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#95346 - 2002-11-10 10:59 PM RFC: Acceptable moderator behavior
Les Offline
KiX Master
*****

Registered: 2001-06-11
Posts: 12734
Loc: fortfrances.on.ca
Fellow moderators,
There is the practice of renaming thread titles that sits really really wrong with me.  I think MCA was the only one doing it.

The way I look at it, it is the poster's prerogative what he wants to title it.  Let me try my fishing analogy...  How would you like it if someone told you what lure to use, or worse yet pulled up YOUR line and changed it?  I know I would be REALLY pissed.

If you don't like the bait, you don't take the hook.  If the thread goes unanswered for a day or two, you could suggest different bait but respect the author's decision.

Also curious what "layout frustrations" mean.  I can see interceding in the UDF forum or breaking up some really long lines that mess up the thread.  Maybe too, to fix a broken link but that's about where I draw the line.

"Don't you be messing with my threads without a damn good reason!" is how I, and probably many others, feel.
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Give a man a fish and he will be back for more. Slap him with a fish and he will go away forever.

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#95347 - 2002-11-10 11:35 PM Re: RFC: Acceptable moderator behavior
Sealeopard Offline
KiX Master
*****

Registered: 2001-04-25
Posts: 11165
Loc: Boston, MA, USA
The only moderator tasks that I've been performing so far is to move a thread. In those cases, I've added a comment in the top line of the first post and the original poster has always been modified when I moved a thread.

I will not go into a thread and change even a single word in it or even insert code tags. Additionally, I would also not change the title or other things but notify the poster, maybe even per private message.
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#95348 - 2002-11-11 12:16 AM Re: RFC: Acceptable moderator behavior
Howard Bullock Offline
KiX Supporter
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Registered: 2000-09-15
Posts: 5809
Loc: Harrisburg, PA USA
Well I have edited posts to make them more readable by inserting code tags as well formatting code and shortening LONG lines. I see nothing wrong with that because most people that make those formatting mistakes do not understand how to edit a post - even when told how to do it.

[ 02. December 2002, 00:38: Message edited by: Howard Bullock ]
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#95349 - 2002-11-11 01:00 AM Re: RFC: Acceptable moderator behavior
Sealeopard Offline
KiX Master
*****

Registered: 2001-04-25
Posts: 11165
Loc: Boston, MA, USA
Howard: I don't have a problem per se with editing those long lines, however, I'm lazy and so I'd rather have the original poster clean up his posting [Wink]

[ 02. December 2002, 00:54: Message edited by: sealeopard ]
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#95350 - 2002-12-02 12:37 AM Re: RFC: Acceptable moderator behavior
Les Offline
KiX Master
*****

Registered: 2001-06-11
Posts: 12734
Loc: fortfrances.on.ca
After MCA's concerns about moving threads, I thought I'd bump this to the top.
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Give a man a fish and he will be back for more. Slap him with a fish and he will go away forever.

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#95351 - 2002-12-02 01:00 AM Re: RFC: Acceptable moderator behavior
Sealeopard Offline
KiX Master
*****

Registered: 2001-04-25
Posts: 11165
Loc: Boston, MA, USA
It is sometimes hard to decide whether to move thread into another forum, e.g. a question in the 'Scripts' forum doesn't contain any script code at all and is a beginners question, however, an answer to the question does contain code. Move it or not? In those cases I go with 'When in doubt, do nothing'.

In any way, we Moderators should set an example to good BBS conduct in general.

We should not modify other people's posts unless absolutely necessary. English language problems for example are not a reason to modify other peple's posts to make it more clear or adjust a title to make it more fitting. This comes from a non-native-English-speaker, BTW. [Big Grin]
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There are two types of vessels, submarines and targets.

