Mods stop closing posts for no reason

[Exiled]

+1
/pharm

Can i have "ima happy bunny" please ?

(curious how this went from mods closing threads to personal titles oO)

 

[old.ST200]

censi is a whine bot ;(

infinitely btw (I think)

 

[old.Glendower]

Sorry, but people dont do things for "no reason".

And your idea of "giving back to the commnity" only seves what YOU think that means (although many may also agree with you, and assuming you are being honest), and is really a selfish motivation and approval seeking in the end.

Why not just say "because I like it."

I have personally seen a number of non-moderated boards, and folks do just fine on them...what happens is the smart posters have discourse, and the others just fade into background noise (if that). "Communities" dont need self-appointed thought police.

The only mod functions that are really needful are setting up the forums themselves, and dealing with tech problems.

 

[Chameleon]

Originally posted by old.Glendower
Sorry, but people dont do things for "no reason"

That's right. People don't always do things for selfish reasons though.

And your idea of "giving back to the commnity" only seves what YOU think that means and is really a selfish motivation and approval seeking in the end

Well I don't know what you think it means, so yeah partly right, but selfish motivation? Nope.

Why not just say "because I like it."

Cos that's not the foremost or only reason

I have personally seen a number of non-moderated boards, and folks do just fine on them...what happens is the smart posters have discourse, and the others just fade into background noise (if that). "Communities" dont need self-appointed thought police.

The only mod functions that are really needful are setting up the forums themselves, and dealing with tech problems

Moderators arent thought police
Unmoderated boards run the risk of harvesting all kinds of discrimination and harrassment, for example. Apart from the fact that would be a poor place to interact with your community, the host has legal obligations too which can't be ignored.

 

[Erekrose]

Originally posted by Damini
Custom titles just happen by people you get to know (and wish to ritualistically humiliate or just plain confuse), or by people that actively help out the community - for example, Cadire's came from helping out in the tech section of these forums, whilst Alrindel got his for being infinately patient and helping out with trouble shooting tips and advice during dreaded patch season...

And as for power... Oh, I love it! This morning I made some mere Phnargos residents carry me all the way to uni, and then they fed me grapes while telling me how beautiful and witty I was


And then they gave me money.

.


It was a good day.

Can i get some sort of poetry related title?
Please please please please please please

 

[Sleet]

Originally posted by Erekrose
Can i get some sort of poetry related title?
Please please please please please please

what would you choose out of interest?

Sylvia 'fins are ebil' Plath
edgar alan 'zergfortehwin' poe
john 'nerf ffs' keats


???

;p

 

[Erekrose]

I think "Flaming Poet"

Relates to most of my poetry and people probably keep saying damn that flaming poet.

 

[The Kingpin]

You can always do a fonz,

Ah, that was a epic time indeed.

Also, most of the people with titles, ernt whiney little crybabys with the intelligence of a carrot.


(Am sorry my dear sweet Carrots, it was a spare of the moment thing, to even put sweet carrots as a example of these people is harsh)

 

[old.lewstherin]

Originally posted by old.Glendower
Sorry, but people dont do things for "no reason".

And your idea of "giving back to the commnity" only seves what YOU think that means (although many may also agree with you, and assuming you are being honest), and is really a selfish motivation and approval seeking in the end.

Why not just say "because I like it."

I have personally seen a number of non-moderated boards, and folks do just fine on them...what happens is the smart posters have discourse, and the others just fade into background noise (if that). "Communities" dont need self-appointed thought police.

The only mod functions that are really needful are setting up the forums themselves, and dealing with tech problems.

Glendower why are you always so negative about everything? Never seen a happy post from u.
Come on THINK HAPPY THOUGHTS!!!

 

[llixeraxu]

Originally posted by old.Glendower
"Communities" dont need self-appointed thought police.

Damn these bourgeoisie key holders suppressing the proletariat!

Freedom of speech… power to the people!!

etc


The year is 1984 big brother is watching...

 

[old.Glendower]

Sorry, I was unclear.

My comments only relate to those who "volunteer" (also known as sticking their noses in). Legal edge moderation by forum owners is of course another issue, and your comments are correct in that regard. However, there is no way any sort of legal action relating to "harassment" or "discrimination" could be sustained on a message board, because all the particpants CHOOSE to go read it. Dont like it? Dont click on it, that simple.

