Forum - opinions, suggestions

[Sardukhar]

Don't even try to serve me that cold appetizer. Damn it.
This is actually quite amusing. Because to me the underlying message in the above post seems to be:

Either put up or hit the road.

Which, alas, proves one of my points to begin with.

It's vicysois..vichysoiss...fuckit. It's cold potato soup. It's meant to be eaten cold! Ask Rimmer.

Well, you're not wrong. Underlying every decision we make, every ruling and everything Our Masters say, is that simple truth. This is a voluntary experience for all - if you don't like it, departing is your final option. Although I encourage at least reading the forums - how else will you discover The Secret?

Like I said, we only have the authority you give us. If you don't want to give us that power, then, yes, not posting here removes everything we can do to you. Pretty much. That I can think of. I'm fairly sure I'm not supposed to follow people home anymore. Man, did I get such a talking to last time. I now know the Polish phrasing for "depraved and insane person of little worth who smells of bacon and maple syrup."

I'm not really trying to disprove your point, which is that you are unsatisfied with the status quo vis a vis mods and our privileges and poster identities. I'm not even saying it's perfect or that it couldn't be better - nearly any system can be inproved.

I'm using this conversation to express my viewpoint on the wholly voluntary state every poster here engages in with your moderators. And that whatever we do, we do as mods. That's what I'm doing here.

That and make funny comments.

 

[ReptilePZ]

Well, I'd guess you do not know the details, the specifics of the situation(s) in question, as you were neither involved or contacted.
So I'm going to assume lack of knowledge here, because otherwise, it would be beyond comical that the people that were indeed privately contacted had decided to fill you in whilst not extending not even a fraction of such courtesy to the sender.

So I can't imagine that happening. No.
It couldn't have happened. I'm sure it didn't.

Thing is, I don't need to know the specifics. It's written, clear as day, in the forum rules and regulations thread how you must proceed in the current situation. You must contact Keth, privately. Because he represents the owner of this forum, CDPR. As such, CDPR are the ones you need to talk to, they're the only ones that need the details. Not us.

If the forum owner then decides to act on your request, we - the moderators - have to comply. Simple as that. No ifs and buts. Giving you these instructions in order to help you get your feedback to the people that metter is literally all I - or any other moderator - can do in this situation.

And Sard also has the power of being amusing. Constantly. Is it a blessing or a curse, nobody knows.

 

[Sardukhar]

And Sard also has the power of being amusing. Constantly. Is it a blessing or a curse, nobody knows.

But if you EVER find out, tell my wife! Man, does she want to know. So badly.

 

[Jupiter_on_Mars]

It's vicysois..vichysoiss...fuckit. It's cold potato soup. It's meant to be eaten cold! Ask Rimmer.

Well, you're not wrong. Underlying every decision we make, every ruling and everything Our Masters say, is that simple truth. This is a voluntary experience for all - if you don't like it, departing is your final option. Although I encourage at least reading the forums - how else will you discover The Secret?

Like I said, we only have the authority you give us. If you don't want to give us that power, then, yes, not posting here removes everything we can do to you. Pretty much. That I can think of. I'm fairly sure I'm not supposed to follow people home anymore. Man, did I get such a talking to last time. I now know the Polish phrasing for "depraved and insane person of little worth who smells of bacon and maple syrup."

I'm not really trying to disprove your point, which is that you are unsatisfied with the status quo vis a vis mods and our privileges and poster identities. I'm not even saying it's perfect or that it couldn't be better - nearly any system can be inproved.

I'm using this conversation to express my viewpoint on the wholly voluntary state every poster here engages in with your moderators. And that whatever we do, we do as mods. That's what I'm doing here.

That and make funny comments.

Well, sure. Either one can leave at any moment from his free will and perhaps the local standards for humour would instantly improve. To me that veiled - actually make that not so veiled - invitation is a complete failure with regard to what I see as one of mod's main duty: protect the forever-threatened value of forum democracy.

See, what speaks volumes is you have ceased to try to build a case. Your best come back was «put up with the status quo or hit the road», all this in a threaded dedicated to opinions and suggestions on how to improve the forum.

Yup.

