Site Moderation - Have your Say!

[Nan6b]

That's extremely useful to know, if needed.

[MissS]

That's extremely useful to know, if needed.

Yes, I agree.

[Ginger2778]

Just want to say that I am loving the numbering of posts now. Many thanks for this accomplishment.

[SQWIB]

Stating factual information should never be deleted... Ever!
However if the thread goes south with flaming or out of control venting, it should be locked and explained why it has been locked out of respect for the legitimate post, if there are any.
I have seen threads that folks were warned and they continued, so the thread was locked.
Locked threads have another advantage, they start to show a pattern of what can possibly be locked, and folks will see that pattern and learn from it, especially if the moderator has intervened and explained why it was locked.
Just my 2 cents.

[MsCowpea]

Stating factual information should never be deleted... Ever!

Yes, I agree wholeheartedly.

[Nan6b]

Factual information about someone's bad behavior can be inflammatory, though.

[worth1]

Lets just move on to brighter things.

[bower]

Worth and Pondgardner! These images make no sense to me in this thead? People are here in this thread to have a say in site moderation. Please edit the distraction out of your posts and stay on topic.

[bower]

Factual information about someone's bad behavior can be inflammatory, though.

I've been thinking about this, and I think we need to amend the rules not just for this thread but in general.
Rule 1: No personal attacks or flaming. This rule applies equally to any discussion of an identifiable person offsite.

Not to confuse personal attacks with legitimate complaints eg about a business service. "The seeds were no good" "The varieties are misnamed on this site" "Shipping took a month" "This vendor used my images without permission and I'm angry !" This is all factual and legitimate (and helpful) to discuss in the forum. vs "This "named vendor" is a big ugly sleezebag, fraud, liar, nincompoop and his mother is a goat and he sleeps in a sewage ditch with a bunch of vampires."

If an individual is not identifiable, eg Area 51 post by anonymelon "My boss is the meanest on earth" that is still within the rules. So this would not affect members' freedom to post about personal problems in off topic, if they choose to do so.

[Alex]

I agree their posts were ????? but we could embrace a few goof ball comments as long as it doesn't turn into a mega food fight. No one should feel like they're walking on egg shells in the Junction, or treated like they're kindergarten kids again. But then the mod teams decide how light-hearted or serious they want to make this place. Your say.

Worth and Pondgardner! These images make no sense to me in this thead? People are here in this thread to have a say in site moderation. Please edit the distraction out of your posts and stay on topic.

[bower]

Thanks, Alex, that's the sort of feedback I was hoping to get. No bad feeling was intended - or felt, I hope! by participants in the experiment. I could have made my comment more light hearted as well.

Pondgardner has an even better way of handling distractions (if necessary) and that is to move the post to another thread where it is more appropriate. I haven't learned to work this magic yet... but it seems like a win win to me.

[worth1]

Thanks, Alex, that's the sort of feedback I was hoping to get. No bad feeling was intended - or felt, I hope! by participants in the experiment. I could have made my comment more light hearted as well.

I think pondgardener and I were both on the same page and or wave length.

[MissS]

Factual information about someone's bad behavior can be inflammatory, though.

I've been thinking about this, and I think we need to amend the rules not just for this thread but in general.
Rule 1: No personal attacks or flaming. This rule applies equally to any discussion of an identifiable person offsite.

Not to confuse personal attacks with legitimate complaints eg about a business service. "The seeds were no good" "The varieties are misnamed on this site" "Shipping took a month" "This vendor used my images without permission and I'm angry !" This is all factual and legitimate (and helpful) to discuss in the forum. vs "This "named vendor" is a big ugly sleezebag, fraud, liar, nincompoop and his mother is a goat and he sleeps in a sewage ditch with a bunch of vampires."

If an individual is not identifiable, eg Area 51 post by anonymelon "My boss is the meanest on earth" that is still within the rules. So this would not affect members' freedom to post about personal problems in off topic, if they choose to do so.

I for the most part agree.

I don't mind if a bad day was lightly mentioned from time to time, but I do not want threads and pages and pages of ones life experience at work or whatever filling the boards. I don't mind someone announcing a personal loss or a medical condition. We are all human and need this community, our friends for support. However, we are not Facebook and I don't want to be keeping everyone's diaries here about their day to day life. This is the type of thread that people at TV were and are still complaining about. It just distracts you from the board.

[Ginger2778]

Wasn't the 2 cents almost always the problem forum over there? Why do we even have an off topic forum? It can be nice, but is it necessary?(just my 2 cents here,lol!)

[Spike]

Seriously, isn't the bottom line basic respect? Large amounts of people are not going to agree on everything. I totally respect you for allowing us all to give input, but at the end of the day, this final word comes from Rajun and his trusted Mods and I am good with that!

[pondgardener]

Wasn't the 2 cents almost always the problem forum over there? Why do we even have an off topic forum? It can be nice, but is it necessary?(just my 2 cents here,lol!)

Marsha,

One of the intentions of an off topic forum is to provide a not related to gardening or growing area where people go to share videos, pictures and comments that don't belong to any gardening topics. And as time goes on, certain posts that have no particular relationship with topics elsewhere, will be moved there, rather than outright deleted, if the post(s) follow established rules and guidelines.

And yes, off topic forums can become a problem but the same rules apply there as well as amongst the rest of the site. So initially it will be looked at carefully so things do not get out of hand and eventually it may become one of the more looked at forums.

[daylilydude]

What happens if all the "mods" don't agree on a post... majority rules??

[Ginger2778]

Wasn't the 2 cents almost always the problem forum over there? Why do we even have an off topic forum? It can be nice, but is it necessary?(just my 2 cents here,lol!)

Marsha,

One of the intentions of an off topic forum is to provide a not related to gardening or growing area where people go to share videos, pictures and comments that don't belong to any gardening topics. And as time goes on, certain posts that have no particular relationship with topics elsewhere, will be moved there, rather than outright deleted, if the post(s) follow established rules and guidelines.

And yes, off topic forums can become a problem but the same rules apply there as well as amongst the rest of the site. So initially it will be looked at carefully so things do not get out of hand and eventually it may become one of the more looked at forums.

OK, it was just a suggestion.,

[bower]

What happens if all the "mods" don't agree on a post... majority rules??

So far it's been consensus rather than voting. We talk about whatever comes up, and come to an agreement. I would say that in general majority rules. For myself at least, if two people disagree with me I figure they are probably right.

As someone else pointed out, if a member has a problem with a moderator or moderation issue, they can also take it to Rajun or to another moderator.

[ddsack]

I don't have a problem with Off Topic forums, no one expects to find valuable growing information there, and no one has to read or respond to anything posted there. It's strictly an optional place to open up about things that please or bother you. I don't see a reason to start limiting what can be discussed, as long as posters stay polite and within the rules.

What bugs me more personally, is thread hijacking in subject labeled threads where I expect to follow a tomato related discussion, but end up having to scan through long strings of personal banter having nothing to do with the topic. A certain amount is unavoidable, as the topic will drift as information is added from others and other lines of thinking appear. I think all of us have been guilty of this at one time or another, but it would be good to keep it to a minimum.