Peanut Gallery Commentary on the Staff Log of Bannings and such like.

[Nope]

I think that most of the posters on this site respect what the moderators do. The people who complain are the loudest voices while those of us who have nothing to complain about are quiet because we don't realize their is any problem. All the moderators on this site do an excellent job.

[Cyberman]

I agree. All we're doing is demonstrating how things would be different if we weren't here to pick up the shit. We appreciate that many, hopefully the majority, here already understand that and don't treat us like shit on a shoe just for doing the job for which we were chosen. We also appreciate that the minority who do won't be fazed by any of this. It's purely to make a point.

[vorlon13]

Are the staff gray-outs a late April Fool's joke or a glitch in the system?

Um, er, uhhhh . . . .


my sincere apologies, due to the proximity of 4/1 I wasn't taking this action seriously.  

I really appreciate the mod system here and that is why I wasn't realizing there are issues of real concern.


Again, my apologies.  And my heartfelt endorsement of the current system of moderation.

**salute!**

[John V]

Well, we'll see what happens when we're swimming in a cesspool of spam.

As the mods tend to spend a lot of time here themselves (presumably one of the reasons they were made mods), they'll probably be bothered by it more than the average user.

[Whateverist]

I wonder if here might be a good place to re-examine the rule against calling out. Admittedly I'm a little fuzzy about where and when it applies as well as what its purpose may be. That's odd. Can't seem to find a rules button anywhere. Am I truly blind?

[John V]

Hey mods, if you really, really want to show us, why don't you shut the site down for a week?

Double dog dare ya!

[SteelCurtain]

I just don't see the need to do the complaining in a public forum. I mean seriously. If you've ever moderated a forum before, you know how hectic it is. It is not easy nor do you get much thanks. You're not paid for the hours per day that you spend here. 

If you think the moderators have made a mistake, fine. Perfectly plausible, humans do that sometimes. But to air your complaints out in the public forum? Who does that, ever? I know this isn't a "professional" setting. But in that context, it sort of is. 

Mods can be PMed. If you think a rule has been applied unfairly, PM a mod, and have a private conversation. Don't accuse, because you don't have all the information. Ask a question. Relay your observations. Stay on your side of the street.

Also, if you don't have a horse in the race, why fan the flames? If you feel you have been wronged, fine. But if the mods have made a decision, and it doesn't affect you, then leave it be. 

I'm sorry if this is out of line, but we have such a good thing going here, and it pisses me off that people feel the need to call the mods and admins out publicly for making decisions where we only see the beginning and end, but none (or very little of) the middle. Look at what we have here. This forum has been live for over 6 years. If the rules were poorly derived, then this would be a shitty place to be after all this time. It is not. 

Please be considerate and PM someone if you have an issue. It's not that hard.

[Cyberman]

Hey mods, if you really, really want to show us, why don't you shut the site down for a week?

Double dog dare ya!

How about you shut it down? I'm on strike.

[Chas]

Are the staff gray-outs a late April Fool's joke or a glitch in the system?

It's strike. We are tired of all the bitching and moaning we get from users, just because we are doing what we are supposed to do. Warn a theist = biased staff. Warn an atheist= biased staff.

What we demand is very simple: that the community we serve, at least have the decency to make reasonable criticism to offer to our actions. Not just smear our work because of a warning or a thread lock. Or at least ask us the reason of our action, instead of jumping to conclusions.

Or you could recruit people for staff who have thicker skins and stronger arms.  Just sayin'.

[Jackalope]

Otherwise you'll be fighting constant battles with internet lawyers.  And you are under no obligation to do that.  You have a system that works.  Use it and don't worry about the people who will complain.  There will always be people who complain.

Not directed at you, Tonus - just piggybacking on what you are saying.

I'm at the point where complaints about moderation are going to get shitcanned.   Don't like how the site is run?  There's the door.  Use it.

We've gone out of our way to remove as much bias from the process as is possible.  Got a suggestion on how to make it better?  We'll hear it, and if it's good, we may implement it.  Just want to bitch about it?  Shove it.