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Should Moderators Be More Like Committee members?


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I have been following comment on here recently - especially in the complaints department and my view is this... this forum is well moderated but have many moderators who have become faceless...

This forum is unique in that members often meet up - indeed we even have official meets, but it is disappointing that these meets are poorly attended by those members of the 'team' - I liken the team here to be more like a committee and I wonder if it is time for the forum to 'evolve' and become a little more member led, in that those in the team become more involved in the meets etc or be prepared to 'step aside' and make room for others

Some of those who are currently mods are experts in their field and are more than passionate about their chosen areas, maybe these people could remain team members on a 'technical advisor' level?

I am not attempting to start a revolution, but am attempting to suggest an evolution for the forum that may be for the good and benefit of the members in the future?

Thoughts please

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Gav

An interesting thought,I can see where you are coming from but you have to look at the picture a bit closer,the meets which include the birthday bash and the Christmas meets,seem to be supported mainly by members who live local,or other members who happen to be around at the time,A lot of the moderators live a long way from the area and therefore their attendance is limited.

A good forum needs good moderators to keep people in check and to ensure that the forum is run correctly,luckily with our forum they do tend to take a back seat and let us get on with it ,hoping that if it starts to get a bit lively commonsense will prevail and everything returns to normality.

There will always be some who do the job better than others but I believe we have a good mix.

The question I would like answered is "How do moderators get selected?",do they volunteer their services or are they approached and asked,or are they mainly the people who set up the NBF after defecting from another forum.

One thing that I have observed is they all stick together and support each others decisions whether they are right or wrong,making it a win win situation for them.

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w44nty,don't know what your first name is but we as a team have a vote and the most fors in any discussion gets the vote as in any democracy.

What do you actually vote on Barry?

Also the name is Steve but friends call me Wanty,hence my user name w44nty ,why w44nty thats simple,its my number plate

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Moderators volunteer their services and are chosen by the owner of the site cheers

Perhaps there should be something in place where members who would like to become a moderator could forward their names to the owner to be chosen or rejected.

Just a thought ,its not for me,but others might be interested

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Perhaps there should be something in place where members who would like to become a moderator could forward their names to the owner to be chosen or rejected.

Just a thought ,its not for me,but others might be interested

I think there already is w44nty, just send him a pm and ask I guess.

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What do you actually vote on Barry?

Hi,Steve nice to know your name at last,we take a vote in team (Mods) about all sorts of discussions on the forum if they are a concern to the forum and members,nothing sinister just reasonable debate that comes to a decision on what to do to resolve it.

By the way i hear on the grapevine that you are a competant fisherman who is retired and likes to fish.. Maybe we could meet up and do a bit of fishing and have a pint or two,just asking steve.. I am local and live half hour from Norwich..And have an old ex hireboat (southern based) with forward well ideal for fishing out on a broad...PM me if you like.. :wavecheersbarcheers

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One thing that I have observed is they all stick together and support each others decisions whether they are right or wrong,making it a win win situation for them.

...and I would expect nothing less from a 'TEAM'.

It is apparent that they discuss issues and come to a corporate decision. I have no doubt that there are times when they will disagree among themselves, but, when push comes to shove, it is essential for them to maintain a united front. If individual moderators who disagree with the majority decision voice that disagreement publicly, the whole system breaks down.

If an individual moderator takes an instant decision, in good faith, to deal with something urgent and others mods cannot be contacted first, I would expect that decision to be reviewed at a later time. If it was found, with hindsight, that another decision might have been more appropriate, I see nothing wrong with a correction being made, WITHOUT the original decision-maker being pilloried by 'injured' members.

It might be constructive if members who think they have been unjustly modded made more use of pm's to the Admin to air their grievances and try to resolve the matter, rather than jump into public criticisms.

I find the comparison to 'a committee' to be totally inappropriate. A committee is elected by the membership. I cannot see how that would ever work on an Internet forum of this nature.

