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What's with picky moderators?


Vibrio

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I remember that at one time I was annoyed because of a thread being removed from one of the language forums. I thought I was only being helpful, but on reflection I was getting dragged into a discussion that was, if not off topic, at least not fit for a language forum. So stopping the thread was not a bad idea at all.

 

I learned to use PMs rather than getting dragged in endless discussions, and to send a PM to a moderator if there was any need. And I also learned to appreciate the dilligence of the moderators, the speed with which they react.

 

We all take too much for granted, so to all moderators and administrators, a big thank you, keep up the good work, and may you stay forever young.

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I would like more members, especially those who have been around a while, to comment in this thread. I am very interested to read the opinions and ideas of our members. :happybirthday:

 

Do you really think we are being picky? What would you like to change? How would you do things differently?

 

You in particular! :jumpforjoy:

I would change everything if I could...

J/K,

 

On a scale of 1 - 10 I'd give the Admins and Mods an 8.926

:eek:

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Do you really think we are being picky? What would you like to change? How would you do things differently?

 

First I want to point out that most people with issues here havent spent much time on the site. I am not sure the site should change anything based on someone who hasnt put in any time here.

 

That said:

 

I do think its hard for someone new to get used to the high standards here. Theres a http://clueless.mob.rules site for every category one can imagine and I think alot of people come here with that www experience.

 

I like the quality of this forum. I like moderated forums, chats, etc. I visit some of the zoos/mob sites on occasion, mostly to remind myself of how good the quality is here. I dont want to change that.

 

I also do not know what exactly goes on behind the scenes with bans and such but heres what I think:

 

Perm/long term bans are handed out too often.

 

Theres alot of young posters and theres alot of old timers with a wide variety of social experience which define the styles used and may not be the best for a forum type exchange but that comes with time and experience, and I am not sure the whole of the forums are not being deprived of some insight with a few (very few) of these people who are being banned (perm or temp). Theres a lot of people who are curious about the sciences and feel intimidated. I think sometimes this gets posted with a "tough guy" attitude.

 

I only say this from an experience in another situation where I fought for someone I thought had real potential but didnt understand the style of that website. It was the only time I ever stepped out of user mode and confronted the moderators on a ban issue in more than a "I wish they werent banned, I liked him/her" type of effort. In that situation, the mods who had issues with this user told me later I had been right. It took a while and alot of input from several users to help this person get the hang of being a member of that site.

 

suggestion:

Maybe a group vote multi choice type thread would be helpful for some of these longer/perm bans when its a personality/style thing rather than a content issue. It could be in a closed area like the lounge is, so its not so public. Posters could place threads for review if they wanted to, to help them build a better style. It wouldnt have to be only mods that carry that area, there may be users willing to help out in that area and be granted access. That becomes the last chance type option/probation type effort and how well the exchange between probatee and the probation thread (so to speak) would have bearing on action taken. Those who are risking a perm ban would be able to get input from others who are not mods and maybe even suggestions on how to improve their presentation in the forum to ease some of the issues. Threads could be deleted in the end to ease any potential embarassment. And if they wont participate in that effort, they really dont want to be here anyways.

/ suggestion

 

Mods shouldnt have to babysit a user who doesnt get it.

 

To finish up on a high note, I think all around the mods do a very good job and tend to fall/err on the reasonable side, the majority of the time. I also like the fact that people have appealed decisions and won behind the scenes, even if later they messed up and reversed this reprieve. I dont have any reason to think any particular mod has a problem with their authority and how they use it. Being a mod isnt always an easy job.

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This includes the no re-posting existing topics. I don't see the point. I mean, you have to reply to a topic that has been dead for 6 months or more? You have to do a search for every new topic you make? I am surprised that so many of you stay on these sites like this. I get tired of doing searches all the time and if I screw up, having a mod post links to existing topics or having them closed!

 

People aren't going to reply to an existing topic as they would to a new one. New topics are more attractive and exciting. New topics open a new discussion idea. When a new topic is posted, it naturally calls for a new reply. New topics, even similar to existing ones, are askng for a completely new conversation and replies to that specific post.

 

Personally, I don't see the problem with resurrecting a dead topic. If you've actually got a *new* topic to post then you don't really have an issue, but if this "new" topic is the same as one that has died off, then it's not really "new". You're essentially going to "reply to a topic that has been dead for 6 months or more". But so what? If you've got something to say on that issue, then post it and bring that dead topic back into the limelight. Get the discussion rolling again. Since that topic died off many new people would have joined and may be keen to get involved. Topics will naturally die off as new ones arise, but that doesn't mean we can't come back to it at some point, especially when a new person has an opinion on it they would like to share.

 

 

New members come on constantly and some members don't return. Who is going to want to reply to a thread that has been made by a member who never comes on anymore. Those theads are dead and some can never be brought back to life even if a new post is made. A lot of times no one replies. In other words, if I reply to an existing thread from a year ago, it is more likely that I won't get replies than if I created a new one.

 

Members come and go, that's the way it is. Some join and perhaps discover it's not really what they want. Some may find they just don't have the time. Some may leave for a while for one reason or another and then come back (that's basically what I did). People will reply to a thread that's interesting to them. If no one replies then don't take it to heart; you take that chance with a new *or* old topic. Just because it's a new topic doesn't mean that people are going to be keen to reply. Also, it doesn't matter if the person that started the thread is no longer around because the discussion is not contingent on them being here.

 

 

If I post what I want on an existing topic, people will say "hey! I remember this topic. I'll post something." This "something" may be a reply to me, someone else, or just a thought of his or her own that has nothing to do with my post.

 

People will do that to new topics as well. That's just the way the discussion goes.

 

As for searching, sure it takes time, but it won't kill you. Searching the forums will show you what else is being discussed, and maybe you'll find something you would like to share your point of view on. I don't see the point in having a number of threads on the same issue.

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