User Right-to-Leave: Difference between revisions

'''Right-to-Leave''' is a concept whereby community members can leave at any given time, without outright personal consequences.  

An example of a community which does not have this would be a fraternity or sorority. Members are considered such for life barring forceful removal. The costs for entry are also high, including time and possibly even money. Many online communities have a low cost of entry, and it is quite easy to leave.  

For a group like ours, the right-to-leave is one of the primary reasons why many "fair" processes arise. Our group relies ultimately on the participation of members, which means that we're responsible for ensuring our members are happy. Thus, although the staff can serve their own purposes if they wish, should they take this too far, right-to-leave emboldens members to go elsewhere.  

There is also a downside to this, though. Too high of an investment can be a liability for the group -- and this has also been demonstrated. Users with a high emotional investment can cause damage to a community when things go awry. Because they are so attached, they will do almost whatever it takes to ensure that their status-quo remains, even if it is against the greater good. This has resulted in flame wars and public disputes which would have been easily deflated had the offending member simply cut ties. Our group should remember that it doesn't need to be ''the'' Star Trek RPG, just a ''good'' Star Trek RPG. So we shouldn't hesitate to allow easy departure of our members simply because it ensures that those who stay are committed and interested in the success of the community.

As mentioned above, internet communities generally have a low cost of leaving, as there are so many other places where one can take their "business" or participation. But sometimes this doesn't hold entirely true. While there may be hundreds of Star Trek RPGs on the internet, are the experiences in them the same as UFOP: StarBase 118? This is debatable. We've heard from dozens of members who attest they have played in other RPGs and found them lacking. Some reasons they've cited:

* No staying power: Many groups start on a "whim," as someone gets excited about the idea of running an RPG. But if the founder doesn't have enough time or motivation to keep up with the group, it may fizzle.

SB118 provides a mechanism to prevent departure from the general group, which is transfer between ships. This also insulates us against the right-to-leave, as members can find a similar playing experience under different leadership on another ship. If the member has disputes which extend beyond their ship, however (which they often do), this mechanism fails.