Recent excessive moderation on the TFP - Page 2 - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

billege · 06-07-2006, 04:28 PM

Any healthy community will welcome self examination, even that which becomes cyclical. When anyone becomes unwilling to perform that self examination, it's time for either a vacation or retirement, as we'll clearly see the jade-edged chip on the shoulder.

Obviously, anyone who cares about the community should choose to stay and work to improve what they thnk needs improvement.

The community displays an impressive stability. It also, like any human society, shows cyclical tendancies.

We do swing away from and towards tighter moderation.

Human nature tires of the same thing over and over. However, unless we intend to become static we will always see new members, and similar learning experiances. Even old members forget things, and the same lessons will be need to be taught over and over.

Shifting gears for a moment:
Teh VB search sucks, and pretty much always has. If it ceases to suck quite as much in this version...I for one will welcome our new search overlords.

Sultana · 06-08-2006, 06:51 AM

What would you think about this:

When someone selects the New Thread button, a message is displayed prominently enough to get attention (maybe a pop-up, maybe not), to remind the user that perhaps a search of the archives/adding to an old thread/adding to a thread already in progress would provide some valuable input, etc. ("don't forget to add your input if providing a topic for discussion", etc.) You guys know better than I what the wording should be, this is just an example.

This reminder could be permanent, or maybe be disabled once a rookie achieves Tilted status.

billege · 06-08-2006, 07:51 AM

That's a good idea. If the pop up could include a search box right there, it'd be even more awsome.

Borla · 06-08-2006, 06:14 PM

Overall I am very impressed by the way TFP is moderated. I have been active on message boards for years, and have (and still do) helped run message boards for several years. I've been a SuperMod on two boards much larger than this one, and Admin a board that is quite active. In general I think the level of discussion that takes place here is very admirable. It is amazing that a place with this many members is full of threads that, even when disagreements arise, show a general level of respect for fellow members.

My main, or probably even SINGLE beef though, is the locking of threads when a staff member cites the reasoning that a thread on that topic has been posted in the past. Not all of us get a chance to be online enough to read EVERY thread ever posted. Not all of us can find a thread buried 18 months ago about a topic that is suddenly relevant again. Sometimes we search and miss a key word or two, and don't find previous threads on our topic. If the previous threads were active in the last week or two, shame on us! But I've seen threads locked for "reposting" where the threads about that subject were buried for months and months. If a thread is 10 months buried, is there any true harm in allowing a new thread about the same topic? If there is, can we at least have the mods merge them instead of locking them?

Just thoughts......I have a lot of respect for what happens here. Even though this isn't my "main" message board online, it is one I frequently visit. I Supermod a forum that is currently within the top couple dozen message boards EVER on the internet. I own a message board that is rapidly becoming big enough to be listed on bigboards.com's list of top online message boards. So I feel I understand what is needed to be successful, and TFP has it, as it's proven for years now. But it is never bad to find a tweak or two that improves something already very good.

fightnight · 06-13-2006, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sultana

What would you think about this:

When someone selects the New Thread button, a message is displayed prominently enough to get attention (maybe a pop-up, maybe not), to remind the user that perhaps a search of the archives/adding to an old thread/adding to a thread already in progress would provide some valuable input, etc. ("don't forget to add your input if providing a topic for discussion", etc.) You guys know better than I what the wording should be, this is just an example.

This reminder could be permanent, or maybe be disabled once a rookie achieves Tilted status.

I second the agreement for this, while i'm sure some would overlook it, at least then you'd know (for sure!) that everyone actually knew their responsibility prior to posting (even though they should already know from reading new member threads).

06-07-2006, 04:28 PM	#41 (permalink)
billege Watcher Location: Ohio	Any healthy community will welcome self examination, even that which becomes cyclical. When anyone becomes unwilling to perform that self examination, it's time for either a vacation or retirement, as we'll clearly see the jade-edged chip on the shoulder. Obviously, anyone who cares about the community should choose to stay and work to improve what they thnk needs improvement. The community displays an impressive stability. It also, like any human society, shows cyclical tendancies. We do swing away from and towards tighter moderation. Human nature tires of the same thing over and over. However, unless we intend to become static we will always see new members, and similar learning experiances. Even old members forget things, and the same lessons will be need to be taught over and over. Shifting gears for a moment: Teh VB search sucks, and pretty much always has. If it ceases to suck quite as much in this version...I for one will welcome our new search overlords. __________________ I can sum up the clash of religion in one sentence: "My Invisible Friend is better than your Invisible Friend."

06-08-2006, 06:51 AM	#42 (permalink)
Sultana Falling Angel Location: L.A. L.A. land	What would you think about this: When someone selects the New Thread button, a message is displayed prominently enough to get attention (maybe a pop-up, maybe not), to remind the user that perhaps a search of the archives/adding to an old thread/adding to a thread already in progress would provide some valuable input, etc. ("don't forget to add your input if providing a topic for discussion", etc.) You guys know better than I what the wording should be, this is just an example. This reminder could be permanent, or maybe be disabled once a rookie achieves Tilted status. __________________ "Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come." - Matt Groening My goal? To fulfill my potential.

06-08-2006, 07:51 AM	#43 (permalink)
billege Watcher Location: Ohio	That's a good idea. If the pop up could include a search box right there, it'd be even more awsome. __________________ I can sum up the clash of religion in one sentence: "My Invisible Friend is better than your Invisible Friend."

06-08-2006, 06:14 PM	#44 (permalink)
Borla Junkie	Overall I am very impressed by the way TFP is moderated. I have been active on message boards for years, and have (and still do) helped run message boards for several years. I've been a SuperMod on two boards much larger than this one, and Admin a board that is quite active. In general I think the level of discussion that takes place here is very admirable. It is amazing that a place with this many members is full of threads that, even when disagreements arise, show a general level of respect for fellow members. My main, or probably even SINGLE beef though, is the locking of threads when a staff member cites the reasoning that a thread on that topic has been posted in the past. Not all of us get a chance to be online enough to read EVERY thread ever posted. Not all of us can find a thread buried 18 months ago about a topic that is suddenly relevant again. Sometimes we search and miss a key word or two, and don't find previous threads on our topic. If the previous threads were active in the last week or two, shame on us! But I've seen threads locked for "reposting" where the threads about that subject were buried for months and months. If a thread is 10 months buried, is there any true harm in allowing a new thread about the same topic? If there is, can we at least have the mods merge them instead of locking them? Just thoughts......I have a lot of respect for what happens here. Even though this isn't my "main" message board online, it is one I frequently visit. I Supermod a forum that is currently within the top couple dozen message boards EVER on the internet. I own a message board that is rapidly becoming big enough to be listed on bigboards.com's list of top online message boards. So I feel I understand what is needed to be successful, and TFP has it, as it's proven for years now. But it is never bad to find a tweak or two that improves something already very good. __________________ Coimhéad fearg fhear na foighde!!!! Last edited by Borla; 06-08-2006 at 06:17 PM..