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#95352 - 2002-12-02 02:41 AM Re: RFC: Acceptable moderator behavior
MCA Offline
KiX Supporter
*****

Registered: 2000-04-28
Posts: 5152
Loc: Netherlands, EU
Dear,

Our not limitive input:
  • not all forums have the same type of members. Starters forum contains mostly the first
    reaction from the new ones without looking at the 'rules' of it.
    How many people creates a poll without the goal to have one.
    In our opinion and we aren't alone in that it can be necessary to extend f.e. title or to
    insert code-blockstructure.
    Titles to reflect more the actual question.
    Code-structures to make inserted code more readable. Script code will return.
    Truncate longlines to keep a topic more readable.
    In most situations intervention is based on the active part a moderator want play.
    We never receive negative reactions from them. Only now we read that someone
    would be really pissed.
    The topic "INFO: Moderator's message to new forum users" which was creating by Howard
    and me is also very clear about what can happen with a topic on the starters forum
    and during the RFC phase it wasn't a big problem.
  • any experience member knows the 'general' rules of the board. There must be also
    a very very good reason for a moderator to move a topic to another forum.
    In the past we agree with the restrictions for udf forum and we agree also
    that this board such have a lot of freedom.
    f.e.
    when we put a topic on beta forum we have our reasons for that. To put it on
    general forum wasn't the goal. Such moves by moderators can lead to a situa-
    tion members stop using this board. Once we were confrontating with those kind of
    moderators. Impact for that board: to put something nice on the internet is inte-
    resting enough for them why spend our leisure time there.
  • Howard Bullock, we subscribe completly your reaction. To make it more readable cost
    time and it mostly isn't a very instructive duty, but the benefits for all readers
    can return a feeling of statisfaction.
  • sealeopard, we agree with you that the contents of topic shouldn't changed by
    moderators. Moderators can add a reaction to the topic for that purposal.
  • we should keep a little bit of freedom on this board. Just this kind of freedom
    makes this board great. Sometimes this board gets a chatroom function for
    some of you. Is that a problem.
  • we shouldn't move old topics to new created forums.
greetings.
_________________________
email scripting@wanadoo.nl homepage scripting@wanadoo.nl | Links | Summary of Site Site KiXforms FAQ kixtart.org library collection mirror MCA | FAQ & UDF help file UDF kixtart.org library collection mirror MCA | mirror USA | mirror europe UDF scriptlogic library collection UDFs | mirror MCA

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#95353 - 2002-12-02 03:07 AM Re: RFC: Acceptable moderator behavior
Les Offline
KiX Master
*****

Registered: 2001-06-11
Posts: 12734
Loc: fortfrances.on.ca
To rename a user's post is an insult to that user. Basically you are saying they are too stupid to properly name their thread. Once again, it is their prerogative what they want to name it and as long as it does not contain offensive language, it should be left alone.

We as moderators should lead by example. It is not good example to post the same info in a half-dozen different threads (cross-post).
Nor is it good example to dredge up old threads without adding real value to them.
Nor is it good example to not respect the guidelines for forum content.

By so doing, it sends the message that everyone can do likewise.

So, if the suggestion is not KiX related, confine it to General, and don't post to Beta that which is not directly related to the current beta. Remember that in Suggestions and Beta, we are borrowing Ruud's ear and so should keep content relevant and concise.

Also, it is not necessary to post the same message in multiple forums. The only exception perhaps, is the announcement of a new release. That is always cause for celebration!
_________________________
Give a man a fish and he will be back for more. Slap him with a fish and he will go away forever.

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#95354 - 2002-12-02 03:56 AM Re: RFC: Acceptable moderator behavior
MCA Offline
KiX Supporter
*****

Registered: 2000-04-28
Posts: 5152
Loc: Netherlands, EU
Dear Les,

We aren't talking about renaming, but about extending it. It isn't
the same.
You can experience it as "stupid", but it aren't our though.

Again we get a hard discussion "what a member should and shouldn't do". A discus-
sion we don't like at all. Freedom is a great good for this board.
To extend guidelines with a kind of rules without any moment of RFC isn't the
right way. Rules must supported by most of the community.

So we turn away from the statement "dredge up old threads".
So it doesn't harm us when some guys and most of those are experience members to
use this board as a chatroom.
So it isn't a problem for us that each morator plays a part he likes. Active or
wait for the interesting things to blow.

