Forum Etiquette

Berserker · 8 Mar 2010 at 19:04

Gilly said:
In fairness malc, I made judgements on each individual case too, its just that I took the same approach with similar threads/posts. I'm sure the current team do the same its just that they may have slightly different approaches to each other (and to my approach when part of the team).

I'll back Gilly up on this. I did the same too. Most cases are clear-cut. If someone leaves a swearword in a thread the action to take is obvious. It's the questionable/borderline cases where it becomes a judgement call - and one Don may see things different to another. Sometimes the only thing you can do when that happens is to take action now and deal with the consequences later (which might mean that the decision gets reversed).

I remember we had a trial here where reasons for thread deletion could be left. The problem with that was that it wasn't very helpful, and if anything made the 'why was my thread deleted?' problem even worse.

As for contacting Dons, like Gilly I don't have that problem, but it seems a lot of people do. :confused:

Tefal · 8 Mar 2010 at 19:06

Greenlizard0 said:
I disagree with that. The forum is clearly part of the main shop. There's the shop logo at the top, adverts for different components, he and his co-workers create threads regarding offers, your account here is linked to getting free postage etc. etc. I see it as something that I "do" pay for by shopping here. The forum wouldn't be here in the form that it is without the shop. If Spie had created and paid for a forum nothing to do with his business (e.g. cars) then I'd be inclined to agree.

But you get free postage for posting here.

Technically you get paid to post here

DampCat · 8 Mar 2010 at 19:10

Mods could apply a 1 point infraction with a reason for closure. Would take 5 seconds of their precious time.

Tefal · 8 Mar 2010 at 19:12

DampCat said:
Mods could apply a 1 point infraction with a reason for closure. Would take 5 seconds of their precious time.

But if the reason is "people dragged it off topic and started a flame war"

Then the op will just make the damn thing again but say "oh noes! haters stay out"

And it will be an even bigger flame war.

molemole0 · 8 Mar 2010 at 19:12

Good idea

4T5 · 8 Mar 2010 at 19:24

Berserker said:
I'll back Gilly up on this. I did the same too. Most cases are clear-cut. If someone leaves a swearword in a thread the action to take is obvious. It's the questionable/borderline cases where it becomes a judgement call - and one Don may see things different to another. Sometimes the only thing you can do when that happens is to take action now and deal with the consequences later (which might mean that the decision gets reversed).

I remember we had a trial here where reasons for thread deletion could be left. The problem with that was that it wasn't very helpful, and if anything made the 'why was my thread deleted?' problem even worse.

As for contacting Dons, like Gilly I don't have that problem, but it seems a lot of people do.

I take both your points.

In fairness I do contact the Dons & those I deal with directly treat me More than fair. :cool:

I s'pose we just have to break these Noobs in gently a.

+

Need4Dee · 8 Mar 2010 at 19:28

i am a mod on another forum.

it makes me angry when i have to explain myself, if i have to move/edit or delete a post.

because the content is not applicable.

Greenlizard0 · 9 Mar 2010 at 09:48

Tefal said:
But you get free postage for posting here.

Technically you get paid to post here

Well good then, it's about bloody time!

Biohazard · 9 Mar 2010 at 11:05

Gilly said:
Indeed. If the thread has gone completely, get in touch with the mod team. Simple.

Hahah a million times easier said than done.

Especially if what ever you posted has personally agrieved the mod (unintentionally).. good luck!

You end up getting threatened with losing your account for arguing!

Although thankfully the awful mod I dealt with has moved on now... (not you gilly baby, but if he is listening i still have the emails you ****

)

That is not to say i haven't had helpful dons, quite the opposite yourself, burnsey jokester etc.

