Proposal For A new moderation system

[Compile 'em all]

I have noticed in the last couple of months that the quality of the posts have gone done the drain on the forums. There are threads that are literally full of pages of posts a la "LOL" and "You are an idiot".

This has many reasons including Apple expanding its product line (i.e an increase in number of members), people not reading the guidlines (this is the internet, no one reads wikis), or just because posters/new comers don't care.

I came up with a few things that will help cut down on useless posts and definitely improve the quality of posts. So here they go:


Posting Guildlines and rules must be made a sticky IN every subforum. And displayed in a distinct way, that people browsing a forum can immediately notice it.

Introducing a banning and probation system. Posters violating posting guildines will be banned for 24hrs/48hrs/1 week depending on the kind of violation. This will make posters think twice before posting something.

Posts violating posting guildines must not be deleted (read: not evaporate). Instead, the offending post text is replaced with something like "Post removed for violating such and such rule. User banned for 48 hrs" in Bold and in large font. Not just using the "edit reason" field. This helps accomplish two things. The offender will immediately see what he did wrong (instead of wondering around looking for his missing post). Second, other posters on the thread will immediately notice/know what he did wrong, and take extra caution not to do the same.

More strict posting guidlines. Posts like "LOL" or "hahaha" warrants an instant ban.

Guildlines should include forum-specific rules. For example, in the picture gallery forum quoting full pictures just to say "cool setup" should lead to an instant ban.


By the way, such a system is already implemented in some other forums (which make use of vBulletin too) and it is working extremely well.

I understand that it might need a bit of work, but the number of members is increasing rapidly, and I find myself less and less eager to read through 20-page threads of nothingness.

Thank you for your consideration :)

[wordmunger]

Good idea. That ought to suck whatever life is left in the forums right out.

[bartelby]

Introducing a banning and probation system. Posters violating posting guildines will be banned for 24hrs/48hrs/1 week depending on the kind of violation. This will make posters think twice before posting something.


There already is one.
In Time-out : For temporary bans
Banned : For permanent ones.

[Queso]

hahaha.

LOL.

[kretzy]

Posting Guildlines and rules must be made a sticky IN every subforum. And displayed in a distinct way, that people browsing a forum can immediately notice it.



Even then people still won't read them.



Introducing a banning and probation system. Posters violating posting guildines will be banned for 24hrs/48hrs/1 week depending on the kind of violation. This will make posters think twice before posting something.

This has already been in place for a long time on these forums.




Posts violating posting guildines must not be deleted (read: not evaporate). Instead, the offending post text is replaced with something like "Post removed for violating such and such rule. User banned for 48 hrs" in Bold and in large font. Not just using the "edit reason" field. This helps accomplish two things. The offender will immediately see what he did wrong (instead of wondering around looking for his missing post). Second, other posters on the thread will immediately notice/know what he did wrong, and take extra caution not to do the same.


This creates a huge amount of extra work for the moderators. If people are thatcurious as to why their post was deleted they can check the rules and work it out for themselves. I think the mods already do a pretty good job at letting people know the reasons for their actions.


More strict posting guidlines. Posts like "LOL" or "hahaha" warrants an instant ban.

Guildlines should include forum-specific rules. For example, in the picture gallery forum quoting full pictures just to say "cool setup" should lead to an instant ban.


A little extreme, no?

I understand where you're coming from, but whenever these kinds of issues are raised the same solution always seems to resurface - help the mods out by reporting posts.

[fistful]

Post removed for violating the following rule: Not living up to Compile 'em all's standards.

[rdowns]

hahaha.

LOL.

You are an idiot.

Is this bannable? ;)

[Sun Baked]

http://att.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6694&stc=1http://att.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6694&stc=1http://att.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6694&stc=1http://att.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6694&stc=1http://att.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6694&stc=1http://att.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6694&stc=1

[rdowns]

In all seriousness, forums mimic the real world. Some of it we like or dislike. Sometimes I like to read 20 pages of nothingness. One man's or woman's nothingness is another's somethingness.

[Queso]

Is this bannable? ;)
If calling me an idiot were, it'd get pretty lonely in here :p

[rdowns]

Hmmm.

[MACDRIVE]

This site has already employed some ruthless repressive moderators in the last few months. If the Soviet Union were to have a message board, this site would be it.

[zap2]

This site has already employed some ruthless repressive moderators in the last few months. If the Soviet Union were to have a message board, this site would be it.

Really? If so, sign me up for the USSR!
:rolleyes:

[rdowns]

This site has already employed some ruthless repressive moderators in the last few months. If the Soviet Union were to have a message board, this site would be it.

Wow, someone has issues. If this forum is so repressive, why are you here?

Did one of the ruthless, repressive moderators ask to see your receipt as you left the store? :rolleyes:

[shecky]

in soviet russia, forum moderates you!

[fistful]

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e163/bentwrenches/SFoMC9.jpg

[Eidorian]

This is definitely going to be one of the more interesting threads.

