More moderators

[lassenpc]

Along the thought processes of MrUnknown, if I don't like it, I stop reading it, move on to next post. No harm no foul.

I do prefer to at least have the choice to read or not to read a post, rather than having as ProTechSupport stated, 'be nazis'.

As for the disgruntled bunch (the ones that like to rip you apart for any flaws in any attempted advice, bash noobs, etc) I just sort of feel sorry for them that they're so unhappy. But I don't lose any sleep over their posts, either.

I come here because I own a computer business. I value the business and technical advice posted by the majority of its members. When I feel there is something positive I can contribute, I do so. If not, I just read.

[MrUnknown]

Originally Posted by 0ldfart

Actually its a statement of fact, not an indication of some deficit of knowledge.

Actually, it is a statement of opinion as you do not know the rules or judgment the moderators use before interfering in the thread.

Clearly if there are personal insults being thrown about and the mods do nothing, that's not giving a crap.

Again, I don't believe the moderators are Mom. Also, the moderators have a warning system that is not in the public eye. They could be doing something while you accuse them of not doing anything and not caring about the site they run.

And no, no ones inferring that its the role of moderators to play mommy. Thats a ridiculous assertion. I could call it ignorant but that's not the sort of conversational style I utilise, personally

I feel that you are inferring that they are to play Mommy and get involved in any sort of disagreement. I base this on what you have said in the last few posts you have made to this site and as your examples, such as simply insulting another member, you say they should step in.

By the way, your round-about, half-assed way of saying that my assertion was ignorant was noticed. No need to hide it by acting like you take a higher road. And no, I am not offended.

I'll translate: "I think your assertion was ignorant, but I won't mention it, even though I just did."

Theres absolutely nothing informative gained from reading through screeds of petty squabbling. Its just dross. Plain and simple.

I completely agree with this statement. For this reason I have developed a technique of simply not reading it.

[Corbin]

@ProTech Support

Just Curious is this plugin that makes a new post in the ADMIN only board?

@everyone else

If you feel like someone is treading on the line they shouldn't why not just report it?

I have been a admin and a mod on alot of forums some are still around, and I can tell you with a team of 6 on the bigger ones we always had issue with a member of the team, or the board it self was just crazy. I think Technibble is by far the BEST ran site I have seen in a long time.

[ProTech Support]

Originally Posted by Corbin

@ProTech Support

Just Curious is this plugin that makes a new post in the ADMIN only board?

Glad you brought this up. It actually works very simply. When a member of the website clicks on the the "Report" button, you are taken to a form. After you complete the form, it creates a new post in a special section that moderators/admins have access to. If multiple members report the same post, it shows up as a reply under the original post. This allows us to see each members reasoning for submitting the warning.

For those of you who still believe we do nothing, I will even tell you how I personally handle this behind the scenes. Basically I log into the TN site about 5-6 times a day. The very first thing I do is check the reported posts section. I read the members reason for reporting a post, then read the original thread. If there is clearly an issue (spam, heavy flaming, etc) I will handle the situation via banning, closing, etc. Now if it is an issue I am unsure of how to handle, I will message Bryce (the owner of TN) with my feelings on the issue, and ask him to provide a final action.

In regards to the recent threads that have turned into member vs. member battles, I would like to repeat the fact that there is a very fine line that we as moderators have to deal with. If you would like to again travel back a year ago, there was one specific moderator who was more strict then most of us. That was all good and fine until the tide turned against him and the community revolted until he was kicked out. So again, if we are too strict, people feel censored, if we are too light, we are called lazy.

My personal opinion is that we are all grown men/women. If you cannot conduct yourself in a professional manner on an internet forum, you have no business being here. Have some respect for yourself and the company you represent. I am not going to go ban and lock crazy on every single member who voices their opinion. If the person in question is completely out of line, then yes some action will be taken, but for the most part my job is to keep the forums on track, not stick a pacifier in your mouth.

Sorry for the tone, I am just tired of hearing how we do not care, we are lazy, TN is going down because of us, when the root of the issue is the way in which people conduct themselves. Don't start a flame war in one thread, then come here complaining.

[end /RANT]

[start bunnies and butterflies]

[Martyn]

Well I can back you on this as I have been a moderator and admin on a couple of forums over many years. Unless people report posts the moderators may not even know about a fracas going on. It's very time consuming reading every post and every thread. Yes the fine line is there and as a moderator you cannot win.

[gunslinger]

We all come from different backgrounds different states and even different countries. We will never all see eye to eye on every issue. As long as there are forums, there will be arguments. Thats just how it is.

I'm a member of maybe 15-20 forums and not one days goes by on any of these that I don't see an argument or two. I don't see the mods on any of those forums jumping in to stop it unless flaming gets out of control and personal attacks start.

