Banned?

[Frisco]

I just hope civil debates are still welcome here.....

The more a member leans in the direction of actually challenging a staffer here, the more likely that will be seen as infraction territory the member is heading toward, is what I surmise from my experiences here; I've received two now, one for insinuating that a fellow member was using more than one user name ("smells like a duplicate membership" or some such wording by me in the thread) and one for calling a staffer on his bragging about vandalizing Verizon property by installing leaks on the phones in the store.

In the thread wherein I challenged the staffer on that, I took the trouble to point out that he was not fit to be a leader here because of his bad influence on members, particularly on younger readers in the forums.

That was seen as a gross insult to the staffer, and I was put on probation.

Don't feel badly about the system here, Iowa, they are trying their best to do two things, as I see it: 1. keep members from considering the place some sort of free-wheeling boxing ring where they can just come in and say anything they want to say no matter how insulting it is to members and staffers, and 2. keep an air of "controlled environment" here so that viewers of the threads who have not joined yet will get the impression that the place is actually run by somebody and not subject to become what is mentioned in #1.

It is not easy at all doing those things in an online forum. It is easy for us to criticize them, and I certainly think they're way, WAY off base here at times in the ways they handle people, the rules and themselves. But, hey, they're trying. Some places don't even do that, they don't try.

 

[3devious]

I'm not really sure what leeway your talking about, on my side. Feel free to point it out, not trying to argue, seeking clarification.

If I don't know what got me banned in the first place, there's nothing to prevent it from happening again.

He was talking to the feisty Sensesfail when he said that.

 

[Pryomancer]

Welcome back, buddy.

 

[IOWA]

The more a member leans in the direction of actually challenging a staffer here, the more likely that will be seen as infraction territory the member is heading toward, is what I surmise from my experiences here; I've received two now, one for insinuating that a fellow member was using more than one user name ("smells like a duplicate membership" or some such wording by me in the thread) and one for calling a staffer on his bragging about vandalizing Verizon property by installing leaks on the phones in the store.

In the thread wherein I challenged the staffer on that, I took the trouble to point out that he was not fit to be a leader here because of his bad influence on members, particularly on younger readers in the forums.

That was seen as a gross insult to the staffer, and I was put on probation.

Don't feel badly about the system here, Iowa, they are trying their best to do two things, as I see it: 1. keep members from considering the place some sort of free-wheeling boxing ring where they can just come in and say anything they want to say no matter how insulting it is to members and staffers, and 2. keep an air of "controlled environment" here so that viewers of the threads who have not joined yet will get the impression that the place is actually run by somebody and not subject to become what is mentioned in #1.

It is not easy at all doing those things in an online forum. It is easy for us to criticize them, and I certainly think they're way, WAY off base here at times in the ways they handle people, the rules and themselves. But, hey, they're trying. Some places don't even do that, they don't try.

I was wondering what landed you on probation. I don't find any of your posts offensive. I just hope this one doesn't end up like sprintusers.com. I like the community here, aand for the most part staff does a decent job. What people don't realize moderating 40k+ active users is no easy task... so there's little or no time to fully investigate things, so when a name shows up many times, its just easier to do away with that name...

 

[Frisco]

I was wondering what landed you on probation. I don't find any of your posts offensive. I just hope this one doesn't end up like sprintusers.com. I like the community here, aand for the most part staff does a decent job. What people don't realize moderating 40k+ active users is no easy task... so there's little or no time to fully investigate things, so when a name shows up many times, its just easier to do away with that name...

Yeah, the sheer vastness of this place makes it difficult to police, and that can cause perceptions of over-policing here and under-policing there, if you know what I mean.

I know what you mean bout the other over-moderated joints.. uggh; it does not take long to see what's up there. No real community at all.

 

[carmendiva]

1. Okay, I usually spend the majority of my time in the Sprint Hero & Droid Eris Sections of AF

so who the hell are Iowa and the mbell person lolzzz

Like what section did this take place in??

2) if you were to block me right now can't i go to a public library and make a user name.
As long as the ip is not the ip you blocked?

3)There is a lot of censorship here in AF and it seems that it's not exactly a 100% fair to all users.

I've seen alot of things online where certain members need to be banned yet they aren't.
And idk exactly what went down between these two(in fact, i just discovered this section of the forums)
but from my understanding, one guy loves apple and is a "fanboy"
and the other seems to like to argue with him

okay...so what about all the other immaturity and rudeness that has yet to be addressed
by Mods.

I'm not being rude but merely curious as to why bans(be it temporary or not) are seemingly given out randomly instead of addressing more serious offenders

 

[Trident]

okay...so what about all the other immaturity and rudeness that has yet to be addressed
by Mods.

