Being a better member moderator

[Paul Myers]

ZeroBull,

If you've read this thread, you know that there is no way to formulate and express a set of rules for a forum that covers every possible situation. The more explicit you get, the worse the situation becomes, and the more time is spent in legalistic quibbling about the rules. Those time costs expand at a greater rate than the overall growth of the group.

Common sense and discretion are the thing. Don't worry about it.


Paul

[dubo]

Hi all,
I'm new in here and this is my first post. This thread is the first I read when logging in for the first time here. Since I'm new, I still had little headache reading along all the 3 pages here

Well, in my opinion, moderation must be placed very carefully to decide whether the posts was violate or not. I like your word about 'neighborhood watch', but neighbor sometimes can be very helpful, but on other time, they can be very annoying coz too much interfering our life with their juicy gossip and their warning about what you can do, what you cannot do all the time, over and over, without knowing the true situation.

Anyway, this thread was very useful, if all the members applied it well.
Sorry, if my post make all of u confuse when reading it. lol

I still learn how to write a good post.

[sanjid112]

I like the idea of become members moderator, since I feel who can make this forum more comfy, if not us as a member. Al would not be able to sort a lot of postings, if we as members didn't help him. It is all to make the forum still clean, and not full of garbage-heap.

Keep on going and thanks to all for make this incredible forum. I love this forum.

[rwb24]

Just joined the other day and read through this thread. Lot of good information for all of us, and I am truly grateful that if we just use common sense there won't be any problems.

Looking forward to contributing what I can and always learning.

[mbrig]

Paul, I'm new here and having read your post on moderation, having read and digested it I had this strange sensation of sitting there looking slightly agog or silly, just as you predicted! I really do understand the message you put across, thanks for the clarity. I'll heed your advice and reach for the tin helmet when any flak starts flying and try and keep smiling.

Regards mbrig

[mahesh2k]

Hi Paul, just noticed this post on Digital Point forums. Looks like some people are paying members to build profile here and to vote on WSO and reply to it. I'll be contacting Digital Point Moderators about this, i thought it was worth to bring this to your attention.

[Danny61]

Hi,

I just joined this forum. Looked through the thread. Not to worry, if its common sense, then I definitely have one.

Anyway, looking forward into having a great time here in this forum. Also looking forward into learning something new, and maybe contribute to the community as well.

[kelvinenterprise]

Paul,
Thanks for the inspiring article & balanced viewpoint ,I enjoy reading it.
There will be negative & critical comments but one should take it with a pinch of salt, ignore it & move on & not be Susceptible to the Negative Influence of Other People. (SNIOP), we contribute & add value to bring benefits to members.

Cheers
Kelvin Enterprise

[jimmycraig]

Hello,

Another new member - that was quite a piece of manuscripting that you started off with Paul. I've never been a moderator in the sense it's used here, but I have done some in a technical forum that eventually was shut down. The interesting part of that is "why?" The answer is that the owner's employer felt it was a conflict of interest since it covered the subject that the owner knew best. The thing was non-profit - by intent and practice - and I really believe the employer "**** in his own nest."

Anyway, that's a little off thread, but what I'm trying to say (obviously VERY indirectly) is that I understand what you're saying and I agree with it wholeheartedly.

I'm looking forward to more interesting (and maybe some not so interesting) posts.

Craig Hesser

[MICASCORDZ1]

Hello Paul, I enjoyed your post and I could learn by them. I also know if, and When I need help you all are here to lend a hand and your input on my endeavor, and adventure in to the business world.

[Link Money]

Thank You Paul.

It is always nice to find forums where the long time members help the newbies to learn the ropes.

[Karin Haworth]

Hello Paul,
It sounds like you have given much thought to the best way communication can work for everybody and what it takes for that to manifest. I also get that you would enjoy a group of folks genuinely assisting each other in the art of making money. I know I am.
I feel that people always have the opportunity to work together and learn a great deal from one another. However, this can only happen when each participant really cares about the whole picture.

I hope I communicated accurately--please let me know. Perhaps I was way off.

Karin

[Farie]

Great read, learnt quiet a number of things here. well done

[Eli_Hickman]

Although it has obviously been a long while since you posted your message, I still wanted to thank you for it. I am very new in this forum, and I want to contribute to it and it's members in positive ways.

I have heard many of the same points you have made, but I have also heard some new things too. I am especially grateful for your words about not being overcritical or negative about others.

Many of this points you made will serve as guidelines for what I contribute here. Again thank you for writing "your opinion" down.

Choose to have a great day!

Eli

[futurestrategy]

This really is a guiding post Paul.

I see there are some obvious members to spam this forum too as they do it to any other forum. But after reading this post, it gives a refreshing thought on my approach.

This will surely help my posts in other forums too.

Thanks again as I honestly feel this is such an enlightening post.