Les, your idea By so doing, it sends the message that everyone can
do likewise
we doesn't understand. Most of the members and mostly
junior ones doesn't read in an arranged way old topics. Mostly the last
10 days topics get attention.
What is the problem f.e. that some find a very old topic, but the solu-
tion doesn't work. We prefer that he add his reaction to it and not that
he should open (of course he could open) a new reaction. Such order
can makes him afraid. Such order can reduce the right feedback. Such
order skips already available information about his problem.
greetings.

btw: when this board becomes an over regulated place to be we must rethink
which part we want to play in the future.
A nice example of unwanted changes is that the most important topic of UDF
forum "Guidelines for the UDF-section" (F12-4) isn't there anymore. Simple
a move can have big impact to other topics too.
So members must have the trust that after a period position of topics keep un-
changed.
So such moves makes it not easy to ask Henri to implement all kind
of direct links on his mainpages.
So people doesn't take knowledge of existing rules. Not everyone is searching
for a possible available document on another forum.

btw: a possible way of preventing borrowing Ruud's ear is by preparing as expe-
rience members a reaction which contains hardly any information Ruud needs for
useful feedback. Simple one or two words doesn't meet the tests.
One of such examples is when we return a complete reaction on his documentation
as one topic entry.
_________________________
email scripting@wanadoo.nl homepage scripting@wanadoo.nl | Links | Summary of Site Site KiXforms FAQ kixtart.org library collection mirror MCA | FAQ & UDF help file UDF kixtart.org library collection mirror MCA | mirror USA | mirror europe UDF scriptlogic library collection UDFs | mirror MCA

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#95355 - 2002-12-02 04:07 AM Re: RFC: Acceptable moderator behavior
MCA Offline
KiX Supporter
*****

Registered: 2000-04-28
Posts: 5152
Loc: Netherlands, EU
Dear,

So we find the guidelines back. New URL is here (F14-142).
It requires the need to select Show all topics to find them back.
Please read also the comments in topic here which has to
deal with the freedom of this board.
greetings.
_________________________
email scripting@wanadoo.nl homepage scripting@wanadoo.nl | Links | Summary of Site Site KiXforms FAQ kixtart.org library collection mirror MCA | FAQ & UDF help file UDF kixtart.org library collection mirror MCA | mirror USA | mirror europe UDF scriptlogic library collection UDFs | mirror MCA

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#95356 - 2002-12-02 05:35 AM Re: RFC: Acceptable moderator behavior
Les Offline
KiX Master
*****

Registered: 2001-06-11
Posts: 12734
Loc: fortfrances.on.ca
MCA,
I sense by your tone, that I have angered you. That was a risk I took in starting this thread but it was not my intention. We both hold strongly to our opinions.

The guidelines were written by consensus of the top 25 and not without RFC as you claim. There was much consternation over the fact you were absent during the process. I am sorry you did not get to participate. In the end, the consensus was to have separate and distict forums. The guidelines simply ask that they be respected. If we did away with guidelines we would have anarchy. Then we may as well have just one forum because everyone would post wherever.

The moving of threads from the UDF Library was not my doing but I support the moderator(s) that did. I see the original guideline topic was moved, but another more concise one took its place.
http://www.kixtart.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=12;t=000250

You seem to take exception to the "chatroom" like threads that several top 25 members participate in. To that I say that these members have volunteered a lot of their time to this board and therefore should be allowed a bit of fun. So long as they don't hyjaak someone's thread again, or take their chats to the more serious forums.

I think you are probably the only person to keep an extensive list of URLs to old threads and so perhaps the only one inconvenienced by their move. At least you are the only one to complain.

In closing I would like to say that if you don't like the wording of the guidelines, you have the freedom (in General Discussions at least) to start an RFC. You are a valued member here and it is not my intention to drive you away.
_________________________
Give a man a fish and he will be back for more. Slap him with a fish and he will go away forever.

