Modular RC

[Rarechild]

Inspired mightily by NeonK's criticism thread, I will make one of my own as the sneaky, all but silent mod comparatively.

It's funny to me the wording of "some", "all", or "other" in reference to mod actions. Think of it as a labor union. Motions must be seconded and are sometimes treated with long debate over what is fair to the members. Once it's done, that's it unless something new comes to light. There are no "other" mods, just us five, and we are good at communicating and compromise.

Total commie here. Do you like that as much as the Tolkien reference by AT? Tell me about it. I need some overtime.

Gah!
-R

[redpepper]

Silence means people like you rarechild. Well played ;)

[Ariakas]

Inspired mightily by NeonK's criticism thread, I will make one of my own as the sneaky, all but silent mod comparatively.

It's funny to me the wording of "some", "all", or "other" in reference to mod actions. Think of it as a labor union. Motions must be seconded and are sometimes treated with long debate over what is fair to the members. Once it's done, that's it unless something new comes to light. There are no "other" mods, just us five, and we are good at communicating and compromise.

Total commie here. Do you like that as much as the Tolkien reference by AT? Tell me about it. I need some overtime.

Gah!
-R

My take is it has to be both. Some history. I have worked (yes I was a paid technical admin haha if you can believe it) & volunteered for a couple of the larger vbulletin sites around. Upwards of a quarter million members. It had to go through several mod/admin changes. It had to fundamentally adjust due to size and the type of membership. When it was around this size, the community style worked well. In fact, it works really well. Regardless of our "types" we could make group decisions with raised hands etc.

That said the owner still had the iron fist. He had to make money so certain items he had to keep complete control on, but we were left to our own design. There always needs to be someone with the sites "other" interests in his pocket.

As it grew, this stopped working. The range of people allowed to vote became to vast. We ended up sub dividing the mods into tasks. The admins overseeing the mods. 2 of the admins (myself and the owner) then oversaw the admins themselves. This offered checks and balances. Keeping the intention of the board at the forefront.

That said we tried to accommodate and delegate. Certain areas were in fact moderated differently. People in that area were more liberal about swear words than another section, for example.

This site is small and everyone is here for the same reason to be here. I saw the range of arguments btw, and I disagreed with some of the mods and their opinions on things like private messaging ftr (amongst other things). But I also understand the whys of both arguments. It have spent many years on your side arguing the whys for and against. (and ironically, the PM argument is one of the most commonly fought ones)

Now to the specific question instead of me babbling. Any decision made on the backend, should ALWAYS be supported by everyone. Does that mean that everyone should agree. Hell No. But the entire team needs to stand together to support the rules they have voted on. Even if there is a veto power admin. Bulletin boards can get destroyed if the people running it are seen to have a crack in their ruleset.

There should never be an *I* made this rule. It should always be a *we* agree on this rule

All that said again, as this site grows you might want to consider an entire subforum dedicated to membership complaints ;). Instead of these random popup threads. Gives the membership a safe place to bitch and hopefully a place for the mods to post decisions with the whys the decision was made. Call me an organization freak.

Anyways, enough babbling...

Ari

[Ariakas]

Total commie here. Do you like that as much as the Tolkien reference by AT? Tell me about it. I need some overtime.

Gah!
-R

PS, loved that reference. I would have totally used that when I was admining the boards I was on, if I had known that detail.

[redpepper]

you might want to consider an entire subforum dedicated to membership complaints ;). Instead of these random popup threads. Gives the membership a safe place to bitch and hopefully a place for the mods to post decisions with the whys the decision was made. Call me an organization freak.

I believe this is in the works... takes time.

[Breathesgirl]

or take one of the current threads & make it sticky, if it isn't already. I find I don't generally go through each of the titles looking for things. I use the quick links in the top tool bar & just look to see what's been commented on or started today.

I find I do have a problem finding the problems thread simply because I don't know where to look. I stumbled on it once, lol.

Oh yeah. I don't have a problem with any of the mods. They are commenting with their own thoughts & opinions, just like everyone else.

[Rarechild]

Yeah, I didn't really think my thread would be as "popular" as NK's and I certainly didn't mean to make this an administrative thread. I just wanted to address everybody and say yes, I am here participating even though I'm rarely the one who communicates to the group.

Solidarity and all. (Again with the communism.)
-R

[Rarechild]

I love how nobody gives a rat's ass about my criticism thread! :) :) :) Have I been that under the radar? I think I need to go sit in a corner and reconsider my priorities.

[NeonKaos]

I apologize (publicly, this time) for all the times I stepped on your toes since we became moderators. I love you to death and I hope you still forgive me. I know you do. Also, I think you and your husband are wicked hawt.

[Ariakas]

I love how nobody gives a rat's ass about my criticism thread! :) :) :) Have I been that under the radar? I think I need to go sit in a corner and reconsider my priorities.

Who are you again :p

[Breathesgirl]

I don't think it's that no one cares. It's that NK is a lot more vocal and doesn't pull her punches when she speaks. She tells it as she sees it without sugarcoating it or trying not to step on people's toes.

[Rarechild]

I don't think it's that no one cares. It's that NK is a lot more vocal and doesn't pull her punches when she speaks. She tells it as she sees it without sugarcoating it or trying not to step on people's toes.

Ha! I know that but you forgot to mention that she's hilarious.

Major point of this silly thread- Mods make decisions together, so any shit you want to throw at NK or any of the others you might as well throw at me or Olivier, even though you don't see us post often.

When I first joined, I posted a lot, and really needed to at the time. It's kind of too bad that once I got the mod title I noticed people from that point forward rarely took any of my posts at face value even when I wasn't moderating.

I've often thought that we should have some kind of safe word that makes it clear we are just posting because we're people and there is no connotation of authority over anything.

Anyway,- Today I am going to see one of the dearest people in the world to me and I'm so excited!!! I haven't seen him in 2 years!

Here I go!
-R

[clairegoad]

I got drafted to help with moderation on a troll board...

Wow... what an experience. Definitely raised my respect for the behind the scenes work of a board.

[NeonKaos]

CG, what do you mean by "a troll board"? Does that just mean the board has lots of trolls? What is the general topic of this "troll board"? I'm just curious because I own a forum on which people are not required to register in order to post. It's very active and gets more than its share of trolls.

[Breathesgirl]

When I first joined, I posted a lot, and really needed to at the time. It's kind of too bad that once I got the mod title I noticed people from that point forward rarely took any of my posts at face value even when I wasn't moderating.

I've often thought that we should have some kind of safe word that makes it clear we are just posting because we're people and there is no connotation of authority over anything.

Anyway,- Today I am going to see one of the dearest people in the world to me and I'm so excited!!! I haven't seen him in 2 years!

Here I go!
-R

I mod on another board and I just tell them I'm putting my mod hat on. After I'm done with the mod post I take it off & I'm back to my regularly posting self.

Hope you have fun with your dear person :).

[redpepper]

I mod on another board and I just tell them I'm putting my mod hat on. After I'm done with the mod post I take it off & I'm back to my regularly posting self.

Mod hats are a good idea. I need a RP hat and a mod hat,,, people get confused when to me it is quite obvious (in my head :D)