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hi steve

the mods have a team area where we talk about you all and the general running of the site.

most of the time we have time to post a thread on a situation that needs our attention as in right now you can imagine

we have a thread that referes to this situation.

we talk over the wrongs and rights of members actions etc and decide the best route for the forum so when we post it will

look like were backing each other because weve already decided what we think is the correct line.

it is possible that that line may change as things develope, as we try to be flexible where warranted.

once in a while we may have to act quickly and in isolation if no other mod is about and something that we deem needs urgent

attention pops up.

i am pleased that peeps are feeling able to come forward and talk about their concerns.

jill

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What do you actually vote on Barry?

Hi,Steve nice to know your name at last,we take a vote in team (Mods) about all sorts of discussions on the forum if they are a concern to the forum and members,nothing sinister just reasonable debate that comes to a decision on what to do to resolve it.

By the way i hear on the grapevine that you are a competant fisherman who is retired and likes to fish.. Maybe we could meet up and do a bit of fishing and have a pint or two,just asking steve.. I am local and live half hour from Norwich..And have an old ex hireboat (southern based) with forward well ideal for fishing out on a broad...PM me if you like.. :wavecheersbarcheers

Once my holidays are finished ie middle sept,I will drop you a line,I would be pleased to join you for a days fishing and a pint or 2

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There's one really big difference between an Internet Forum and an existing Club that starts it's own Internet Forum.

Most Internet Forums are started by one person, and it's his or her choice as to how democratically run they wish it to be.

No one can argue with that because it wouldn't be there if they hadn't started it.

Most usually devolve some of the responsibility for vetting posts by giving selected members moderating rights, but again, it's their prerogative how they do it.

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hi steve

the mods have a team area where we talk about you all and the general running of the site.

most of the time we have time to post a thread on a situation that needs our attention as in right now you can imagine

we have a thread that referes to this situation.

we talk over the wrongs and rights of members actions etc and decide the best route for the forum so when we post it will

look like were backing each other because weve already decided what we think is the correct line.

it is possible that that line may change as things develope, as we try to be flexible where warranted.

once in a while we may have to act quickly and in isolation if no other mod is about and something that we deem needs urgent

attention pops up.

i am pleased that peeps are feeling able to come forward and talk about their concerns.

jill

And here is my concern at the moment Jill as I genuinely feel that the mods are over represented by one group of users and not enough diversity of views, with the exception of just a couple of moderators, the membership of the forum has changed dramatically, and for that reason I feel that a more diverse group of mods may possibly change the course of some of those votes of which you mention as well as prevent the stagnation which occurs on the forum from time to time, likewise if a moderator is chosen from a user group but, for whatever reason, cannot give the time to the forum then he or she should stand aside for others that can

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im not sure i see your point gav as i cant really imagine a more diverse group then the group of 10 mods we have.

some are more public then others but all comment on issues in the team room on a regular basis when needed.

Antares_9

JillR

Jonny

Dan

Jonzo

Jimbo

HappyJax II

Red Rover

Pete

Jules

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Sorry Gavin you have lost me :?

The forum is a virtual meeting place for like minded souls; from these virtual meetings many friendships develop often resulting in meets etc in 'real' life.

The moderators in my view should not represent different factions but be impartial whether they attend meets or not matters not a jot as their role is to keep posters within the TOS; very much a light touch on the tiller and only when needed. They do not need to be intrinsically involved. The mod team from my perspective cover a broad spectrum of experience, age range and interests; this breadth gives the best opportunity for the right call to be made as and when it is needed.

Apart from the current incident which has a couple of folks who seem to have an axe to grind hot under the collar there has scarcely been any need for moderator input from my recollection for some considerable time.

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I think I find myself having the same views as I posted when this was first raised on the other thread, so have copied them here as this thread seems to be carrying the thought on.

All I would add is that there is undoubtedly diversity in the mod team - fair age ranges, boat interest differences, owner/hirer differences, single/married, different personalities, employed/retired and lots other differences that despite comments of a faceless forum etc I think realistically many, or any regular-ish posters know us well enough to continue coming up with between the mods you currently have. You could change them for different set of differences that are more of your liking, but overall you'd only have a different mix and not a greater/wider mix IMHO

Looking at it another way (with regard to low mod meet up attendance) , as a moderator attending the spring meet it was a shame to not see many members!

I think one of the teams strengths is its diversity of characters. Being a socialite shouldn't need to be one of them. If people cannot or do not wish to attend that's up to them, they can still and do make a valuable contribution in my opinion.

