Well, I took a week off, from the game and the forums...Just to see of I thought the same thing when I returned. I apologize for all the drama on this thread, that was not my intent, as this is about ME.
Lets go over the basic gripe before I try and make my last statement concerning this issue.
1. I was cheated a swap thread on occasion by player A...I reported it to my advisor(Guild founder) and he made it right...the player gave me the fps
2. I was cheated again, twice in a 24 hr period, by the same player A. I again reported it to my sponsor, who took it up with management and decided that 3 times deserved a 2 week time-out from the swap threads.
Now, let me address THAT decision before I go on.
Player A had 2 excuses
1. He made a mistake
2. He intenionally tries to cheat and got caught. (If you see a 3rd option, please, let me know)
As to option 1, if a player makes THAT many mistakes, 2 in a 24 hr period, he's a liability to the Guild. How many people is he cheating due to his "mistakes?"
As to option 2, it needs no response.
My week away from the game gave me the insight that I was partially to blame. I should NOT have accepted their 2 week swap thread banishment when it was presented to me as their punishment. Instead I did, and then 10 days later, the overall absurdity of that decision got to me. By then it was too late. I might have had a chance if my issue was current, but after the fact, I didnt stand a chance, even if the issue had its merits, at both times. It appeared I was crying over spilt milk.
Here's my theory on how this happened:
Step 1. Most people play this game a couple times a day, they put their fps where they want, do their business and go about their lives.
They log back in and pretty much rinse and repeat. Unless they make a CONSCIOUS effort to KNOW exactly how many points that GB had when they did step 1, they have NO clue as to who and if any points were placed at all. Add into this, the theif, who makes sure he has 40 or 50 fps on any GB hes theiving, and its a no brainer. If confronted, he says "Look, I got 40 points...prove it was me."
I was lucky, Im retired, Im here ALL day and I took notes....My GB hadnt been leveled and the crook was missing 65 fps. It was a slam dunk.
Now ask yourself......who is going to do all of that?
I was taught when I was a child....People will continue to cheat as long as the effort it takes to catch them exceeds the effort those being theived are willing to put in.
It's obvious I didn't have Alabaster in my quickbar. For that, I apologize.
Thank you to those who had opinions.