bipartisan support

I believe that this server can now serve a more important purpose of, rather than being the most popular place to congregate, giving users a place to be where:

• server actions are transparent
• server rules remain simple to understand and easy to comply with
• permissions aren’t likely to be abused because nobody has special permissions except for the person who can’t decide Panel outcomes
• actions by any anyone* that do not directly violate server rules can be reviewed by peers with due process

* person(s), member(s) and non-member(s), administrator(s), or other parties. no one is excluded.

Although there are not currently any servers that ideally serve our entire community, we (the Panel and I) generally believe that the existance of DKK benefits more than just present DKK members. I cannot say for certain nor prove that DKK existance during this trial period resulted in better administration of other servers or more-equal treatment of members. But I can say that without us being here to compete against them, it would be more difficult to realize the reforms needed to make any server the ideal place for our entire community to call “home”.

Therefore, based on my own opinion and the finding of this panel, I have reached a decision to

1. conclude the trial, effective immediately
2. extend the service life of this server indefinitely
3. continuously monitor server/community health
4. consider changes to resolve any server issues occurring in the future

Julien (SE)