[tallman]

Paul, I found this well written, compelling and easy to digest.
You've put the moderation role in clearer perspective for this newbie.
Thanks
Matt

[dannox]

paul you are great.more write ups

[Rick45]

Well moderation depends also on the type of business you are in, and the media you are employing therefore. In earlier days I used to work for a direct Marketing company and I had to sell Merchandise every night, doing kind of meetings in a local pub or coffee upon invitation. It was pretty well organised and the money wasn't too bad. However every night I had about 15 to 30 peope sitting in there and listen to my sales presentation. So what I can tell you out of this, is that the first 3 to five minutes decides upon whether you attract peoples attention or not.

And from there you can go and keep the people following you on what ever you would like to do them.

[Nazbir.Bd]

Nice article bro ... but i dont understand who are the modaretors of warrior forum ?
Because all users id colours are same .

[LindseyRainwater]

Hi there, I just wanted to say thank you for this post. I'm really new here, and I want to be a part of the community. That said, I also want people to find me as a professional writer. I was scared the links in my signature would get me in trouble.

Thanks to Paul, I'm comfortable knowing that as long as I'm actually participating, the links are fine.

I feel things like this on forums aren't explained well enough to us noobs.

I didn't read this WHOLE discussion, so I apologize if this has already been covered, but what does WSO stand for? (Like I said, noob here!)

[Valiant]

I wholeheartedly agree with this post. Something like this will help keep the forums cleaner.

[polet]

Everybody thinks differently. We all have the freedom to express what we think and i agree with Paul, in every freedom is a responsibility to limit our self to be accordingly appropriate.

[Thinker1]

Thanks for this post. It really opened my eyes on things that I wouldn't have thought about.

[Melvin Truth Holloway]

Thanks Paul! That was a book. lol. But I am glad you wrote it because it lets people see from the inside instead of the outside looking in on what a moderator goes through.

Rule #1 was a "biggy". I believe there is a difference between a "rant" and having an honest detailed discussion about the pros and cons of a product or program.

I have not been on here too long and I think it would be great if newer members such as myself take the time to read this post.

This is one of those "Warrior Forum MUST read"

[dh007]

Great post Paul, thanks!

As I read it I had the word "balanced" in my head and sure enough I get to the end and there it is the word that summed the whole thing up!

Agree with Melvin too. Rule one was a biggie! And rant and rudeness aside people should tell it how it is. Warts and all. But for the greater good not personal gain and without being malicious. On the whole we are all here for the same reasons right?

[G3 Creative Scotland]

Hi Paul - a well thought out post on moderation and I could not agree more.

[Paul Myers]

Mark,

If you scroll down the page to the very bottom of any WF subforum, you'll see displayed on the bottom right hand side, the mod/s for that particular forum.

There are a number of moderators who aren't listed anywhere as such. The mods for the various sub-forums all are, I think, but most of the forum-wide moderators aren't.


Paul

[Cathy Shelver]

I have a question,

Have moderators ever moved an Off Topic Thread from that forum to the main forum .

I was Just wondering I see moved threads all the time in the main forum, I am scared to be moved so i seldom open Threads unless I am 100% sure it fits in the main forum.

But i think I started a thread in the Off topic that fits better in the main forum and this made me curious if off topic posts ever get reported as being in the wrong place.

Thanks all mods and members for a great forum

[Ken Strong]

Originally Posted by Cathy Shelver

I have a question,

Have moderators ever moved an Off Topic Thread from that forum to the main forum .

I've never seen that happen, and I doubt that it has -- the only reason a thread is moved out of a particular forum is if it's the wrong topic. Since it's not possible for anything to be off-topic in the Off-Topic Forum (or maybe it's not possible for anything NOT to be off-topic in the Off-Topic Forum -- I get confused) nothing gets moved out of there.

The only rules in Off-Topic say no politics or religion - and those threads get zapped, not moved elsewhere.

If you're talking about your cancer thread, that would've worked in the Main Forum, IMHO. It's a discussion about marketing.

[sanssecret]

Apologies if this is covered elsewhere, this is a long thread and I might have missed it.

I notice a lot of folks will reply to what are obviously spam posts. Now the replies are always (unless from another spammer, lol) to point out the fact that spamming is a bad thing and I'm assuming they are also reporting those posts as such by using the 'report post' button.

But should we really be making replies? Won't that make other folks more inclined to check out the thread, thus giving the op more views? Is it better to just report them so they can be deleted asap or is it worthwhile replying in the hopes the original poster will see the replies and possibly take notice for future reference? (I know, high hopes, but sometimes real newbies might genuinely think they are offering us the greatest thing since sliced bread and might not see their post as spam).

When posts are deleted is the poster told and/or given the reason why?

[Paul Myers]

San,

It's not a good idea to reply to a spam post, or anything else you plan to report or think should be reported. Just report it and move on to another thread.

No, we don't usually tell people why their posts were deleted, even if they weren't spamming. That would take way too much time, and it acts as an invitation for debate. That would waste even more time.

More importantly, it creates an adversarial situation, and many people become obsessed with winning those. That can lead to a lot of unnecessary problems.