Thing is, I don't need to know the specifics. It's written, clear as day, in the forum rules and regulations thread how you must proceed in the current situation. You must contact Keth, privately. Because he represents the owner of this forum, CDPR. As such, CDPR are the ones you need to talk to, they're the only ones that need the details. Not us.

If the forum owner then decides to act on your request, we - the moderators - have to comply. Simple as that. No ifs and buts. Giving you these instructions in order to help you get your feedback to the people that metter is literally all I - or any other moderator - can do in this situation.

And Sard also has the power of being amusing. Constantly. Is it a blessing or a curse, nobody knows.

How exactly would you know what procedure I took?
How exactly would you know whether I deviated from the officially approved protocol or not, hey?
How would you be able to claim I did not contact the powers that be?

Tough luck. You do have to know the specifics in order to pass comment.
l am going to keep assuming you don't until shown otherwise.

More importantly though, I expect basic rules of engagement to be followed by people who were given the power to enforce basic rules of engagement. It'd be rather sad if such rules had to be codified in letter for those folks to feel under the obligation to abide.

 

[ReptilePZ]

How exactly would you know what procedure I took?
How exactly would you know whether I deviated from the officially approved protocol or not, hey?
How would you be able to claim I did not contacted the powers that be?

Tough luck. You do have to know the specifics in order to pass comment.
l am going to keep assuming you don't until shown otherwise.

More importantly though, I expect basic rules of engagement to be followed by people who were given the power to enforce basic rules of engagement. It'd be rather sad if they had to be codified in letter for folks with responsibility to feel under the obligation to abide by.

Don't know what procedure you took beyond what you've shared here honestly. And what you've talked about is the dilemma of talking to a moderator/moderators in private and nothing changing, or going against the forum rules and discussing moderator decisions in public, as if those are your only options. A catch 22, as you said. What I am saying is, this dilemma, as you've presented it, does not exist. There is a very clear way for you to share your thoughts on moderation and to provide feedback - all you need to do is talk to Keth. No more, no less. If you haven't done so alredy, you should. If you have, then great, there's nothing more (apart from joining CDPR at the appropriate position, I guess) you can do about it beyond that, really. If you don't think the procedure is adequate, then I am afraid the only way to attempt to change it is still by following it in order to give that feedback. Not "passing comment" here, just providing instructions.

But if you EVER find out, tell my wife! Man, does she want to know. So badly.

Sure thing.

 

[Jupiter_on_Mars]

Don't know what procedure you took beyond what you've shared here honestly. And what you've talked about is the dilemma of talking to a moderator/moderators in private and nothing changing, or going against the forum rules and discussing moderator decisions in public, as if those are your only options. A catch 22, as you said. What I am saying is, this dilemma, as you've presented it, does not exist. There is a very clear way for you to share your thoughts on moderation and to provide feedback - all you need to do is talk to Keth. No more, no less. If you haven't done so alredy, you should. If you have, then great, there's nothing more (apart from joining CDPR at the appropriate position, I guess) you can do about it beyond that, really. If you don't think the procedure is adequate, then I am afraid the only way to attempt to change it is still by following it in order to give that feedback. Not "passing comment" here, just providing instructions.



Sure thing.

For now, my concluding remark would be that we find ourselves in the rather kafkian situation where other gaming forums and their mods, procedures and decisions can be criticised around here, mother Teresa can be criticised around here, even the owner of the forum, CD Projekt, can be criticised around here, but not mods. No, they're the sacred cow in town. The peculiar judicial system where the same individuals act as prosecutors, judges and executioners all at the same time, where referees can at any given time step in to play, was a foolproof recipe for abuse of power all along. It was bound to happen, no matter how well-meaning mods started off as.

I now predict another veiled invitation to leave the forum.

 

[ReptilePZ]

Since you insist on going with the referee example, all I am going to say is that players and even managers get yellow cards, sent off even, when they continue to debate a decision after being asked to stop. Just like in football, complaints must go through the proper channels. Anyway, you've been provided with instructions on how complaints of this nature are handled on this privately owned forum, the rules of which you agree to adhere to when you sign up for it. Can't do much more than that, I'm afraid.

