Conversations

[rpmurray]

Why is it that whenever I get a warning or a ban from a moderator the email will have a link to "View this conversation", but when I click the link and it takes me back to the forums the text "This conversation is closed for new replies" shows at the bottom of the page?

If you close the conversation immediately after sending the email, how am I supposed to reply? Or is the conversation supposed to be one-way?

 

[Apple_Robert]

The conversation (in regards to getting a pm pertaining to mod action taken again a member) is one way. If one has a concern or question pertaining to the mod action taken, one needs to use the "Contact Us" option to extend the conversation or ask for a second opinion etc.

 

[maflynn]

"This conversation is closed for new replies"

For moderation communications the conversation is closed as the moderators are sending a notice of a rules violation. If you wish to question, dispute or discuss the moderation the accept method is to use the contact us link. That way the admins who over see the moderators can review what occurred and answer any questions you may have.

 

[ivanwi11iams]

Hmm, I have to agree. I feel if I receive a PM about an action that I took, I should be able to respond.
Otherwise, it is like being called to the Headmasters office, and being told off...

Edit:
Ah, I see. Then again, sometimes I feel it best to 'solve' an issue in that current 'conversation' . We all know something things can be taken out of context, etcetera.

 

[theSeb]

Things didn't used to be this way. Just out of curiosity, when did this policy become active and why? I suppose it's probably because some people were not very civil in their replies. I used to just apologise and move on. It felt like a much more friendly process and more akin to interacting with an actual human being.

 

[annk]

Hmm, I have to agree. I feel if I receive a PM about an action that I took, I should be able to respond.
Otherwise, it is like being called to the Headmasters office, and being told off...

Edit:
Ah, I see. Then again, sometimes I feel it best to 'solve' an issue in that current 'conversation' . We all know something things can be taken out of context, etcetera.

It's not a matter of being called to the headmaster's office. The point here is that the moderators moderate and the admins oversee moderation. That means that when a complaint or question comes in, it gets sent to a level over the moderators. That way, you can be sure that your question isn't handled by the same people who did the moderation.

Things didn't used to be this way. Just out of curiosity, when did this policy become active and why? I suppose it's probably because some people were not very civil in their replies. I used to just apologise and move on. It felt like a much more friendly process and more akin to interacting with an actual human being.

View attachment 1803873

What do you mean by things didn't used to be this way? It's been this way since I became part of the voluteer staff in 2011. But I might be misunderstanding what you're asking.

 

[theSeb]

What do you mean by things didn't used to be this way? It's been this way since I became part of the voluteer staff in 2011. But I might be misunderstanding what you're asking.

OP mentioned that when he receives a warning or a reminder from the moderators via a PM he can see that he cannot reply, since ""This conversation is closed for new replies". I said that things were not like that and added the screenshot to show that you used to be able to reply to these moderator warnings / reminders and have a chin-wag with them to apologise and move on. That certainly used to be the case till at least 2015.

I was simply curious what changed to prompt the closure of this direct communication medium. I suppose that you inadvertently answered my question partially with this.

That way, you can be sure that your question isn't handled by the same people who did the moderation.

Edit reason: I accidentally some words

 

[Apple_Robert]

OP mentioned that when he receives a warning or a reminder from the moderators via a PM he can see that he cannot reply, since ""This conversation is closed for new replies". I said that things did used to be that and added the screenshot to show that you used to be able to reply to these moderator warnings / reminders and have a chin-wag with them to apologise and move on. That certainly used to be the case till at least 2015.

I was simply curious what changed to prompt the closure of this direct communication medium. I suppose that you inadvertently answered my question partially with this.

Your screenshot is showing a PM to a moderator. What the OP and Ann is speaking of is replying directly to an moderator action pm, which isn't possible.

 

[theSeb]

Your screenshot is showing a PM to a moderator. What the OP and Ann is speaking of is replying directly to an moderator action pm, which isn't possible.

My screenshot is showing a reply to a PM from a moderator titled Reminder from the Macrumors moderators. Here is the thread just before the screenshot I previously posted.





But I see now that these are actually just reminders and not warnings, so it turns out that the majority of my mode infractions were only reminders and not real warnings. Reminders about rules and actual warnings are titled in the exact same way. Confusing, but thank you for making me double check. I always thought these old ones were actual warnings. Me bad.

 

[annk]

Your screenshot is showing a PM to a moderator. What the OP and Ann is speaking of is replying directly to an moderator action pm, which isn't possible.

They're both PMs, but when a mod sends a moderattion message on behalf of the team, he purposely sends it in a way that makes it impossible to answer, because questions and complaints about moderation have to be answered by administrators. Otherwise, you have moderators reviewing the moderation they themselves did. It's better to have these escalated to the admins, which is what happens when users use the contact form.

