Having read the responses to the article about Klikking Standards I have to say I am quite disheartened, but not in the slightest bit surprised by a number of the responses. So in response to it I am posting this article...

I am nearly 24 years old and although I'm a very active member of Apocalyptic Coders, I consider myself an outsider in the Klik community in general. I started code programming when I was only 6 years old on my Commodore Vic 20 in BASIC and have not looked back since. I have made all manner of software from numerous games to a paint package and even a bulletin board GUI system (for the Amiga OS). I have also studied Psychology and Artificial Intelligence at university so I have a good grounding in that area.

I use Klik to make games partly because of the way it allows you to develop yours ideas in a style first code last manner (which I always found more appealing) but also because I like trying to make it do things it really doesn't like doing. The games I make in Klik are far from low standard, simply because I didn't start my programming life with it and I have already had a lot of PRACTICE... and I think that is possibly the key to it all.

Without practice and experience you simply will not get good, period! No one is born with skills or talent in these areas... they may have an inherent ability, but without practice and perseverence this will never grow. So what has this got to do with anything you may be asking?! Well, a lot actually...

Many people show their work to the community for feedback, some to gain ratings or popularity, others maybe just because they enjoyed their work and want to share it... what ever the reason is, everyone deserves a little bit of respect as a human being! Instead of this, certain people feel the need to insult and offend others for no conceivable reason. I know that I personally can handle that sort of input myself because I have been through stuff in life and am imbued with that wisdom and maturity that nearly a quarter of a century brings... but I am by no means representative of the average age group of the Klik community. I know for a fact that up until about 16/17 years old I still would have been devastated if I had to receive that sort of abuse. And to take this to the point I was making, I would probably have given up then and there. Sure it is good to give criticism about someones work, but as was already pointed out by someone in the Klikking Standards article... there is absolutely no need to reduce them to a snivelling wreck and make them feel 1 inch tall in order to do this.

It should also perhaps be noted that it probably isn't appropriate to be swearing and communicating in this way with people as young as, well, I've met a 7 year old Klikker online... Lets put it this way, if your parents heard someone speaking to you that way in the street or at school or in work, do you think they'd just turn away and ignore it? I think perhaps not! As I said, I am nearly 24 and I know my parents would still be furious at anyone who treated me like that.

I am glad the article was posted because it has opened up the forum to say some important things about the community which nobody ever seems to say. Certain arrogant and self-righteous memebers of the community need to start lightening up and learning to either be nice or just keep quiet. There is never a reason or excuse in any walk of life to go around being nasty to people so why come into a public forum which is devoted to something that is supposed to be fun and behave in a way that is killing the sense of community spirit!?!?! Every day I try to log on to #apocalypticcoders on IRC to at least say hello... Why? Because we have a laugh. I consider everyone there a friend and we all get on and help each other out wherever we can along the way. If something I or another member of the group is doing is not so great, or if something needs alteration or improvement - it does not result in a slanging match or abusive insults being hurled around the channel! Whilst coded by a few members of the group, our website is the result of input from everyone in the group - and yes there were some heated discussions about some of the features / areas, but at the end of the day they were just that - discussion. Don't get me wrong, there are days when people are off and we can snap at each other, but that is life and we are just human. I guess the difference is that we stop and take a moment to realise that maybe we weren't so nice to someone and apologise if necessary!

I guess what I am trying to say is... be nice! To the small group of people who make a joke of the term community, no matter how young or old you are... grow up or shut up! After all, nobody is forcing you to be here so why stay and spoil it for others!

Wouldn't it be nice if the responses to this were civil and non-abusive....................