 

[Mefris]

 

[Aes Sídhe]

I think mods should have separate accounts, one for moderating, another for taking part in the discussions, on which occasions they hold the exact same rights and obligations as any other forum member. This would help prevent certain epiphenomena.

Unworkable. Multi-accounts are banned for normal users because there is too great an opportunity for abuse, if they were enabled for Mods accusations would eventually drown the forum if suspicion didn't actually kill it outright. Drowning is also the reason for keeping your grievances to private conversations. Do you think you are the only person to have had disagreements with the mods? The only person currently even? Maybe, maybe not, maybe not worth knowing if by that we avoid that sinking feeling.

The way this board is run is no different from many, even the majority of the boards I've frequented in my time. The "sacred cow" of maintaining the task of moderating as a respectful one benefits all of us. The avenue for discussing such issues is private, it is the only way it can work. If we were to have a thread for every mod-decision we'd have no room for anything else. Believe it or not these rules didn't begin here, they grew with the internet long before here existed.

As for the wider issue they are volunteers who do a hell of a lot here as mods much of which I suspect we don't notice, but you'd be wrong to think its an easygoing or trivial task, sure I have problems keeping up with a select few topics plus the new stuff as it happens, they've earned their stripes through years of contribution on the board already, if they lost the ability to voice their opinion not only might there be nothing in it for them anymore, we would lose a valued contributor.

They're only human, like the rest of you us they're flawed, get tired, misinterpret this limited medium, and make mistakes.

 

[tommy5761]

Just a little reminder that mod decisions should remain private among members and should not be discussed publicly . Should you wish to discuss decisions among yourselves then please do so via PM or the chat room .

 

[Jupiter_on_Mars]

Unworkable. Multi-accounts are banned for normal users because there is too great an opportunity for abuse, if they were enabled for Mods accusations would eventually drown the forum if suspicion didn't actually kill it outright. Drowning is also the reason for keeping your grievances to private conversations. Do you think you are the only person to have had disagreements with the mods? The only person currently even? Maybe, maybe not, maybe not worth knowing if by that we avoid that sinking feeling.

The way this board is run is no different from many, even the majority of the boards I've frequented in my time. The "sacred cow" of maintaining the task of moderating as a respectful one benefits all of us. The avenue for discussing such issues is private, it is the only way it can work. If we were to have a thread for every mod-decision we'd have no room for anything else. Believe it or not these rules didn't begin here, they grew with the internet long before here existed.

As for the wider issue they are volunteers who do a hell of a lot here as mods much of which I suspect we don't notice, but you'd be wrong to think its an easygoing or trivial task, sure I have problems keeping up with a select few topics plus the new stuff as it happens, they've earned their stripes through years of contribution on the board already, if they lost the ability to voice their opinion not only might there be nothing in it for them anymore, we would lose a valued contributor.

They're only human, like the rest of you us they're flawed, get tired, misinterpret this limited medium, and make mistakes.

None of what you object to is being advocated by me.
As for the Forums 101, I'm sure others will find it highly didactic.
Now, if you'll excuse me.

 

[sfinx]

I like new spoiler shape, I am not sure when it was updated, I just maybe noticed that too late anyway, nice job..

 

[Keth]

I like new spoiler shape, I am not sure when it was updated, I just maybe noticed that too late anyway, nice job..

Few days ago, so around time of your post

 

[Kinley]

Don't know if this is possible on your end, but could we possibly get

 

[Sagitarii]

Don't know if this is possible on your end, but could we possibly get support for imgur's .gifv extensions? Webm support would be nice as well. :)[/QUOTE]

My collection is waiting for webm support.

 

[sfinx]

There should be a habit to send a message if mod delete post/topic. At least brief note, why he(she) did that.


I am not fixed on my posts or topics, so I don't have a problem if something will be deleted, but at least I'd like to know if I did something wrong.

 

[Keth]

@Kinley has just become a moderator for the international TW forum, let's wish him good luck

 

[ReptilePZ]

Good luck

Spoiler

 

[Kinley]

Will wear the badge with pride. Thank you.

 

[ReptilePZ]

The new Quote option when you mark text is kind of wonderful. A bit distracting though, I have to admit. I like clicking around a lot...