The selfish motivation is that you are doing something YOU want to do, that nobody in the "community" asked you to do, and then trying to claim it is from some sort of selfless motivation.

Sorry, but that is a load of crap, as any first year psychology student will tell you.

Not only that, but most of your "helping features", such as answering questions, providing links, game info, and so forth, can be accomplished without being a mod at all, and in fact most people go this route.

And any time you censor/delete/lock, you are acting as "thought police" because you impose your own opinions, morals, etc on the free expression and exchange of ideas of others. Whether that morality (etc) is "supported" by the "community" or not.

It is appalling that you do not seem to recognize this, given your (self-appointed, as in not popularly elected/requested/hired) position.

Lews, my point in posting here is that it just bugs me to see people spew all this (self-delusional?) BS without being called on it. It is just a mental exercise, and is not inherently negative or positive.

As a member of the "community", I didnt ask for these guys to do this stuff, and frankly dont want them to. So they arent doing me any favors, and shouldn't think they are. If they all quit tomorrow, most folks would never miss them.

 

[Cadire]

Glendower!

I know you are a cynic of the first degree, but please don't think everyone else views the world with your jaundiced eyes.

Whether you like it or not, Barrysworld provide these forums for us, they also require them to be moderated. I believe the moderation here is pretty light handed, and in keeping with the other BW forums.

As for the moderators doing it because they like it... for sure. Nobody would willingly do something they didn't enjoy to some degree. That doesn't mean I get up in the morning drooling at the prospect of closing/editing threads though. It means I get to participate a little more in a community I have used and liked for a number of years.

 

[Chameleon]

Sorry Glendower but I don't agree and think you are misguided in your opinions. However you are entitled to them. Fortunatley not everyone thinks as you do. Having already put my point across I won't do so again by trying to argue a point we are clearly destined to disagree on. As you said yourself, if you don't like it, don't 'click' on it, but mods are here for good reason and will continue to be.

 

[old.Glendower]

<Cadire>

First good, honest post!

I respect your feelings and integrity. I think, however, that you are attributing more to my comments than is there. The other posts seem to indicate that those persons have not seriously considered what they are doing, why they are doing it, etc, and are either BSing themselves, or us, or both. Also, I have seen firsthand (volunteer) moderators do things totally on whim, with no basis in rule or "community standards". Sorry, but that sort of thing DESERVES only cynicysm.

Barrysworld cannot "require" people to be mods for no pay, and I doubt they would close the boards as they make plenty of cash with them. It isn't an exercise in charity

You could participate just as much as you do now without being a mod, though.

I am quite certain most folk dont look at things the way I do, or the governments of our planet would be MUCH different

Still, my view is representative of a sizable faction.

And Ch@meleon, I dont expect you to agree, since that would invalidate your carefully constructed world-view. But thanks for letting me have my opinion

 

[Ziva]

I personally think mods are needed on these boards cause i don't agree with Glen on saying "If u don't like it, don't click it". Some topics i just click and end up reading stuff that i never would have expected to find. Also the amount of BS topics on places where people hope to find normal posts would rise to a large extent i think.

However i do wish the mods from these boards got togheter and discussed their moderating policies a bit more cause as a communitymember on this forum i can tell the difference on moderating per person and i don't think thats a good sign. It's almost like reading a topic, knowing it's closed and also knowing in front who probably closed it without reading the name.

It's like knowing which mods became one for a valid reason (like contributing to this community) and knowing which mods applied for a selfish reason (like if u beat me ingame i'll take my revenge on these boards).

Would be funny to keep a poll or something to find out how the community thinks about the individual mods and their moderating methods. I think it will be an eyeopener for some.

 

[Cadire]

Interesting post Ziva !

Moderation should be consistant, but inevitably personal likes and dislikes will become apparent over time. My own methods are pretty simple... what would I not want my family to read (we're pretty broad-minded tho)... or the classic 'Man on the Clapham Omnibus' yardstick.

I'd be interested if you could expand on the fact that you can tell which mod has edited/closed a thread (just personal curiosity).

 

[Danya]

Originally posted by Cadire
That doesn't mean I get up in the morning drooling at the prospect of closing/editing threads though.

