That is why I said a Pento, not a chat admin. There were more than one admin. And yes, I suppose it would have to be someone Ben was willing to trust. Although I am sure a disclaimer could solve a potential legal problem. There could be admins under this particular person, but that person, not Ben, would deal with the (possible) bitching.
At that point it sounds like you have the exact same system that failed so spectacularly on wotmania. If Ben did choose someone to be the overseer and ultimate authority of chat, like Pento it would have to be someone who didn't give a rat's ass about criticism and who also couldn't care less if he offended any of the chat users with his actions. I would also suggest it would have to be someone who didn't participate whatsoever in chat, to avoid entanglement in the very conflict/drama that had to be resolved.
It failed at wotmania because the Pento stopped working. The person would not have to avoid chat, just not get sucked into arguments. I am sure there is such a person somewhere.
I would like to believe we are able to act sensibly, but you are probably right.
Some can. Some seem incapable. And when the brown stuff hits the fan, a lot of those who can become people who can't.
I think it would help the site grow. I was not a frequent chat user either, but I enjoyed the stuff that spilt out of chat and on to the boards. Except the Amy/Urza stuff, which was just boring (and nothing is worse than boring drama).
The only thing I hated more than chat posts were troll posts. :p
And the two were often the same.
And even if you resolved all of this effectively, there are still the time and money factors ...
I really do believe that chat would pay for itself, though. As long as it did not degenerate. It is much less scary participating in chat than posting on a messageboard for the first time, and I think a lot of people slowly graduated from chat because they felt comfortable after having been there for a while. Beacause of the stigma of newbieism, message boards are scary places. This one perhaps more than many others precisely because we have a community with some shared history. Chat could help ease peopel into it.
*MySmiley*
structured procrastinator
structured procrastinator
Hey Ben? Um...I hate being a pain in the ass but
- 30/10/2011 10:15:28 PM
1191 Views
Lets be honest
- 30/10/2011 10:31:01 PM
774 Views
Then don't moderate the chatroom.
- 31/10/2011 12:12:05 AM
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That last is probably a bad environment in which to create a chat. 
- 31/10/2011 10:37:59 PM
696 Views
- 31/10/2011 10:37:59 PM
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Re: Lets be honest
- 31/10/2011 06:04:03 AM
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Re: Lets be honest
- 31/10/2011 07:16:03 AM
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*NM*
The way I see it ...
- 31/10/2011 03:09:37 AM
752 Views
Solution
- 31/10/2011 12:57:54 PM
746 Views
The trouble is ...
- 31/10/2011 02:36:53 PM
718 Views
Re: The trouble is ...
- 31/10/2011 02:44:15 PM
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Re: The trouble is ...
- 31/10/2011 02:52:44 PM
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Re: The trouble is ...
- 31/10/2011 02:58:06 PM
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I disagree strongly; that segregated power was part of the problem with wotmania chat.
- 31/10/2011 10:51:33 PM
689 Views
There is the Invite Only chat. Very restrictive.
- 01/11/2011 01:26:58 AM
706 Views
I didn't want to be in your racist chat anyway. *NM*
- 01/11/2011 02:52:54 AM
333 Views
*NM*
There was that one time though...
- 01/11/2011 12:21:08 PM
636 Views
You paint a very rockin' picture... even if Minnesotans are just slightly warmer Canadians. *NM*
- 01/11/2011 11:37:58 PM
334 Views
*NM*
Danu - there is always AIM chat. Everyone knows how to get there. They just don't.
- 01/11/2011 01:14:37 PM
718 Views