Paul

[sanssecret]

Thanks Paul,
Personally I tend not to reply anyway but just wondered about whether or not folks were informed (though I fully understand the reasons for not doing so.)

[George Wright]

Thanks Paul,

For bringing this out. Sometimes I'm inclined (usually around 2 or 3 am) to play with a troll or spammer. Won't do it anymore. Sort of like Cat and Mouse. Me being the Cat of course. Seems like common sense now that you bring it out. Then again as they say common sense is not so common. Especially in the early early morn.

George Wright

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

San,

It's not a good idea to reply to a spam post, or anything else you plan to report or think should be reported. Just report it and move on to another thread.

No, we don't usually tell people why their posts were deleted, even if they weren't spamming. That would take way too much time, and it acts as an invitation for debate. That would waste even more time.

More importantly, it creates an adversarial situation, and many people become obsessed with winning those. That can lead to a lot of unnecessary problems.


Paul

[diver351]

Thanks Paul
I am a new member of the Warrior Forum and whilst the forum rules are clear to see and Read I very much enjoyed your slant on the issues.
The point that you make on self promotion and signature files measured against content was spot on. I have been passively looking on for a while now and the points that you raised will help me to become a good Warrior.

Thank you

Steve

[christineconte]

I take the idea of being a member moderator to heart - if we don't all keep our eyes out and flag what we think is inappropriate, then we will all suffer the consequence of having a spammy forum.

I have tried other forums, but have gotten so frustrated at the high levels of spam that I just gave up.

I agree - when we see spammy or questionable content, we should just report it. The moderators will be better able to make decisions if they have all of the reports.

[Amy Wu]

it took me 30 minutes to digest this article....

Great work!

[luckyone2day]

Great Post!! Its about time someone posted about the job of a moderator. Just because your there to make sure everything runs smoothly doesnt mean your trying to be a parent.

[jazardezign]

Hey,

My experience so far has taught me that — all other things being equal — it’s better to have more moderation than less. I agree that appointments aren’t ideal, I would prefer to run elections, but we have urgent needs on the trilogy. I believe that every moderator we’ve appointed today lives up to our moderator selection ideals:

1. Must be a currently registered user in good standing.
2. Must have a reasonably high reputation score to indicate active, consistent participation.
3. Should exhibit patience and fairness at all times in their questions, answers, and comments.
4. Should lead by example, showing respect for their fellow community members in everything they write.
5. They should want the responsibility. Being a community moderator isn’t an obligation, it is completely voluntary.

[rwil02]

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

ZeroBull,

If you've read this thread, you know that there is no way to formulate and express a set of rules for a forum that covers every possible situation. The more explicit you get, the worse the situation becomes, and the more time is spent in legalistic quibbling about the rules. Those time costs expand at a greater rate than the overall growth of the group.

Common sense and discretion are the thing. Don't worry about it.


Paul

About a year ago I read an article in New Scientist about the collapse of civilisations. One of the key triggers for the collapse of every empire except one was that eventually the energy/time commitment costs of maintaining the system exceed the energy derived from the system and it all comes apart.

The one exception (wish I could remember the name) had voluntarily shed a large proportion of their subject lands and reduced their complexity level by about an order of magnitude.

Funny how all these random things you find out about seem to apply in so many different places.

Roger

[Paul Myers]

Roger,

the energy/time commitment costs of maintaining the system exceed the energy derived from the system and it all comes apart.

That is a challenge for a lot of online systems, too, as you no doubt intended to suggest.

On small levels, that's what kills a huge number of blogs and forums. It stretches the resources of many larger ones. And the energy drains (I call them parasites) don't have a clue what they're doing.

The one exception (wish I could remember the name) had voluntarily shed a large proportion of their subject lands and reduced their complexity level by about an order of magnitude.

That's an interesting topic, but it would turn political really quickly.

We have a different, but related, approach to reducing the energy needed to maintain the system: Nuke the energy sinks.


Paul

[thegotoguy]

Hello! This is my first post. I just joined a few minutes ago. Decided to stop by here and read the rules. So many forums are different and I don't wanna get kicked out the first day... I love the site by the way! Don't know why I didn't join a long time ago! This forum is huge! I'm just lazy! Took me a year! lol

[stevestan]

Cool. Thanks for clearing some things up for me.

[Reno X]

Thanks for the info Paul. If people stick to these tips/rules it will certainly make it a better and more user friendly forum.

Thanks again.

Cheers

Reno

[hilhilginger]

Thanks Mr. Paul for these guidelines. I think this is very helpful for a new member like me and also encourages me to stay as contributing member.

[agusq]

Thanks Paul,

This is very awesome and helpful

[KateCuttson]

Hey Paul,

I just have to say that I admire you! You are so patient with everybody...
I am really facinated...Keep up with the good work
Regards

[crystalmauldin]

This was very help information Paul.

[Landon Walsh]

Damn. I just spent the last 30 mins of my life reading that. This whole thread could be turned into a WSO on "How to create a Great online Forum Community" Bravo.