You don't? My illusions are shattered!

 

[old.Glendower]

Ziva-

just to clarify:

1) The "dont like it dont click it" thing was in relation to a legal standing to bring action in a court, and that was basically what the courts in the US said when someone tried to bring an action for harassment online. I was not especially advocating that as a sole moderation meathod, although to be honest, I think it DOES have a lot of validity.

2) I was not directly advocating for total absence of moderation on the boards. This has been a more philosophical discussion with perhaps a bit of analytical psychology tossed in, rather than a purely positional one.

Cadire:

Often one can tell who moderated a thread because they say they did

Tends to clue in the more astute posters

 

[Cadire]

It was late

It's almost like reading a topic, knowing it's closed and also knowing in front who probably closed it without reading the name.

.... but not that late

 

[inuyasha]

Originally posted by Cadire

...but hey, why let the facts get in the way of a good whine?

My opinion on the facts is that even if this one did not apply, still some posts that should have been moved or left untouched, is closed, so regardless of this example its always nice to whine some about it ^_^

Cept that, givf erekrose a title! erek is TEH flaming poet, and a quite skilled one as well, if i may say my opinion!

Over to mods, i think all mods want to be it, or they wouldnt have taken the assignment in the first place. I wouldnt at least

 

[Cadire]

If I didn't take the Mod offer, I'd be one of those carrying Damini to uni, feeding her grapes, telling her how beautiful she is, etc... and it's a bloody long way, especially when madam keeps wanting to stop to peer into shop windows.

 

[Damini]

Originally posted by old.Glendower
Ziva-

just to clarify:

1) The "dont like it dont click it" thing was in relation to a legal standing to bring action in a court, and that was basically what the courts in the US said when someone tried to bring an action for harassment online. I was not especially advocating that as a sole moderation meathod, although to be honest, I think it DOES have a lot of validity.

I'm afraid this is an English based board, with English based law applicable, and the American judegment, while interesting, is completely invalid here.

We are deemed the publishers of any material on this site, and therefore we must take responsibility for it. Internet laws here are vaguely broad here, and as an example:

This act makes it an offence for a person who uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or displays any written material which is threatening, abusive or insulting, is guilty of an offence if-

(a) he intends thereby to stir up racial hatred, or
(b) having regard to all the circumstances racial hatred is likely to be stirred up thereby.

The don't like it, don't click it argument is simply not valid here, and even if it was I'm sure GAME would have a few things to say about it.

Anyway, we have moderators because Barrysworld and GAME like to have them at hand, and actually when all the DAoC people came to these forums they pitch forked and screaming banshee'd for heavier moderation, and it was quite a change to the way we moderated at first. We had a more laid back approach which was revoked by the great majority of people that came here, so we changed it, but it is still incredibly laid back compared to most forums. It is the simplest thing for someone to get the code for a similar forum, and host their own completely unmoderated forum, and if they wish to do so I suggest they do, because we are simply not in a position to let that happen.

And its GCSE psychology to acknowledge that there is no such thing as a truly altruistic act, we are not all pained souls hanging tortured over the edit button and mourning the loss of our humanity, it's fair to say, but since the same model can be applied to any choice or decision it's hardly a revelation.

But the number of times I have felt like jacking it all in, and I know Brinx has felt the same once or twice, because of the attitude and grief given on occasions certainly means it isn't all pretty flowers and bunny rabbits.

And lastly:

"Barrysworld cannot "require" people to be mods for no pay, and I doubt they would close the boards as they make plenty of cash with them."

:chortle: You need to brush up on your BW history! Plenty of cash is something that these forums do not generate. BW was closing down until GAME came in to save it. This forum isn't the capatalist money cow you may believe it to be

 

[Arnor]

Originally posted by Brinx
On evenings I like/get to wear a 'M' cape and lurk in the shadows outside hospitals, if that counts.

HAVE NO FEAR!! TEH MODERATOR IS HEAR!!!




edit: and I have NO problems whatsoever with the modding so far, with the occational exception of Tildas powertrips and Brinx once moving a thread of mine and not moving another thread in the same section that was even more off-topic.

