"Rate the Forum Moderation" Topic

One of TMP's readers tells me…

People constantly post stupid comments that are supposed to be funny, derail the original topic, and post across 30 board some idiotic question like "who was the best general evah", and it's left alone.

How would you rate TMP's forum moderation?

* a lot more needs to be done
* needs more effort
* fine as it is
* needs less moderation
* back off and leave the forums alone

Back off and leave the forums alone. Get rid of the DH. Stop banning people.

I renewed my supporting membership so I could laugh at all the drama queens, but they keep getting taken away from me.

fine as it is.
anyone who disagrees needs to be bitchslapped.
Most posts are not derailled til after the question has been answered. and all members are entitled to their own opinion as what is a valid topic of conversation. just because someone feels the question has no merit doesnt give them the right to censor the OP. thats what the stiffle button is for.

fine as it is

x42

fine as it is

Possibly some flames could be quenched a little sooner, but it is not my kennel and overall it seems ok.

I'm hovering between "fine as is" and "needs more effort"

I renewed my supporting membership so I could laugh at all the drama queens,

I renewed my supporting membership so I could discuss war gaming and painting.

Who got better value for money I wonder?

regards
dave

Fine as it is.

"Back off and leave the forums alone. Get rid of the DH. Stop banning people." That's sounds about right to me.

Could do a little better.

Trivialising someone else's serious point is always a problem on any forum (cue the comedians …)… and there are genuinely a lot of fine wits around here who never fail to amuse (hope the irony is working …)..

But the number one problem is being able to discuss intelligently some of the obvious topics that some regulars don't think should be discussed except on their terms.

Then again, I don't doubt I'm wrong!

I'd be in favor of lifting pretty much all of the rules (banning, DH, etc), and compensating with a more robust Stifle tool.

For example, it should be possible to apply a "reverse stifle" to somebody, so he can't read *your* posts. That way, if there are drama queens who just love to start fights with you, or whom you know will always explode, you can just prevent them from having the opportunity.

Any forum that allows me to post is very poorly moderated.

Seriously Bill, 'em if they can't take a joke.

Fine as it is. Especially Groucho.

Fine as it is.

Make DH enforcement consistent, or get rid of it all together. There is way too much subjectivity of how and when (if?) previous transgressions are counted, plus other predetermined biases that skew consistent judgement.

Otherwise, trying to enforce "seriousness" is, well, just plain silly…

There is way too much subjectivity of how and when (if?) previous transgressions are counted…

Why would previous transgressions be counted?

Fine as is.

* fine as it is

* fine as it is

I don't like:
the cross-posting
or
the 'I must ask every question that comes into my head'
or
the 'lets just poll tmp about every possible miniature line that could possibly be made instead of doing our own market research'
but

I'd rather have more posts I can ignore
than
less posts overall.

a lot of forum software comes with inbuilt three strikes and out recording capability, so mods simply strike them and after the third, it autobans their username, ip addresses and email.

I suspect nothing like that exists for TMP, hence the arbitary feel to the dawghouse.

I also strongly feel that stifling is a nonsense. This is a forum for the public, if its disruptive a mod warns them, strikes them or bans them. Otherwise, all views are valid and if you don't like it skip your eyes over it.

The damage to discussions here where some people are actually only seeing half the discussion is potentially one of the reasons things get kooky so quickly at times.

Jaz
6sided.net – 200+ Read Wargaming Blogs – Fres Posts Daily!

fine as it is

Fine as it is….

there are some blind spots. Bill is a religious man, so allows some topics that should be killed because he finds them intersting. Other than that, fine as it is.

Pat

second [piost tonight drubnkm really shouls topm readin tmp on a saturday night

Fine as it is.

It is an internet forum, not the Meaning of Life.

A bit of consistency would be good.

Not a lot of that about at the moment.

Why would previous transgressions be counted?

Err what? You do count previous transgressions. You've recently noted that people's previous behavior influences your decisions on a given incident.

I'm not saying that's necessarily wrong, but it seems odd that you would imply you don't.

Anything I say would be considered special pleading, based on my past history here.
However, since I "came back", I have had no complaints about my soecific, ahem, problem.

Err what? You do count previous transgressions. You've recently noted that people's previous behavior influences your decisions on a given incident.

Sorry, but I don't recall saying that. Except in the special case of harassment, which is a pattern of behavior.

a lot of forum software comes with inbuilt three strikes and out recording capability, so mods simply strike them and after the third, it autobans their username, ip addresses and email.

