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I've been reading through the TOS and would like to comment on and question a few of the rules. Maybe Ponderosa could clear this up for me?
"Be civil, no personal attacks, no flaming. We may attack ideas (politely) but we do not attack the speaker of the idea. Be careful with your words, there is a point where being direct crosses a line into blunt, in-your-face hostility." Is this rule only applicable to some or does it also include those who the moderator favors? It seems to me that on one or two threads that have become a bit heated the moderation of personal insults and attacks is lacking when the offense is committed by someone the moderator agrees with.
"Stay on topic. Attempts to hi-jack threads by switching topics or going off topic will be deleted and infractions issued." Please clarify this for me. If a post/response is considered off-topic by the moderator it will be removed? Is it then safe to assume that if a post/response has NOT been deleted the moderator concluded that the post/response was within the bounds of the topic? If this is so it would appear that the accusations of some made to others about their arguments being off-topic and invalid are actually wrong because the moderator has given legitimacy to the responses in question by not deleting them. I would appreciate it if the moderator could clear this up with those who insist on insulting others with this invalid claim.
"Do not give negative ratings to posts that you simply disagree with or your own reputation will be downgraded. Negative ratings should be reserved for posts that are spammy, off-topic, flames, or don't contribute anything." So, can I then correctly assume that the two negative ratings I have been given go against the TOS based on the above rule? I have been given negative ratings with the explanation that my responses were off-topic and invalid. The moderator has not deleted these responses so therefore it must be assumed that they were NOT off-topic or invalid.
Last edited by Cyanna; 05-02-2007 at 09:04 AM..
Reason: fixed code
1. I edit/delete posts that I find to be mainly insulting and attacking while offering little or nothing of value in the discussion. Sometimes they have valid comments, but editing out the junk takes too much time and I just trash the entire post.
2. People resent having their posts deleted so I do it sparingly. I don't delete every post that someone (including me) might find OT. Threads have a way of drifting much like conversations. As long as the post keeps to the theme, if not the letter, of the thread or the direction the thread is heading, I let a post stay (subject to 1. above). My deletion or not of a post has no bearing on whether someone gives you negative rep. It's their decision.
I assume this post reflects your concerns over moderation of the "smoking" thread in AZ. When the thread came on I recognized it as someone trolling for controversy, but let it ride to see how it developed. I have since considered just closing that thread, but sense that the few people still involved in it are enjoying the repatee, so have limited the edits to obvious and direct insults and political diatribes. I have also taken pains to see that it did not develop into a political thread as several posters have attempted to steer it. There is a place for political threads on C-D and it is not in the Arizona forum.
I think one of the most important things to keep in mind about moderating is that the Moderators are human beings, not machines that can be programmed to moderate one specific way. We all have different interpretations and different styles and techniques. It's simply impossible to be perfect.
As for your negative reputation points, all you need to do is send a PM to a Senior Moderator, markablue or Yac, and ask that they review the actions taken.
Yes, Cyanna, you 110 percent corrrect here, and I wonder why it is allowed to continue too! It happens alot and no action is ever taken here, wondering why?!
Yes, Cyanna, you 110 percent corrrect here, and I wonder why it is allowed to continue too! It happens alot and no action is ever taken here, wondering why?!
Probably because a moderator never saw it. We're trying to be here but we also have our own lives and jobs, we can't be online all the time.
The best way to ensure an action is taken is to report a bad post.
Cyanna, are you talking about negative rep points or infractions? I believe that negative rep points generally come from fellow members and don't think that the mods normally give those. We generally give an infraction if we feel it's warranted. If you truly feel it wasn't deserved, you can contact Markablue or Yac and have them review it. Keep in mind that there are other posts deleted that you won't see. You will only see your own posts that are deleted. So if the only deleted posts you see are yours, that's the way it's supposed to be and it doesn't mean you alone are being targeted.
Unless a post is spam or calling someone out or quite offensive, I personally only give a warning to the poster when I delete it. Also, since I personally know how easily it is to get a bit off the original topic, I don't give infractions unless it's just a rude and totally off topic post.
And like Marka said, if you feel a post if rude and off base, you can report the post and have it reviewed.
About your first concern - I've read enough of the mod posts to know that there are mods for both sides of an issue. If one was being biased, the other would get it. I really think this is because they can't read every single sentence on this board.
About your second concern - I'm sure that if the mod saw this, they would delete it. You CAN give someone negative reputation for going off topic, but I do think that some people can get a little ridiculous with this. Sometimes I respond to a side comment and then get back on track myself. If you're unsure, report the post using the triangle above it.
About the third concern - Did you ask a mod to review it? I seriously doubt that they check every single member's reputation to see if it's a valid negative. I think that there are only two mods that can see this information anyways.
I think most do a good job, but a few are a bit biased, sorry but its true.
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