We surely can't be everywhere at all times. If something needs to be addressed by a Moderator, report it. If it's not reported, 90% of the time we will have no way of knowing about it.

 

[Frisco]

3)There is a lot of censorship here in AF and it seems that it's not exactly a 100% fair to all users.

I've seen alot of things online where certain members need to be banned yet they aren't.

Fight them and they'll win, Carmen; no matter what you bring to the argument, they bring the weapons of censoring and removal of posts and of members.

So, the best thing to do, once you see what you feel are inequities in the way a forum is run, is to as nicely as possible point the inequity out via PM to a moderator or to the administrator/owner of the place. You can't do what I did and expect a listening ear, let alone results.

I messed up and challenged Trident in a forum.. you see the fruit of that below my user name on the left there.

Iowa and his buddy here got into it, heh.. again, predictable results.

The mods will default to "just report the offending posts," in defense of the place.

Well, I gather we can report moderators, too. But where do you think THAT will get a member?

 

[Trident]

So, the best thing to do, once you see what you feel are inequities in the way a forum is run, is to as nicely as possible point the inequity out via PM to a moderator or to the administrator/owner of the place. You can't do what I did and expect a listening ear, let alone results.

Give the man a cookie! He figured it out!

 

[Frisco]

Give the man a cookie! He figured it out!

Hey, and being on probation works up a hankerin' for some cookies, lemme tell ya.

 

[carmendiva]

Awww im a senior member?
When did that happen haha...
I feel special(let me have this people...it's been a pretty boring week thus far for me lolz)

and Frisco...Aww....
Well I can't be seen with you...its not good for my rep HA JK
That is a bummer though and i feel kind of degrading to publicly
but that out there like that as well as embarrasing

and Trident...you seem sweet
and this is by no means meant to be rude
but i was indirectly referring to the eris
section and Frisco and OTD can both back me up
on this about the stuff that goes on/went on there
so how exactly did you not know and i've seen you
there a lot in the section

 

[Trident]

and Trident...you seem sweet
and this is by no means meant to be rude
but i was indirectly referring to the eris
section and Frisco and OTD can both back me up
on this about the stuff that goes on/went on there
so how exactly did you not know and i've seen you
there a lot in the section

I'm not sure I follow you..

 

[carmendiva]

I'm saying i've seen you in the
Eris forum a lot
and I don't want to bring up drama from the past

but im asking
how would you not know what goes on in the Eris
forum when i've seen you there.

In fact, I remember one time i was caught in a situation
and you in fact commented on the forum
yet nothing was really done except the thread was locked.

Again i am not trying to attack you but just merely curious
as to how you wouldn't be aware of things that go on in the eris
forum, an area I've seen you frequent

 

[Trident]

I'm saying i've seen you in the
Eris forum a lot
and I don't want to bring up drama from the past

but im asking
how would you not know what goes on in the Eris
forum when i've seen you there.

In fact, I remember one time i was caught in a situation
and you in fact commented on the forum
yet nothing was really done except the thread was locked.

Again i am not trying to attack you but just merely curious
as to how you wouldn't be aware of things that go on in the eris
forum, an area I've seen you frequent

Yes, I do frequent the Eris forum, so I guess I do have a idea of what goes on in there. I also frequent about 10 other forums as well. What I was saying was that us Moderators, in general, have no way of knowing what needs to be addressed unless it's reported or if we so happen to come across it. You have to remember that there are more way more forums than just the 10 or 11 that I frequent.

 

[carmendiva]

Yes, I do frequent the Eris forum, so I guess I do have a idea of what goes on in there. I also frequent about 10 other forums as well. What I was saying was that us Moderators, in general, have no way of knowing what needs to be addressed unless it's reported or if we so happen to come across it. You have to remember that there are more way more forums than just the 10 or 11 that I frequent.

I understand completely
just curious thats all

 

[Trident]

I understand completely
just curious thats all

Not a problem!

 

[OfTheDamned]

When looking at the moderation of any forum I think it is important to look at who is here and what can really be done. On most forums the mods/admin are grossly outnumbered and have to rely on the membership for guidance in some cases so that they can determine what is occurring and what actions need to be taken. Some forums do this and some don't. Some do and just don't do a very good job of it.

On this site right now there is 1 owner, 2 admin, about 7 mods, 7 or so guides and 43,786 (give or take due to banning) members with at least one post. There are 108,871 total accounts on the site and those last 2 figures are growing everyday. As someone said before me (on another thread possibly) forums live and die by their membership. A great forum can go south very quickly if the members are not interested in a certain amount of law & order. On the other hand a great forum can also go south with too much law & order. The reverse is also true in both cases. There has to be a certain amount of balancing in everything, yin and yang if you wish. Without it nothing works.