I suspect nothing like that exists for TMP, hence the arbitary feel to the dawghouse.

Since TMP uses custom software, the system can be tweaked any way we'd like it to be.

Autobanning IP addresses is a really bad idea, since in many cases, innocent people unknowingly share the same IP address.

there are some blind spots. Bill is a religious man, so allows some topics that should be killed because he finds them intersting.

It's funny how many people have jumped to the conclusion that I'm an ardent Creationist, after a particular recent firestorm. The truth is that I enjoy reading a good discussion, and I rather regret the realities that forced the segregation of the political and religious boards on TMP (now at our sister site, The Blue Fez).

TMP's moderation is not always consistent but Bill's human (at least that's the rumour) so I can live with it.

Really, if there's too much humour/not enough humour, savage punishments/weak punishments etc to suit your tastes, you don't have to stay.

I recently left another forum as it no longer suited me: I don't miss it & I doubt it misses me. jeez, it's just the internet.

Its fine as it is. It's natural that a bunch of grownups playing games with toys the kids come out of us. It's serious to some but really not the end of the world so lighten up a little. Might help you live longer

if I do not like something I do not read it . My gripe is there is not enough news and some companies do not seem to get mentioned .

The "arbitrary" feeling is because both Bill *AND* the viewer are humans, and thus will never perceive things the same. Each will feel differently about a given subject.

I vote either:

*fine as is
OR
*needs less

but the latter only because I'd rather think that Bills time is spent less on moderation and more on the real work that is needed.

I am only tired of people complaining that more needs to be done to stop those that they disagree with, while simultaneously complaining that Bill is too heavy-handed and either acts too much, too harshly, or too little, or too lightly.

Fine.

Fine as it is…I appreciate the level of moderation you already use to keep the worse comments under control.

Fine as it is, IMHO.

I'm sure I couldn't do any better.

It is fine as it is. I think a lot of the people who constantly whinge about everything that happens on TMP would whinge regardless, they feel their voice must be heard and their demands acted upon. People who feel they are towering intellects to us mere mortals, half of the rants here involve a drama queen demanding the world ( and TMP ) be remade according to their superior design.

Phil

It's funny how many people have jumped to the conclusion that I'm an ardent Creationist, after a particular recent firestorm.

I didn't know one could be ardent about "science?"

Don't change anything. All of the problems are caused by the more vociferous members. (you know who you are)They just need to lighten up. Most people who come here never have a problem.

"Kooky" is good – entertaining.

"jeez, it's only the internet"

Precisely….

Doug

It is fine as it is.

In the words of an ancient and wise Chinese Philosopher:

'If it ain't broke, don't fix it!'

It's fine, and if you don't like it try running your own.

Fine as it is.

I am always surprised at the amount of time and effort some people put into trying to influence The Editor to remake TMP to suit their own personal tastes . . . time and effort that would be better spent contributing something to the forum that actually would make TMP more to their liking.

As for The Editor's moderating skills; whenever he explains to some irate and demanding putz his reasons for doing something (an explanation, I might add, which he does not owe to anyone, but extends as a courtesy to his forum members) they seem well-reasoned enough.

My (unsolicited and, I'm sure, soon-to-be-disregarded) advice would be for the members to get on with the games, contribute something positive to the forums while ignoring those who don't, and quit trying to make TMP into something it's not.

Since you asked (because otherwise I wouldn't comment on how TMP is run), it's fine as it is, Bill.

There are too many lawyers on here, please ban them all.

Also the grognards and whiners.

And anybody that posts about things I don't care about.

And anybody who asks too many questions.

Or crossposts constantly.

Or doesn't like boobies.

Ummm,boobies…

I'll be in my bunk.

Moderating consistently would be a good start, applying a comprehensive set of rules to and throughout all the boards instead of micromanaging like allowing jokes about Warhamster everywhere except on the Warhamster Board.

A good followup would be if people would develop a sense of humour and relaxed a little as is fitting on a forum about gaming with toy soldiers. Grow up a little would be a good advice, but well, thereīs the toy soldiers….

Donīt listen too much to people who complain about other people as long as they are not calling each other names. Whatever you give attention to will grow, you know.

Whatever you give attention to will grow, you know.

Sounds like a viagra commercial.

(my mother told me I was funny when I was young. She may have meant "funny looking").

YAFAAI (Yet Another Fine As It Is)

I think there is a lack of consistency but in that regard Bill is better than Alain Rolland.