Ad Hominem and Multiple Posts

[Eraserhead]

Nobody forced them to volunteer as mods or is pressurising them to continue. If somebody isn't enjoying the role there's nothing stopping them from "retiring"... unless arn has some compromising photos in his possession!

You know how it is, if there is a lot to do and not enough people. The people who are there will do their best to cover the slack (within reason).

 

[rdowns]

It's easy to criticize about moderation on the forums but it is a thankless task. The fact is, MR is a full time business for Arn and is about traffic. Banning and putting members in time-out is not good for business. It must be done with great care.

 

[edesignuk]

It's easy to criticize about moderation on the forums but it is a thankless task. The fact is, MR is a full time business for Arn and is about traffic. Banning and putting members in time-out is not good for business. It must be done with great care.

It's a thankless task which is exactly why people almost inevitably wind up doing less and less over time, which is why new blood is needed.

Banning and putting members in Time-Out might not look good, but neither does spam, abuse, and an App Forum full of promo codes and not much else.

 

[rdowns]

I agree but as I said, traffic is king. Those damn app threads draw a lot of it. As much as I hate them, were I Arn, I'd be moving very slowly as well. The free codes keep an awful lot of visitors coming back every day.

 

[xUKHCx]

and an App Forum full of promo codes and not much else.

It is something that is being worked. - Those words you love to hear.

 

[edesignuk]

It is something that is being worked. - Those words you love to hear.

heh

Oh I know it's "being looked in to". You just have to wonder how long it would take to pop in a sub-forum for promo codes [at least in the short term] and be done with it. If there's a bigger grander idea further down the road then that's great, for now this would do nicely.

 

[sushi]

It's a thankless task which is exactly why people almost inevitably wind up doing less and less over time, which is why new blood is needed.

Banning and putting members in Time-Out might not look good, but neither does spam, abuse, and an App Forum full of promo codes and not much else.

This is one of the best moderated forums that I visit, and has been over the past few years that I've been here. The moderators have done a wonderful job overall.

Being a moderator takes dedication and a strong desire to make MR the best that it can be. It's not an easy task to be a moderator with the issues we members present. My hat's off to those who are and have been on the moderating team.

It is something that is being worked. - Those words you love to hear.

 

[edesignuk]

This is one of the best moderated forums that I visit, and has been over the past few years that I've been here. The moderators have done a wonderful job overall.

Being a moderator takes dedication and a strong desire to make MR the best that it can be. It's not an easy task to be a moderator with the issues we members present. My hat's off to those who are and have been on the moderating team.

I know all that, I was one.

 

[.Andy]

I know all that, I was one.

!

This is one of the best moderated forums that I visit, and has been over the past few years that I've been here. The moderators have done a wonderful job overall.

Being a moderator takes dedication and a strong desire to make MR the best that it can be. It's not an easy task to be a moderator with the issues we members present. My hat's off to those who are and have been on the moderating team.

Would you like to be a moderator too sushi?

 

[sushi]

I know all that, I was one.

I would hope so.

I said what I did for others who might be reading this thread. I figure that it's not good form for a moderator, even an ex one, to brag. So I took the liberty of doing it for you.

Would you like to be a moderator too sushi?

Only if I could barrow BV's tool to control the masses:





Edit: Seriously, if the moderating team thought that I would be an asset and value added to the team, then I would be honored to help. But if not, no worries. Either way I will continue to enjoy being part of the MacRumors community.

 

[.Andy]

Only if I could barrow BV's tool to control the masses:

View attachment 167056

It looks like a surprised man's face with a large nose !

 

[r.j.s]

Would you like to be a mod r.j.s.?

I have already volunteered to the admins some time ago, if they feel that I am of the quality they desire to mod, then I'm sure they will let me know when it comes time for new mods. If not, then I will continue to contribute and report violations as I see them.

 

[Eraserhead]

You just have to wonder how long it would take to pop in a sub-forum for promo codes [at least in the short term] and be done with it.

Quite, this is a decision that should be able to be made in a couple of days or a week tops.

I have already volunteered to the admins some time ago, if they feel that I am of the quality they desire to mod, then I'm sure they will let me know when it comes time for new mods. If not, then I will continue to contribute and report violations as I see them.

I think the problem is that they are being too picky, there are several posters (including you) in this thread who I think would make good mods.

 

[xUKHCx]

Quite, this is a decesion that should be able to be made in a couple of days or a week tops.

No offense but you don't know the inner workings of the site.

To make a change like this and come down on the points between people who live all over the world while covering other issues at the same time and get everyone up to speed takes more than a couple of days around here. Unfortunate perhaps but the view has been to try and get a workable solution first time rather than go in half cocked as it were. This potentially saves a lot of trouble and time later down the line.

I think the problem is that they are being too picky, there are several posters (including you) in this thread who I think would make good mods.

Several posters in this one thread, lots of other potentials elsewhere. You have to be picky in order to decide between them. There are lots of factors that go into these decisions. Again an issue that you want to get right first time rather than have to deal with later.

