Moderators moderating discussions they're involved in? (and other mod issues)

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

I really believe they all do that already - imho we're very lucky to have such high calibre mods, lets not take what they do for us for granted.

I don't. as I said earlier, I've moderated a very busy board before. the reason for this thread is to discuss appearances in threads as moderators, vs. regular posters

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

I really believe they all do that already - imho we're very lucky to have such high calibre mods, lets not take what they do for us for granted.

Let's not forget that although they may be chosen, they are also volunteers .....

[omk3]

Very true.
And as usually happens, they get to hear complaints more often than the thanks they are entitled to.
So maybe this is the place to say a big to the moderators of this forum,for all their hard work, and for helping to keep this place one we want to come back to, day after day!

[pshrynk]

Posting in green has been suggested, here or elsewhere (damned Alzheimer's) and I have done so on occasion. It's not a bad idea, at any rate. We try to specify when we are moderating as much as we can remember. (What Alzheimer'S)

[GeoffC]

I notice another thread in the "News" where there may have been conflict [damn me I haven't read it all] between what moderators write as moderators and 'ordinary' members.

Jumping outside the box, around a few bends and putting my red hat on top of the blue and pink one with brown spots; has there been any thought on the moderators having two linked User names ? Linked for the postal count etc.

One user name is in green and only used in the moderating capacity, whilst the other user name is the same style as the rest of us. The User names to be similar, perhaps prefixed by an "M" ....

I am suggesting this in an attempt to allow the moderators to post with less possibility that their ambassadorial and policing roles could be in conflict with their need to naturally enter into any discussion as members.

Shoot me down gently !!!!

[happy_terd]

Do mods have control of their color or would an admin have to change it for them?

*shrug* Not a bad idea.

[Logseman]

Dr. Drib moderates the Flea Market section. He uses big, bold letters, and a comfortably dark green tone for his mod-posts. While the size might be too big, I think distinguishing your mod-posts from the normal ones with big, bold, green fonts is a good idea. Being a moderator of political forums, this issue comes quite frequently as well, so we needed to distinguish our roles rapidly.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by Logseman

Dr. Drib moderates the Flea Market section. He uses big, bold letters, and a comfortably dark green tone for his mod-posts. While the size might be too big, I think distinguishing your mod-posts from the normal ones with big, bold, green fonts is a good idea. Being a moderator of political forums, this issue comes quite frequently as well, so we needed to distinguish our roles rapidly.

It is what we try to do, and this has been discussed even in recent times, based on that difficulty of knowing when the Mod-hat is on or off (sometimes, even when not posting in green, just to make sure, I even specify that my "Mod hat is NOT on"). Hopefully the suggested "bold, green" thing, and signing off "Moderator" on any moderator post, will clarify (Note, we've even talked about what of the colours of green we should use ).

It's a good idea, and is approaching "standard". Dr. Drib has been a leader in this respect, which I know newbies like me and dreams are apt to follow.

Cheers,
Marc
Moderator (but not green, because I don't want this to look like I'm moderating this discussion. )

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

...
I am suggesting this in an attempt to allow the moderators to post with less possibility that their ambassadorial and policing roles could be in conflict with their need to naturally enter into any discussion as members.

Shoot me down gently !!!!

[Looks into scope of Higgs-Bosonic Shoulder Cannon, aligning crosshairs...]

Just joking.

Personally, I think "jumping outside the box, around a few bends and putting my red hat on top of the blue and pink one with brown spots" ideas always stand out brilliantly, because they're imagining things that may not seem possible, and may not be possible, but which are often things not thought of because we are often guided by the way we think things work rather than the realm of actual possibility.

In itself [pew! pew!] , just for myself, I would find the idea of changing users somewhat impractical...or to be honest, more frustrating. Often when I'm moderating I've got tabs for the guidelines open, the "suggested templates for response" thread open, the Moderators Admin panel open, the thread created by the reported post open, some user profiles open, and, of course, the thread of the reported post (maybe twice, drafting a response, or maybe I'm sending a direct PM in a new tab). I haz a confuze!