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#95357 - 2002-12-02 06:17 AM Re: RFC: Acceptable moderator behavior
MCA Offline
KiX Supporter
*****

Registered: 2000-04-28
Posts: 5152
Loc: Netherlands, EU
Dear Les,

It is not personal, but extending the rules with in our opinion unwanted elements
we don't like at all. In some things we will always very clear and we aren't using
misty words to express that.
Our opinion about restricting forums was published in other topics. Above we point
to one of those reactions.

About "chatroom" we wrote So it doesn't harm us when some guys and most of those are
experience members to use this board as a chatroom.
. Which is in our opinion
nothing negative. We read them also with fun.

About I think you are probably the only person to keep an extensive list of URLs to
old threads and so perhaps the only one inconvenienced by their move. At least you
are the only one to complain
. As volunteered we are trying to keep our site
which has also a direct link with this site up to date and we don't like at all
that kind of unwanted error message appears when users/members are visiting it.
It aren't only links from us but also from other members.

The new topic F12-250 looks more to be a UDF instead of a replacement of previous guide-
lines topic.

About You are a valued member here and it is not my intention to drive you away..
First thanks Les, but we are really thinking about a dramatic reducing of our
contributions to this board.
greetings.

btw: once again, it isn't personal to anyone.

[ 02. December 2002, 06:33: Message edited by: MCA ]
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#95358 - 2002-12-02 02:29 PM Re: RFC: Acceptable moderator behavior
Radimus Moderator Offline
Moderator
*****

Registered: 2000-01-06
Posts: 5187
Loc: Tampa, FL
BTW...

The the non-UDF posts in the UDF forum, were moved into the General forum, at the request of others... Specifically to assist in some of the scripting of some apps that other members were working on.

Likewise, were some UDFs renamed to conform to the 'standard' formatting.
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#95359 - 2002-12-02 03:08 PM Re: RFC: Acceptable moderator behavior
MCA Offline
KiX Supporter
*****

Registered: 2000-04-28
Posts: 5152
Loc: Netherlands, EU
Dear Radimus,

We have a simular problem in the past, but we create a work-around for it.
How, simple include a list of topic-numbers which should be excluded during
processing.

The strange thing is that there are possible to automate MOVE operations.
See f.e. topic F1-5154, which contains the header info This topic has been
moved to COM scripting.

Other examples are F1-5773 and F1-5774
greetings.
_________________________
email scripting@wanadoo.nl homepage scripting@wanadoo.nl | Links | Summary of Site Site KiXforms FAQ kixtart.org library collection mirror MCA | FAQ & UDF help file UDF kixtart.org library collection mirror MCA | mirror USA | mirror europe UDF scriptlogic library collection UDFs | mirror MCA

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#95360 - 2002-12-02 04:04 PM Re: RFC: Acceptable moderator behavior
Jack Lothian Offline
MM club member
*****

Registered: 1999-10-22
Posts: 1169
Loc: Ottawa,Ontario, Canada
Hi guys,

Just had a chance to read this stuff. I personally think the Board is being managed just fine compared to many on the net. It is very stable over a period of several years & interventions by the new moderators are relatively light. Additionally, responses are real-time. This is possibly the best forum of this type on the net.

My personal opinion is that Les is flagging a potential problem not a current issue. Yes, moderators must resist playing god but that has been the case so far.

Another point is MCA has been the Board's major "bookkeeper" for some time & it is a function the board would miss if he had to abandon this function so we should all try to minimize his operational problems if we can.

In this vein, I think the reactions to Les’ comments are very helpful because they raise issues that may be forgotten otherwise.

As time goes on other bookkeeping functions such as the UDF link-lists are being developed & some of MCA's concerns can effect these list as well.

As a final point, this board is volunteered based & I have had significant experience with volunteer organizations & with volunteers you must accept less control & regulations. When people give their time freely you can not dictate to them like they are in the workplace. We must accept this fact & recognize each moderator will do things slightly differently. We don't want chaos but we don't want to stifle input either.
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