I think sometimes its forgotten that moderating is not a job at a limited company or a PLC. A moderator isn't an area manager that everyone has to see, it's great some people meet up - just as on many forums, especially the Broadland ones, but it's not compulsory and nor should it ever be in my mind.

I dont think the forums faceless, but it cant be what everyone wants as everyone wants different.

Enjoy it for what it is and contribute as much or as little as you feel comfortable with sounds good & pretty fair to me

All the best

Dan

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Well ok I rest my case, having made it publically on the forum, giving an opportunity for members to comment, instead, all that has happened has been a closing of ranks by the mods - sorry but I opened a line of communication following on from many discussions off the forum that when it comes to it, those others are either unwilling to take part in or just happy to watch develop into me again popping my head above the parapit for their entertainment.

The fact is I asked an open question for MEMBER/USER comment, not a 'lets close ranks' by the mods reply which seems to have happened - and as I said also, I congratulated the mods on the job they were doing, but I don't agree the current balance is as diverse as believed - that is my view and I am entitled to it surely?

I also have not criticized the way that 'that' issue was dealt with, but a forum is exactly that - a collective of will, and as far as the current balance goes I definitely haven't criticized the 'nudging'

BUT lets look at those posting and attending meets recently, they have changed greatly in the past two years and my suggestion was that maybe the mods could interface with them a little better, unless, overseeing and making sure the masses don't rise up is seen as a far more important task? This isn't a struggle for power, surely it is a discussion for the good and benefit of the future of the forum generally and if the masses disagree with me then I obviously am misguided, however, if there is an element of agreement at all, surely the mods must understand that changes could be made?

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....The fact is I asked an open question for MEMBER/USER comment, not a 'lets close ranks' by the mods reply which seems to have happened - and as I said also, I congratulated the mods on the job they were doing, but I don't agree the current balance is as diverse as believed - that is my view and I am entitled to it surely?

Surely you'd expect a reply from the people you are proposing changes for?

The threads hardly ran any time at all yet.... I'm sure there will be lots more comments before the thread goes quiet

All the best

Dan

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These are the thoughts of Smelly:-

I consider the fact that several members meet up regularly to be a by product of the forum, I may be wrong, not the main purpose of the forum.

A forum exists to allow internet exchange of views, to this end Moderators are needed to ensure the TOS is abided by. I personally can't see a problem with those kind enough to volunteer their time.

If the intention/desire of the majority of members is to form a club I for one would cease to participate ...... I really don't like clubs.

Re: Mods attending doo's ......... Why should they?

RE: Members attending doo'd ..... Why should they?

I really can't see why all this discussion has started .... I didn't/don't think anything is broken. Unless of course it's just a bit of pudding stirring, something you'd never find me doing. ;)

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What on earth is all this about???? I find myself unfortunatley agreeing with Smelly on this one (except his/hers very last statement of course :lol: )

As an ex-mod on here, I can confirm there are frequently debates behind the scenes about various subjects but all are carried out in a professional and level-headed manner, and so in that respect I suppose the mod team already is a sort of committee, particularly when it comes to organising events or fund raising ideas.

However, this is strictly an internet based forum for exchange of information and communication, not a social club. The fact that some members, myself included, enjoy meeting with like-minded members on a more social basis, doesn't alter that in the slightest.

I for one have faith in the current mod team and do not understand why there is a need to call for change. They are a diverse bunch, with boating backgrounds ranging from hirer to owner, river based to salt-side. What else do you need?

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...maybe the mods could interface with them a little better, unless, overseeing and making sure the masses don't rise up is seen as a far more important task? This isn't a struggle for power,..

That's just as well, 'cos I hardly need to remind anyone that, with a few clicks of a mouse, this whole forum could be history.

I value it as a source of information and a way in which I can share with others my limited knowledge, regarding boating in general and the Broads in particular . I don't wish to use it in order to influence people's opinions on the gravitas of life or as an instrument to improve my social life. If that's what other people see as the forum's prime purpose, that's fine. I'll just move on.

Oh dear, smellyloo, I find myself agreeing with you. Whatever next?

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