Example: John-I like Vista, Its so much better than XP.
Mike-Not even close and here is why.
John-you must be an old fashioned pizza tech to think Vista is not better, its all new and shiny!
Mike: And you must be a stupid jackass who is just impressed with looks over functionality.


And so it goes down hill from there. More mods are not the answer, in fact I have seen them do more harm than good when they get involved.

[0ldfart]

I dont want to inhabit a Police-State either.

Regarding the gun thread that seems to have been the primary impetus here:

The thread was posted in a Computer Repair Forum under the category-

The Computer Repair Business > Technicians Eyes Only

The OP's question was about the wisdom of whether he should carry a firearm with him to jobs.

Accordingly, the subject of discussion should have been about the specific pros and cons of Dark carrying a firearm to work. Or not.

A serious question, a decision with manifold complex consequences for the OP, and a subject meriting appropriate and considered discussion.

At the point the conversation began to lose track (specifically about the politics of gun control), participants wishing to continue this particular digression from topic should have been directed to open a new thread in the 'General Discussion' section of the Forum.

This would have allowed (1) a continuation of consideration of OP's concern by members interested in that subject, and (2) a continuation of the subject of gun control policy and culture, where it would no longer de-rail the existing conversation and allow its participants to continue the original thread topic without interference.

This is not about being a 'nazi' or a 'mommy', its about ensuring that conversations can occur on the topic they are intended without unnecessary disruption (/destruction).

A useful message to communicate might be something like; if you are going to be a Troll / PITA, do it where you arent affecting anyone else. Whether thats in a new thread in General Discussion or somewhere else in the Forum, doesnt matter. How it is implemented is up to Bryce et al, but its something that needs to occur if we want to be able to have discussions without the sort of garbage that filled the thread in the example above (and an increasing number of threads with the same characteristics of bitching and infighting).

Like it or not, thats a task that falls into the realm of Moderation.

[ProTech Support]

Originally Posted by 0ldfart

I dont want to inhabit a Police-State either.

Regarding the gun thread that seems to have been the primary impetus here:

The thread was posted in a Computer Repair Forum under the category-

The Computer Repair Business > Technicians Eyes Only

The OP's question was about the wisdom of whether he should carry a firearm with him to jobs.

Accordingly, the subject of discussion should have been about the specific pros and cons of Dark carrying a firearm to work. Or not.

A serious question, a decision with manifold complex consequences for the OP, and a subject meriting appropriate and considered discussion.

At the point the conversation began to lose track (specifically about the politics of gun control), participants wishing to continue this particular digression from topic should have been directed to open a new thread in the 'General Discussion' section of the Forum.

This would have allowed (1) a continuation of consideration of OP's concern by members interested in that subject, and (2) a continuation of the subject of gun control policy and culture, where it would no longer de-rail the existing conversation and allow its participants to continue the original thread topic without interference.

This is not about being a 'nazi' or a 'mommy', its about ensuring that conversations can occur on the topic they are intended without unnecessary disruption (/destruction).

A useful message to communicate might be something like; if you are going to be a Troll / PITA, do it where you arent affecting anyone else. Whether thats in a new thread in General Discussion or somewhere else in the Forum, doesnt matter. How it is implemented is up to Bryce et al, but its something that needs to occur if we want to be able to have discussions without the sort of garbage that filled the thread in the example above (and an increasing number of threads with the same characteristics of bitching and infighting).

Like it or not, thats a task that falls into the realm of Moderation.

I absolutely agree with you. As I stated in my first post, Bryce and myself have been discussing a solution to help follow this type of suite.

[Bryce W]

Protech has already said pretty much everything I was going to say.

In regards to us not doing anything, its the threads/spam you DONT see that we have already done. When someone reports a post we get a post in a hidden staff forum with a link to the thread/post in question.

As for spam in the introductions forum, we will keep deleting them as it gets reported but spam will always keep occurring there. Spammers use bots/scripts to spam forums where the bot will sign up (but a human will do the capcha) and the bot will post some spam in the first forum it can post in. In our case, its the introductions forums because we have forced introductions.
You can never stop bots unless you get an admin to authorize each and every signup on the forum, and even still an admin can allow a bot through.

The introductions section is like a proving ground to help weed out end users and bots so they dont progress to other parts of the forums. Since it is a proving ground, its going to get dirty every now and then and when it does, we'll deal with it as we see it.

I think we do need 1 or 2 extra mods to cover the UK and Oceania timezones, but no more than that since "too many cooks spoil the broth".

Finally, as Protech said, we are looking at a solution to prevent the petty squabbling and will be introducing something soon.

[callthatgirl]

I like how it is now, as long as the mods aren't overwhelmed. I see a few threads here and that that go to squabble mode, but I just either laugh or report the post. It's not life for death, it's a messageboard.