But giving a reason, even automatically through the forum or whatever would go a long way in rectifying this. You end up feeling you don't know where to stand sometimes, whether to post something or even things like fully staring out swearings or not. I know the rules about it, but still get suspended for not fully staring it out? Come back, ask.. and your told that you don't have to fully star out swear words. I mean whats the point in arguing then? None, because you've already had to spend days sitting out of an argument because one mod is not keeping up to date or wants to roll the rules back whenever he feels like it..

It just makes me a bit fed up, the inequality in moderating actions sometimes.

platypus · 9 Mar 2010 at 11:16

I think the mods generally do a good job - I've often seen a closed thread with the last post by a Don/Mod to say why.

gillywibble · 9 Mar 2010 at 14:14

platypus said:
I think the mods generally do a good job - I've often seen a closed thread with the last post by a Don/Mod to say why.

Nail.head.

If your thread is closed, move on.

Gilly · 9 Mar 2010 at 18:29

Biohazard said:
.

If you feel you have been treated unfairly there is nothing wrong with you asking for it to be discussed in the Dons Room. Either ask the mod that you've got the problem with, stating your reasons for wanting it to be discussed, or contact someone else within the mod/admin team. It's no big deal really, and they're all level headed guys (except Feek, don't annoy that one).

By the very nature of it the job they do has judgement calls, and although no-one enjoys being pulled up on something, if it doesn't get noted it doesn't get changed and will happen again. I think everyone I ever dealt with on the team had the ability to hold their hands up and admit when they made a mistake. We're all human (except me, I am a bot masquerading as a human).

Hellsmk2 · 9 Mar 2010 at 18:33

A few months ago a post of mine was repeatedly deleted from a thread - nothing too bad.

Eventually, one was edited with an angry response from a don asking me to stop posting it. The problem was that I didn't even know it was being deleted and thought it was my net connection playing up. A simple edit first time round would have spared said don a frayed temper and not made me feel like such an arse for not realising I was ever so slightly breaking a rule.

/Agree with OP.

Feek · 9 Mar 2010 at 18:44

Gilly said:
(except Feek, don't annoy that one).

*poke*

Gilly · 10 Mar 2010 at 00:23

DON'T SHOOT!

Rameses · 10 Mar 2010 at 00:59

Tut, just cos' you have guns and a mac pro you think your the boss!

BigglesPiP · 10 Mar 2010 at 01:08

Someone disobeying the rules probably hasn't read the rules, they should take the suspension and use it as an opportunity to read the rules in full (which they should have done when they registered) and see which one they broke, not just be told which rule they broke, so they can carry on and break another.

eatcustard · 10 Mar 2010 at 08:37

All forums need basic rules to function else its chaos and people move off to other forums.

most important advice I can give.
Don't upset a mod, they will kick you.

BoomAM · 10 Mar 2010 at 08:48

I can see both sides of this tbh.
Whilst i understand peoples 'problems' with how things like the OP discussed is handled at times, i also understand how the moderators workload would increase if they stuck to the letter of the 'rules'.

I think the main problem that a lot of people have, both what ive seen on here, experianced, and what ive discussed with people over MSN, is the fact that at times the moderation team does seem a little heavy handed and power crazy.
Not saying thats the case, as im willing to bet that as with all things human, its just a case of that member of the team having a bad day.
And personally i think thats the problem, perception from the users point of view.
Perhaps some minor changes here and there, that wouldnt really increase the workload very much for the moderation team, would go a long way to explaining to users why xyz is wrong without causing animosity. And would even, after a while, reduce the number of 'incidents' and thus, the workload.

As a general rule of thumb, i generally stick to these:

Dont swear (or evens 'hide' swear words).
Dont argue with a moderator: Because if they are having a bad day, they can get vindictive at times.
Dont discuss/post items that are from shops that are direct competitors with OCUKs main product lines.
Dont insult another user, or even imply it.
Take it all in jest and not personally.

Ive followed that for the past few years and havnt really had cause for concern, nor posts/threads closed/deleted.

Gilly · 10 Mar 2010 at 22:42

Didn't I ban you loads?