However, maybe this idea is workable for some, or it gives rise to some unknown (to me) ability to post messages while picking an "As moderator" option. I don't really know.

As you may have gathered from my other post, I'm a fan of making the "POST IN BOLD GREEN" thing a rule (maybe not in bold sometimes, if it's just a gentle, diplomatic thing...leave it a bit open for variation rather than absolutes which might come across too much as THE WORD OF GOD! ).

Again, I'm saying this as a Moderator, but NOT with my Moderator hat on. This is just my own opinion, and may not be shared by other (and more experienced) Moderators.

Cheers,
Marc
Moderator

[happy_terd]

How about making it to where moderation posts have to be in hot pink or sassy magenta? That way the moderation will only get used when it has to be and no one will abuse it.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by happy_terd

How about making it to where moderation posts have to be in hot pink or sassy magenta? That way the moderation will only get used when it has to be and no one will abuse it.

This whole discussion has taken a funny turn.... It's one thing to designate when a moderator is speaking as a moderator (e.g. with green or whatever).

It's a completely different thing as to whether a moderator should be both simultaneous posting as part of the discussion and moderating that discussion and in particular what that moderation activity consists of -- if it is repressing those comments by others that disagree with the postings made by the moderator I'd say it is out of line. If there is a point of disagreement between members and moderators then that moderator should not be the one "moderating" the discussion IMHO.

[Worldwalker]

I for one cannot agree that all of our moderators are dishonorable scum who would stoop to "...repressing those comments by others that disagree with postings made by the moderator...." If there is a specific moderator who has done so, then you need to take it up with Alex. But tarring all of our moderators with that "bias" brush is unfair and unjust.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

I for one cannot agree that all of our moderators are dishonorable scum who would stoop to "...repressing those comments by others that disagree with postings made by the moderator...." If there is a specific moderator who has done so, then you need to take it up with Alex. But tarring all of our moderators with that "bias" brush is unfair and unjust.

Nor did I say or even imply what you claim. I'm very tired of you attempting to color my statements so please just talk for yourself.

If you want to know what started this thread and what it's about please go back to post number 1 and begin reading, which you clearly have not done.

[montsnmags]

FWIW, as usual, there's a lot of discussion about this that happens in the Moderator Star Chamber. In my experience, as a rule, we don't like rules.

What that is to say, and without invoking reference to any incident, is that, like the "rule" about posting in green (h_t, you underestimate that some might like your chosen colours ), the idea of allowing other moderators to be the ones to attend to thread issues in which you as a moderator are a participant is being considered desirable (without invoking it as a rule, seeing as all circumstances are unique). This has, in fact, occurred a couple of times since discussion (to the point of the participant moderator themselves reporting perceived problem posts/threads with the self-doubting rider that they desire another set of uninvolved eyes on it, and to act if necessary).

So, the point is that the ideal is increasingly if not universally in all circumstances a consideration, in part as a direct result of discussions like this.

As usual, I speak for myself here, and may have to report to the headmasters office for talking "out of school" , but I feel it important that discussions such as these don't feel like they're flapping in the breeze. Other Moderators may disagree (but, no, I'm not saying that with any awareness that they do ).

Cheers,
Marc
Moderator (but not moderating)

[BexBits]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

In itself [pew! pew!] , just for myself, I would find the idea of changing users somewhat impractical...or to be honest, more frustrating. Often when I'm moderating I've got tabs for the guidelines open, the "suggested templates for response" thread open, the Moderators Admin panel open, the thread created by the reported post open, some user profiles open, and, of course, the thread of the reported post (maybe twice, drafting a response, or maybe I'm sending a direct PM in a new tab). I haz a confuze!

I moderate a forum where we use a different ID for our participant posts. I use a different browser for the mod ID so I can keep both open at the same time. It also cuts down on the tendency to confuse myself and post from the wrong ID because the windows look different enough to give a visual clue as to who I am at that moment because I consistently use FF for one and Chrome for the other.

Not suggesting you guys should do that here, just pointing to one way it can work if necessary.