Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges
By Maniacal Clown
I borrow this week's title from an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Translated from Latin, it means "In War, Laws Will be Silent." Unless you tend to roam throughout the Zelda community like I do, you probably haven't figured haven't figured out what this article is about yet. On the other hand, if you enjoy breathing the fresh air of other message boards, you probably recognized the topic from the moment you read "war."
In recent weeks a conflict has once again erupted. For yet another time, one Zelda site is fighting with another. This time, however, IZC is merely a spectator as the conflict is between two other of the largest Zelda sites on the 'Net, Hyrule: The Land of Zelda and Videogamer X's Odyssey of Hyrule. The sad part is, the self-titled "war" isn't between the two sites at all, but between the members of the OoH message board and HTLOZ webmaster Falco-X. The conflict, however, could mean the downfall of either site.
What could bring a great site to its knees? A number of things if you can believe it. According to the OoH message board, Falco-X banned the IP's of almost every member of the board. That in response to a visit of a few spammers from OoH to the HTLOZ board. The major problem is that most of the people banned never did anything against the rules, and even more have never visited the HTLOZ board at all! They go on to say that Falco-X had no right to ban those people. Although I disagree with that last part (It IS his board, after all), I believe Falco-X was way out of line. The online Zelda community is just that, a community. Not even the mighty HTLOZ should be seperated.
Following the mass-banning, the rules for entering and registering with the HTLOZ board were changed. No longer can anyone come and chat. Every person now has to send an e-mail to Falco-X including a 300 word essay on why they want in. This has enraged OoH even more. I understand Falco's motives, but I think it's overkill. I know some people who couldn't write a 300 word essay if the first 299 words were written for them!
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"Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges." Why that title? Everyone who is anyone on the Internet know that one thing always has, and always will be, illegal. Hacking. Yet whenever hostilities erupt between two sites, those laws become mysteriously silent. Thrown out the window. Forgotten. Knowing full well what they're doing is wrong, they line up in front of their respective sites. The metaphorical bombs are launched, only to be diffused by the other sides. Desperately, the two sides try to reach peace before one of the bombs makes it through. Everytime it seems, they settle the dispute in the nick of time. But what if they don't? What if, "in self-defense," HTLOZ becomes the murderer of Odyssey of Hyrule? What if something from OoH makes it through the, and I quote, "112 hackers" that protect HTLOZ? Then, my friends, we have another casualty of war. One site joins the ranks of Triforceguy. Beaten...forgotten. Hoping to one day become the Phoenix, but the day never comes. While the other learns but one thing. "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges." In War, Laws Will be Silent. Anything goes...and the hunger burns for more. They got away with it once, why not again? If one of these sites fall, who will be next? It's a never-ending cycle...and somebody's going to get hurt.
~Maniacal Clown
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