+ 1. This thread is cool.
The Devil in me wanted to write the rest of my post in white so that it was invisible but common sense prevailed.
There are a lot of really good posts in here from both sides and I must admit that as the argument builds the more that the arguments of “over moderation” seem a bit overzealous. But I must also admit that I still feel a residual resonance to the arguments of over moderation. Personally I think the resonance that I feel is true for a lot of users and this is part of the problem. Whilst going back 3 or more years might seem excessive in reality it isn’t. The scars of the past remain with us for a long time. Melodramatic maybe but that is the problem with people we are influenced by many things that aren’t immediately obvious but they affect us nonetheless.
I normally use Boss Solorg as an example of the rules (how long ago is that?) being used in the place of common sense, but I won’t this time. As I said a lot of my resonance with the over moderation argument is based on a mutual feeling of understanding and though not the evidence asked for I always felt that Tryanotherone was hounded out of here by overzealous application of the rules. For instance how does
this and
this differ from
this?Personally speaking this apparent double standard in enforcing a non-existing rule goes someway in explaining why longer term members may feel slightly frustrated by moderator actions.
Most of the frustrations I sympathise with can be neatly summed up by underhand.
People aren't complaining about moderators breaking the rules or other policies of the site.
People are complaining about:
(1) the unnecessarily high setting of those rules; and
(2) the unnecessarily strict enforcement of those rules.
Given the arbitrary nature of the rules it is bound to frustrate people when what seem like reasonable requests are met with a response of “they shall not change”. It goes against everything that is natural that something so arbitrary should be set in stone.
I find the
Link provided by GML quite interesting as not only does the OP affected never post again (cause and effect maybe?) but there are two instances of “Mod voice” interjection warning about off topic comments. My view in this instance is the same as everyone else’s. As long as the OP doesn’t complain then any interjection by a Mod is just the rules getting in the way of common sense. I know Mr.Peanut has stated that we aren’t treated like morons but trying to direct the conversation of adults is very much treating us like children.
From my viewpoint it is easy to see why people get upset by the off topic and topic splitting antics and I’m surprised that none of the Mods can empathise with that feeling. Discussion in real life does not occur in this fashion and I believe this is the cause of the majority of the frustration. Rule or not it is hard for the average person to understand why discussion on a website can’t occur in the same fashion as a normal conversation.
I assume you're referring to the stickied thread about posting guidelines? - which was 3 and a half(ish) years ago
I'll be honest - at the time it was made it was with the best intentions,
Sorry Changeyname but the stickied thread is what I was referring to. If you don’t mind me saying I see this rule as a clear indication of how counterintuitive some of this Forum rules can be. If a board is receiving a large amount of a certain type of post shouldn’t that inform us as to how people like to post? A rule can’t make people post more than they want on a subject. What is harder to understand is that when activity started to decline why wasn’t the rule changed? I applaud you for listening Changey I just hope it isn’t too late.
Sorry again but I also see your response as proof as to why moderators should make an announcement when the application of a rule has changed. In this instance whilst you had changed the way you responded to one line answers because the general public weren’t aware they obviously had no choice but to continue posting/not posting in accordance with the posted rules.
It is the same for the supposed changes to thread necromancy. If a change is made in its application how are we supposed to know? This thread is a good example of what I mean. When Shad first posted I was continually waiting for the lockdown and was surprised when it didn’t happen. If, when the Mods had decided to be more lenient with thread necromancy, the rules had been updated I wouldn’t have been so surprised.
As to moving posts from one board to another does such a hard line really need to be pursued? If a post has been made and is already receiving responses would it really hurt to leave it where it is? The fact that people have found a Nid post in Gen40K shows that it doesn’t really matter. Why not wait until the activity has died down and then move it if you want the boards to be tidy?
Like Irisado I too remember a post requesting the Mod colour to be changed but all I could find was
I was wondering if there was any chance of changing the dark green colour currently used in any moderator comments and edits to a bit more light green colour?
Your comment has been noted - oink
Unless I’m missing something this one request seemed enough to make you all change the Mod edit colour so I’m asking now for a return to the friendlier Mod edit that is shown in
This post.
Whilst looking for this post I discovered that complaints of over moderation and lack of forum activity go all the way back to 2006. I also found that Khodexus got banned. For me that is more evidence that overzealous application of the rules is to the detriment of this site. Even though he had committed thread necromancy this Forum lost an asset through rigid application of an arbitrary rule.
I could go on but I think I have posted more than enough but there is just one important item I would like to finish with.
I have a story I want to tell, and I'm going to see it through. From there? I don't know.
Please tell me that this doesn’t mean you are thinking of leaving GreatBigTree? It is my opinion that over 2013 it is you, Koval & Wyddr that have kept this site afloat. Without you 3 I honestly think this site might not survive.
Oh one other last thing. I like this site. I have learned to live with the rules and their application but that doesn't mean the best can't get better.