@theSeb as far as I know it's been this way since 2011, so I can't answer your question.

 

[Apple_Robert]

They're both PMs, but when a mod sends a moderattion message on behalf of the team, he purposely sends it in a way that makes it impossible to answer, because questions and complaints about moderation have to be answered by administrators. Otherwise, you have moderators reviewing the moderation they themselves did. It's better to have these escalated to the admins, which is what happens when users use the contact form.

@theSeb as far as I know it's been this way since 2011, so I can't answer your question.

When See showed the first screen shot, I thought he had sent a separate pm to the mod as a member does with another member. Seeing the second screenshot I now see he responded to a moderated message which is rather odd he could do.

 

[theSeb]

They're both PMs, but when a mod sends a moderattion message on behalf of the team, he purposely sends it in a way that makes it impossible to answer, because questions and complaints about moderation have to be answered by administrators. Otherwise, you have moderators reviewing the moderation they themselves did. It's better to have these escalated to the admins, which is what happens when users use the contact form.

@theSeb as far as I know it's been this way since 2011, so I can't answer your question.

It's fine. I've realised now that nearly all of the PMs I've received from moderators weren't actually moderation messages. They were reminder messages. The reminder messages can be replied to; the moderation messages cannot. I was mistaken and it seems that I didn't actually get an official moderation message (warning) until 2020, hence why I assumed that something changed between 2015 and 2020.

 

[Apple_Robert]

It's fine. I've realised now that nearly all of the PMs I've received from moderators weren't actually moderation messages. They were reminder messages. The reminder messages can be replied to; the moderation messages cannot. I was mistaken and it seems that I didn't actually get an official moderation message (warning) until 2020, hence why I assumed that something changed between 2015 and 2020.

I looked back in my history and in 2015, I got the same kind of message as what you posted. And like you, I replied back to the mod who clarified the rule. In 2016, I got the same kind of message as the one in 2015 but, this one was locked thus preventing any further replies. Strange.

 

[ivanwi11iams]

So, there is a hierarchy of sorts. Got it; certainly makes sense.
No point allowing someone to 'audit' themselves...

 

[Scepticalscribe]

It's fine. I've realised now that nearly all of the PMs I've received from moderators weren't actually moderation messages. They were reminder messages. The reminder messages can be replied to; the moderation messages cannot. I was mistaken and it seems that I didn't actually get an official moderation message (warning) until 2020, hence why I assumed that something changed between 2015 and 2020.

I looked back in my history and in 2015, I got the same kind of message as what you posted. And like you, I replied back to the mod who clarified the rule. In 2016, I got the same kind of message as the one in 2015 but, this one was locked thus preventing any further replies. Strange.

Not to defend MR, let alone the manner in which some of the moderation has been known or thought to have taken place, but, I believe that - even before the platform transfer to Xenforo, - that there was some sort of platform change around the time both of you write about.

I seem to recall some manner of platform migration - two at least in the past six or seven years, the second of which was the migration to Xenforo - and the tweak you both refer to - whereby replies could be made to reminders (for I seem to recall being able to do this, as well) - was no longer possible once the migration in question had occurred.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Not to defend MR, let alone the manner in which some of the moderation has been known or thought to take place, I believe that - even before the platform transfer to Xenforo, - that there was some sort of platform change around the time both of you write about.

I seem to recall some manner of platform migration - two at least in the past six or seven years, the second of which was the migration to Xenforo - and the tweak you both refer to - whereby replies could be made to reminders (for I seem to recall being able to do this, as well) - was no longer possible once the migration in question had occurred.

That is a good point about migration to a different platform later on. That could explain the difference in ability.

 

[Nermal]

I seem to recall some manner of platform migration - two at least in the past six or seven years

There was a vBulletin upgrade at some point, going maybe from version 2 to 3, although my memory's a bit fuzzy on that one.

As for replying to reminders, yep, it definitely was possible in the past.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

There was a vBulletin upgrade at some point, going maybe from version 2 to 3, although my memory's a bit fuzzy on that one.

As for replying to reminders, yep, it definitely was possible in the past.

That is the one; I'm fairly certain that some changes occurred in the wake of that.

The Xenforo migration brought still further - and considerably more pronounced - changes.

 

[theSeb]

Thank you all. I thought that I may be going senile prematurely.

 

[rpmurray]

Thanks for the clarifications.

 

[Boyd01]

FWIW, when a moderator sends a warning the conversation is locked by default. It's possible for the mod to allow replies if they intentionally un-check the box however.