posted on April 19, 2001 02:10:13 PM
I hope this does not get womb'd, because it is a legitimate question. Since AW has decided to "clamp down", and some have left voluntarily and not voluntarily, what is the solution for those still here? For some posters to not like other posters is a given but instead of bickering amongst ourselves, what is the solution to make it not so strict? If the place is falling down around our ears, do we help it along with warring with ourselves? Do we tippytoe? Do we just stay silent and quietly leave? Do we hang on until there is nothing left to hang on to? Can we debate with each other without anger and if so, how do we express the passion of the moment where the thread doesnt get locked?
posted on April 19, 2001 02:24:59 PM
There is no solution for us because the "problem" is purely artificial. It only exists because the PTB decided to make it so.
posted on April 19, 2001 02:33:07 PM
After all this time...no. I have no solutions. It seems to be an endless cycle. I've become so incensed in the past, I've gone to other boards...private boards, too. They all eventually degenerate. Personalities clash, egos demand stroking and don't get enough...on and on.
I like to be silly and play sometimes...but mostly I like to talk about something. This has always been the place for that. But, as little as I've learned to care about moderation...one way or the other...it's getting to be touch and go. My patience, never great, is getting worn down.
Maybe I should just stay in the EO. It's still an extremely valuable place, though the number of posts has sure diminished.
posted on April 19, 2001 02:35:59 PM
Hello Everyone,
If you would like to address a specific change in policy that you think has affected how you post, I will let this thread stay open. If this becomes another "bash AW and the mods thread" I will lock it.
Tell me the new policy though, because I don't see that for the RT that things have changed.
posted on April 19, 2001 02:44:01 PM
Oh, Joice. Lock it...don't lock it...it hardly matters. If you feel you guys have been bashed, then this thread is already history.
posted on April 19, 2001 03:39:36 PM
Hello everybody,
I just need to jump in here and make a comment or two.
First of all, there is no "clamp down" taking place. It may be your perception that this is the case, but I can assure you it is not.
We did change the way moderations are communicated, but we have not changed any of our basic moderation philosophies. There are some new moderators on staff who are still learning the ropes - it may be a little bit bumpy for a time, but if you bear with us, it will eventually smooth out.
There's no need to "tippytoe" or debate without emotion - just remember that the rules of basic etiquette apply here as they do in real life. Also remember that these rules apply to moderators and other AW staff as well as your fellow posters. That's all!
posted on April 19, 2001 03:41:23 PM
This was not meant for AW bashing. That can be found elsewhere, lol. And surprisingly, most of it isnt being done by the people that are still here, Joice. If AW would listen, it would understand that the posters here are not its enemy.
You, dont see the change here? Go back a few months and look at the posts. So many. Look at them now. Not so many and getting less as each day goes by. The proof is right here in RT and EO, in back pages. Maybe the proverbial straw was taking away mod corner. It wasnt used THAT much, but still, it was a place to go to ask what was going on, or to call attention to something. What did it hurt? And why fix something if it isnt broken? And, best yet, if Mod corner was so important to poster to have there, why take something away that wasnt that big a deal if it made the posters happy?
Seems to me that putting Mod Corner back would be a start. Just a small step, but a start. The posters here feel like they are being treated as children. So make the kids happy by giving them something to show there IS the wanting to make what posters are left, secure that they ARE wanted here. And to be honest, the mod corner was to your advantage. Posters caught alot of things against the TOS and posted it there for you to check out. They were your eyes when you were busy elsewhere. AW cut off its nose to spite its face, methinks.
posted on April 19, 2001 03:44:47 PM
I appreciate Joice acutally coming in here and saying she is listening, Diana. And if we didnt think there was no tippytoeing needed, then why is this place getting so empty?
posted on April 19, 2001 03:48:01 PM
I wanted to add that it isnt just AW either. Its the posters who have to bend a bit. Dont like a poster or what they have to say? Then treat them like you would a stranger...ignore them. Why be so hateful to someone you dont agree with or think is silly or fluffy?
posted on April 19, 2001 03:56:27 PM
I have a question for AW. Do you keep any kind of numbers or records each day/week/month or so on to keep track of the number of posts compared to the number or either deleted posts, moderated posts, womd'd threads, and or moderated or suspended members?
I would bet, if such numbers were tracked, there has been a marked increase in moderated (in one form or another) threads. It has left the members feeling like we're going to get our virtual hands slapped with the AW ruler if we "get out of line" in any way.
Again I offer my opinion of the removing of the MC. If AW feels the need to publicly moderate a thread or a member, then if there are questions concerning that moderation, we need a place to do that publicly.
posted on April 20, 2001 06:46:40 AMDiana, and Joice,
If no change has been made in moderation policy why were the CGs rewritten to eliminate the formalized progressive procedure? It's very much different when every member knows that his or her next post may be the last when subject to the inexperience or interpretation of whichever moderator is at hand.
Meya - no, we don't track the number of moderations as compared to the number of posts. If moderations have increased recently, it is in response to the general disruption resulting from our fees announcement and other changes we've made.
krs - we didn't say no change has been made to policy, we said that the basic philosophies behind our moderation practices have not changed. We are open to reviewing a moderation issue, particularly knowing that there are new mods on staff, which is why we've provided members with a way to easily email the moderator list.
posted on April 20, 2001 11:07:00 AM
Posting here has always been a game of musical chairs. There are just fewer chairs now. That's how I see it, anyway.
posted on April 20, 2001 11:07:11 AM
But Diana, since such email historically is routinely disregarded (both that sent to the moderators and that sent to you), what good does it do to send email to them or you?
-gaffan-
Your e-mail thread was locked before I had a chance to respond, but I wanted to add that when I was suspended, my e-mails to Diana did receive timely responses.
Also, in the past, e-mails to pattaylor have received very timely responses.
It's only fair that these experiences be added to the mix.
[ed for clarification]
[ edited by spazmodeus on Apr 20, 2001 11:16 AM ]
posted on April 20, 2001 11:33:32 AM
hepburn-what is the real problem? some have left as would be the case on any chat board. some stated martyr-like reasons for leaving and others were banished for repeated offenses. so what? new posters arrive all the time. there seems to be a slight increase in moderator sensitivity but that may be due to new mods. yet there were many posts before that definitely should have been moderated and were not! as i have said many times, the large(increased?) number of political and religious threads will inevitably lead to a large number of emotional and heated discussions(of which i have also partaken) and the subsequent moderations. as toke said, "all boards eventually degenerate". no one owes anybody a perfectly moderated board with an endless supply of posters with only interesting topics. it is what you(we) make it!
In "We are open to reviewing a moderation issue, particularly knowing that there are new mods on staff, which is why we've provided members with a way to easily email the moderator list" aren't you saying that moderation issues will be reviewed by the very persons who take moderation action? Or are you saying that a sort of committee of those persons would be in effect for such review?
In either case, haven't you removed the staff from accountability to the membership, particularly when all such action and review is to be carried out in a relatively secret manner beyond the public view of the membership at large.
posted on April 20, 2001 04:51:05 PM
Thanks krs, you worded it better than I did. However, I am not holding my breath that the PTB here will take any notice of the questions. They have made it very clear that how the members feel means nothing.
posted on April 20, 2001 05:04:36 PM
I'm not going to make the same mistake that I made yesterday but
it's very easy to make a minor slip and that is Permanent suspension?
I thought that permanent suspension was reserved for really gross
insurrection.