Other than that you are teh best


not even gonna drag the ss-mods from nazi vn into this

 

[Uncle Sick(tm)]

<sigh>

 

[Sol-]

 

[Chameleon]

Originally posted by old.Glendower
And Ch@meleon, I dont expect you to agree, since that would invalidate your carefully constructed world-view. But thanks for letting me have my opinion

I wouldn't agree cos I believe you are wrong. My opinion wasn't given for your beneift, but I'm glad you appreciated it nonetheless
I'm glad we sorted that one out

 

[old.Glendower]

Originally posted by Damini
I'm afraid this is an English based board, with English based law applicable, and the American judegment, while interesting, is completely invalid here.

We are deemed the publishers of any material on this site, and therefore we must take responsibility for it. Internet laws here are vaguely broad here, and as an example:

This act makes it an offence for a person who uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or displays any written material which is threatening, abusive or insulting, is guilty of an offence if-

(a) he intends thereby to stir up racial hatred, or
(b) having regard to all the circumstances racial hatred is likely to be stirred up thereby.

The don't like it, don't click it argument is simply not valid here, and even if it was I'm sure GAME would have a few things to say about it.

Your original post specifically mentioned "harassment" and "discrimination". Your law would only come into play when a poster invoked specific racial subjects, and then only when (a) and (b) apply. This really is not the same thing, so it does not invalidate the basic premise of no standing to bring action over mere "harassment" involving an activity that all the parties participate in voluntarily, but it is an interesting peek at the potential legal responsibilities of a website.

I note, however, that the law says "person". Barring additional statute (and I see you say "deemed the publisher" exactly how? Statute or stare decis?), no liability could befall any but the original writer. Your courts would have zero chance of prosecuting someone in another country that didn't have such a law, by the way.

In the US, I am fairly certain any such law would be struck down on First Amendment grounds for vaugeness simply because "stirred up" is a rather overly broad term. We do have similar laws, but they require an overt act or uging immediate criminal action...inciting to riot is a good example.

Originally posted by Damini
And its GCSE psychology to acknowledge that there is no such thing as a truly altruistic act, we are not all pained souls hanging tortured over the edit button and mourning the loss of our humanity, it's fair to say, but since the same model can be applied to any choice or decision it's hardly a revelation.

Agreed. But, it is interesting to note the rather strident defensiveness of a number of posts. Particularly when they defend against statements that were never made.

Originally posted by Damini
But the number of times I have felt like jacking it all in, and I know Brinx has felt the same once or twice, because of the attitude and grief given on occasions certainly means it isn't all pretty flowers and bunny rabbits.

Well, all I can say to that is I personally am not trying to give you any grief here. I consider this simply a discussion. Temper that with the recognition that you guys CHOOSE each day to mod, however, and really shouldn't expect people to cheer you for a volunteer post.

If you want an example of petty, small-minded, deliberate attempts to be hurtful, I direct you to read the various postings by Sick. At least he has retreated to his one-liners after having been soundly defeated in the intellectual argument arena. Or maybe his fingers just got sore from the unfamiliar act of paging through the dictionary.

Originally posted by Damini
And lastly:

"Barrysworld cannot "require" people to be mods for no pay, and I doubt they would close the boards as they make plenty of cash with them."

:chortle: You need to brush up on your BW history! Plenty of cash is something that these forums do not generate. BW was closing down until GAME came in to save it. This forum isn't the capatalist money cow you may believe it to be

The fact that BW was originally poorly run as a business does not invalidate my position. You are also ignoring the secondary revenue streams relating to the forums (and this includes all of them, not just the Euro DAoC ones). I assure you, if the owners of this board did not see business gains from it, it would be shut down instantly.

That still has nothing to do with the claim that volunteer moderators are some sort of necessity.

 

[Uncle Sick(tm)]

<sigh>

 

[llixeraxu]

I gotta say I agree with Glen on this. Although, my annoyance is to how this happens in every day life. Once again this “DAoC community” whether in game or on these boards bares out a problem which plagues this world from day to day.

As for this being cynicism .. more like waking up and looking out how hard it actually is to voice an opinion which doesn’t conform with everyone else’s. Glen, in my "opinion" is just trying to alert others to something which happens, which , unfortunately, we have become all to accustomed with.

Sorry if this makes little or no sense.. im late and this has been written in a hurry along with my other double post.. which I doubt will be deleted

 

[Uncle Sick(tm)]

yawn