I think that the moderation system does need a little tweaking to handle new members and the banning system.

Then again I expect degradation from older members into image board antics.

[MrSmith]

Those 6502ers :rolleyes: *tchoh*. Get an avatar and think they can change everything. Just join the police force or, better still, apply to become a prison guard. In China.

Oh, and *LOL*.

[MACDRIVE]

If this forum is so repressive, why are you here?

I rarely am anymore.

[MrSmith]

I rarely am anymore.
Hey MD, where you hanging around these days instead?

[Compile 'em all]

Those 6502ers :rolleyes: *tchoh*. Get an avatar and think they can change everything. Just join the police force or, better still, apply to become a prison guard. In China.

Oh, and *LOL*.

That was informative. Thanks.

Anyway, As I said before the system I proposed is employed by several other forums and works pretty drat well. I have no intentions of turning the forum into an oppressive regime :), just making rules/mod actions a bit more visible to posters might help improve some aspects of the forum.

[MrSmith]

That was informative. Thanks.
Never knock career advice.

[Chaszmyr]

This idea is obviously not being well received, and I doubt anyone sees anything productive coming from this thread. Compile, I think you'd do well to drop the issue. And for the mods, it probably wouldn't hurt to close the thread. See that? I didn't even say anyone should be banned... Let the record show that I'm lenient, caring, and forgiving. :p

[Blue Velvet]

We're always reviewing the way moderating works but let's review the site rules:

Moderation

The forums are loosely moderated by site-owner arn with help from volunteers AmbitiousLemon, Blue Velvet, devilot, Doctor Q, edesignuk, eyelikeart, HexMonkey, jsw, Knox, longofest, Mitthrawnuruodo, Mr. Anderson, Mudbug, Nermal, Rower_CPU, WildCowboy and WinterMute. Doctor Q, Knox and Mudbug also assist arn as administrators.

This is a busy bulletin board. There are in excess of 4000 posts per day. The moderators cannot read them all, so they rely on members to report problem posts that they encounter.

The point of moderation is not to limit discussion, promote or suppress points of view, or any other secret agenda. Even though the site is private, we encourage discussion among all members. The goal of moderation is to keep the forums enjoyable and free from problems that detract from the experiences of our users.


My emphasis.

Some crave a strong whip-hand, some obviously don't. I think we have the balance right, particularly when measured against how many moderators tend to be online at the same time.

We already have a banning and probation system, and are occasionally told that we're being too tough. There is no pleasing everyone.

Fact is, if you see stuff like that, report it instead of complaining about it. We all have to take an interest in maintaining our community standards and we, as mods, can't see everything that goes on.

[Compile 'em all]

Fact is, if you see stuff like that, report it instead of complaining about it. We all have to take an interest in maintaining our community standards and we, as mods, can't see everything that goes on.

Okay. will do. thanks for the reply :)

[Blue Velvet]

This is just my personal opinion and not site policy or whatever:

I think what we are trying to achieve here is a mixture of useful information and news with a strong emphasis on the community while keeping things a bit light. This lets certain personalities shine with a bit of banter here and there, without becoming too po-faced about things.

However, repetitive rule-breaking or being a nuisance, will result in action being taken sooner or later... hundreds of people post here every day without attracting any attention from the mods whatsoever, but a small minority draw unwelcome attention to themselves by their behaviour, and that behaviour is either picked up by the mods or reported by other members of this community... and when we judge that lines have been crossed, we take action that is fitted to the scale of the transgression, and that is rarely done in public.

As stated in the forum rules (http://guides.macrumors.com/Help:Forum_Rules), the News threads are the most tightly moderated and other forums less so.

I don't venture into a lot of other forums, but when I do, I'm always interested in how things seem to be run... some are just too tight, really draconian... some don't seem to be moderated at all. It's always a struggle to strike the right balance that keeps people coming back and wanting to participate here.

[mcarnes]

Is there anyway to actually kill people that violate the forum rules? I dunno, I guess that might generate more problems then it solves. But that is one solution...

[Queso]

Is there anyway to actually kill people that violate the forum rules?
Maybe if you open a terminal and type:-

sudo kill -9 <username>

You never know, it might work :D

[rdowns]

Maybe if you open a terminal and type:-

sudo kill -9 <username>

You never know, it might work :D


hahahaha

LOL


Your post struck my funny bone and made me chuckle a bit. Thank you for bringing some sunshine into my otherwise dreary day.

I hope I haven't offended anyone with this post or by quoting your post in full.

Moderators, please feel free to employ some ruthless, repressive methods to this post.

FWIW, I do crave a strong whip-hand. ;)

[Cromulent]

This calls for the cat!

Edit : Darn it. Not full size :(.

Edit 2 : Fixed :).

[Blue Velvet]

Thread closed due to OP's request. It was a serious proposal and deserved a little more than what he got...