Why close a thread that's doing no-one any harm

[Mildredop]

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1730810/

This thread started off by knocking the Galaxy S5 and somehow managed to skew to discussing TV shows and the international availability of Marmite. No-one was throwing around offensive comments, name calling, being rude - in fact, the only person who was getting annoyed was the OP.

I would fully understand moving the thread to a more appropriate area, like community discussion - but closing it altogether? That's incredibly bah-humbug on the part of the mod.

Whatever people are talking about, surely it's clicks and a chance to gain from some advertising, so why just spoil people's fun?

Mod note:

This thread derailed long ago from it's intended topic.

Closed.

I wish mods would moderate rather than be 'power' hungry spoil sports.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Thread titles are supposed to give a clue as to what the thread is about. If you find during a thread its moved off topic, there is nothing to stop you starting a new thread (in the appropriate sub forum) and adding a link to the original thread with an invite for those who wish to discuss marmite (or whatever).

I should also point out that the (largely unpaid) mods to a pretty good job IMO.

 

[maflynn]

I wish mods would moderate rather than be 'power' hungry spoil sports.

The moderation staff closes a thread if its off topic to a point where a simple clean up is not feasible.

Closing threads is not a power trip by the moderation team but rather something we do to avoid confusion. Why move the thread to the community forum when it started off about The S5. That will confuse members even more.

If you created a thread, you as the OP may not appreciate someone changing the discussion to another topic, its not fair to you and other members willing to discuss the intended topic.

MacRumors is a discussion forum and the moderation team and administrators want to facilitate discussions, that includes ensuring threads stays on topic. If threads were allowed to meander aimlessly, this would create confusion and stifle the very discussion you wanted to have.

 

[mojolicious]

TV shows and the international availability of Marmite.

This sounds much more entertaining that slagging off a non-Apple product.

I do hope there was trash talk about Vegemite?

 

[ucfgrad93]

That thread should have been closed long before it actually was.

If you want to discuss TV shows and the international availability then start another thread.

 

[inkswamp]

To the OP:

Since you're relatively new here, I should point out that moderation on MR has been markedly uneven in the last couple years. I've noticed it has become noticeably heavy-handed without any discernible reason. I've brought this up and discussed it with mods in private, but it's unlikely to change. As you can see in this very thread, the response will frequently be that "the mods are volunteers" or "that's just a rule," instead of looking at the complaint and seeing if the moderation in question was necessary or not.

I don't understand it, but it has sapped a lot of the joy I once got from this site.

 

[alphaod]

I wish mods would moderate rather than be 'power' hungry spoil sports.

It's off topic.

Personally I think it should have been Wastelanded instead.

 

[Robster3]

To the OP:

Since you're relatively new here, I should point out that moderation on MR has been markedly uneven in the last couple years. I've noticed it has become noticeably heavy-handed without any discernible reason. I've brought this up and discussed it with mods in private, but it's unlikely to change. As you can see in this very thread, the response will frequently be that "the mods are volunteers" or "that's just a rule," instead of looking at the complaint and seeing if the moderation in question was necessary or not.

I don't understand it, but it has sapped a lot of the joy I once got from this site.

Serious this site is soft, check out this one in Australia posts get deleted left right and center, most if the posts in that thread would of been deleted for off topic. They leave your name and the reason in the thread too.

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au

 

[velocityg4]

Check out comments in ebaumsworld.com. You'll see why it's necessary for mods to wrangle in off topic threads. This site would become a useless hodgepodge of trash posts.

 

[inkswamp]

Check out comments in ebaumsworld.com. You'll see why it's necessary for mods to wrangle in off topic threads. This site would become a useless hodgepodge of trash posts.

Possibly, but I've been on this site since 2003 and the light moderation that was done back then would work just fine now. For example, recently I posted a comment about a "spy pic" of a rumored product being fake because there was no elevator in sight and was told by a mod that it was deleted for being frivolous.

Since when is an on-topic, frivolous posts harmful? Answer: never. In fact, some people got the joke (referencing some classic elevator spy pics on MR) and thought it was funny.

That kind of overly pedantic attitude amongst the mods is unnecessary and has ruined much of what I loved about MR. It has drained a lot of the personality this site once had.

 

[theheadguy]

Possibly, but I've been on this site since 2003 and the light moderation that was done back then would work just fine now. For example, recently I posted a comment about a "spy pic" of a rumored product being fake because there was no elevator in sight and was told by a mod that it was deleted for being frivolous.

Since when is an on-topic, frivolous posts harmful? Answer: never. In fact, some people got the joke (referencing some classic elevator spy pics on MR) and thought it was funny.

That kind of overly pedantic attitude amongst the mods is unnecessary and has ruined much of what I loved about MR. It has drained a lot of the personality this site once had.

Rarely will any moderator (here or elsewhere) voluntarily tone themselves down. In general, the police rarely critique themselves (unless they are elected and have to face the voters soon )