With what they have available I think the mods/admin/guides do a pretty good job around here. In the end I think it is more up to the members to make the forum run right though.

 

[cooolone2]

Just to add my $.02

I think a help would be for Mod's to put in a Unthankful/Dislike/Thumbs down to the posts, like you see for the Thanks. A button to register the readers take on things, let alone if things get out of hand. Just a suggestion as I have absolutely NO idea what it would take to implement this. Forgive me for my ignorance. But seeing a hundred NO Thank You's on a user will certainly give weight as to whether or not a reader would even take a posting seriously or be disregarded.

This tool could be used indiscriminately to identify PROBLEM posts or posters who offend either fellow forum members or the rules. I found mbell to be quite abrasive (not to take sides, lol) but if the dislike button were available, the Admin's/Mod's could be free from being the bad guys and allow for the users to have some discreet input to opinion on who the trouble makers are. IF they wish to value Forum Users opinions
(hehe, don't shoot me).

Ultimately, this Forum is controlled pretty fairly and is enjoyable and informative, all excellent qualities. And yes, at the volume it is accessed, it is a difficult thing to do. Keep up the good work...


Regards...

 

[OfTheDamned]

Just to add my $.02

I think a help would be for Mod's to put in a Unthankful/Dislike/Thumbs down to the posts, like you see for the Thanks. A button to register the readers take on things, let alone if things get out of hand. Just a suggestion as I have absolutely NO idea what it would take to implement this. Forgive me for my ignorance. But seeing a hundred NO Thank You's on a user will certainly give weight as to whether or not a reader would even take a posting seriously or be disregarded.

This tool could be used indiscriminately to identify PROBLEM posts or posters who offend either fellow forum members or the rules. I found mbell to be quite abrasive (not to take sides, lol) but if the dislike button were available, the Admin's/Mod's could be free from being the bad guys and allow for the users to have some discreet input to opinion on who the trouble makers are. IF they wish to value Forum Users opinions
(hehe, don't shoot me).

Ultimately, this Forum is controlled pretty fairly and is enjoyable and informative, all excellent qualities. And yes, at the volume it is accessed, it is a difficult thing to do. Keep up the good work...


Regards...

I agree with this and totally support a no thanks or anti-thanks button.

 

[carmendiva]

I like that
idea
above

do like youtube does
when people thumbs down
a comment, eventually with enough
it actually hides the comment

 

[Trident]

Just to add my $.02

I think a help would be for Mod's to put in a Unthankful/Dislike/Thumbs down to the posts, like you see for the Thanks. A button to register the readers take on things, let alone if things get out of hand. Just a suggestion as I have absolutely NO idea what it would take to implement this. Forgive me for my ignorance. But seeing a hundred NO Thank You's on a user will certainly give weight as to whether or not a reader would even take a posting seriously or be disregarded.

This tool could be used indiscriminately to identify PROBLEM posts or posters who offend either fellow forum members or the rules. I found mbell to be quite abrasive (not to take sides, lol) but if the dislike button were available, the Admin's/Mod's could be free from being the bad guys and allow for the users to have some discreet input to opinion on who the trouble makers are. IF they wish to value Forum Users opinions
(hehe, don't shoot me).

Just report it! Multiple reports on a post add as "replies" to the report and show a priority. I think that a thumbs down button would just cause problems, to be honest...

 

[carmendiva]

But wouldn't his idea
also limit having to search through 900 replies
just to find an answer to a question.


Having a thumbs down feature and doing like youtube in the sense where a certain amount of thumbs down
flags the comment and hides/deletes it would make it easier for people to find the answers they seek
and also it would help the people who complain about people asking the same question over and over

 

[Trident]

But wouldn't his idea
also limit having to search through 900 replies
just to find an answer to a question.


Having a thumbs down feature and doing like youtube in the sense where a certain amount of thumbs down
flags the comment and hides/deletes it would make it easier for people to find the answers they seek
and also it would help the people who complain about people asking the same question over and over

I think that the current system works fine.

 

[cooolone2]

I think that the current system works fine.

It does... to a certain extent yes.

But just think how much everyone has appreciated the ability to have input in THANKING useful posts and the people who post them.

In it's simplicity, it is a wonderfully small thing that means so much, to just click - "THANKS" - without having to get involved in the thread or post a reply or whatnot.

It's cool, but just a suggestion that maybe could be kicked up with all the Mod's/Admins...

 

[Trident]

I'll redirect the Admins to this.