 

[Eraserhead]

They haven't added new mods since December 2007 and the forum has been growing ever larger.

 

[aquajet]

Several posters in this one thread, lots of other potentials elsewhere. You have to be picky in order to decide between them. There are lots of factors that go into these decisions. Again an issue that you want to get right first time rather than have to deal with later.

I find myself agreeing with IJ's observations about MR. Although it's difficult to know for certain as most of us are simply not privy to every factor involved.

What I can say is that there is a marked decline in the quality of MR posts over the last year or so, directly related to what I perceive as a lack of proper moderation, having spent less time on myself for a period of time and recently finding myself lurking more often again.

I don't know how the MR bureaucracy works, but if selecting moderators is as difficult as you seem to be hinting at, is it possible that there are serious inefficiencies in the decision-making process?

I would like to hear more about the process by which decisions are made. Perhaps if you all would be more open about it, some of us could provide suggestions. Honestly, and with all due respect to all of you who invest much time in what is a thankless job, MR needs help and I would be willing to bet that several people in this thread alone would be willing to help if you would just ask.

 

[iBlue]

I do wonder why the hesitancy to discuss at least some of it with the rest of us. I think aquajet had a really good post.

As for mods walking away, maybe all that careful examination of who to choose may not have been all that effective anyway? Or perhaps it speaks volumes for how moderators are treated in general?

 

[xUKHCx]

Because they haven't added new mods since December 2007 and the forum has been growing ever larger.

How does this relate to being too picky? Obivously in December 2007 4 new mods joined so there was no need to hire some straight away back then. Over the time between then and now there has been a chage over from enough to perhaps not quite enough however as said previously it is something we are working on and will happen when the process has been gone through.

To whittle potentially 10s if not 100s names in the wood work who would made good mods you have to be picky. And it takes time. The issue causing you to label it too picky is in fact time. Everything here takes time, arguably too much time.

...

Not so much hard, more slow.

I believe BV wrote up a description of the process once but a quick search doesn't bring it up.

Basically it goes like this

• Decide we need more moderators
• Names are put forward by the mods/gods of members who they feel would make good additions to the team
• Those names are discussed in terms of suitability for the role, for the team, for the timezones, for the directions of the forums and other things along those lines
• Short listed
• Invites

Long pauses drag these out as we may get side tracked by something big coming up or something big that jumps up, or just side tracked. It tends to take a long time (although this is my first time through the process from this side of the line). In the time that it all takes some people may drop away from the forums or other things may happen which makes the above process not so straight forward.

We have been going through this process for some time now.

 

[robbieduncan]

We have been going through this process for some time now.

Good Then we can look forward to this being sorted in the future and their being more moderator-love to go round.

 

[Peace]

Jeez. This place is more like Apple than I thought. Whoda thunk Mods were back ordered.

 

[Eraserhead]

How does this relate to being too picky? Obivously in December 2007 4 new mods joined so there was no need to hire some straight away back then. Over the time between then and now there has been a chage over from enough to perhaps not quite enough however as said previously it is something we are working on and will happen when the process has been gone through.

Because as far as I remember 4 were added in December 2007 as there was a need for them, but before that 2 had been added every 6 months, so I would expect 2 more to have been added around Christmas 2008 as that would be keeping with the pattern.

<shrug> maybe I'm reading more into it than I should.

 

[kainjow]

I think the problem is that they are being too picky, there are several posters (including you) in this thread who I think would make good mods.

As for mods walking away, maybe all that careful examination of who to choose may not have been all that effective anyway?

IMO, this sums up the problem. Being overly picky on who becomes mods, and then those mods get burnt out and leave as the membership grows, and the problem continues.

I think we need a third level of permanent mini-mods that do the small stuff like cleaning up threads. Maybe add on a few that are responsible for managing a specific set of forums, and then let the mods/gods do all the heavier work. That way the work can be divided up more evenly.

Personally though I haven't noticed any issues, but I stay away from the crazy sections, and whenever I report threads they are dealt with quickly.

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

Jeez. This place is more like Apple than I thought. Whoda thunk Mods were back ordered.

Ha! Nice, Peace! That one made me laugh.



Now, to be more serious, I just wanted to say that I appreciate xUKHCx showing up and discussing the process and any details he can, as well as any other mods who have or will contribute to this thread. I also appreciate the (mostly) civil discussion about the topic among the posters here. This is very clearly something that we all care about, and all want the best for. I like this place.

Perhaps you can answer this for me, xUKHCx. Do the mods commit to serve a certain length of time?

 

[sushi]

I do wonder why the hesitancy to discuss at least some of it with the rest of us.

I found BV's post on how a moderator is chosen to be very informative.

Not sure what they could be more open about. I think that it is important that all moderators can speak freely when looking at possible candidates and not have to worry about what might be said about whom during the process.

 

[edesignuk]

Do the mods commit to serve a certain length of time?

No.