Moderation: Too much or too little?

[ScubaSteve]

 

[The Chairman]

Mods are only mild mannered users until they put their Mod Cape on by using one of our Mod macros. Think Clark Kent/Superman here. We might develop a few more that are specific (Off Topic, Too Snarky, etc), but they should be treated with the courtesy afforded any user and even more so if they have to step in to clean up a mess. They are volunteers after all.

To be clear, mods are selected because they are natural leaders. Their intrinsic value is in their posting and not in their ability to censor. They are here to have fun, just like everyone else. If you interfere with that fun, don't be surprised if you make one a bit cranky. My goal is to make their service to the community a natural extension of their inherent leadership thereby making this an even friendlier place.

I have really enjoyed reading the comments in this thread so far and look forward to more. Some have been thought provoking and we are discussing their implications. This type of discussion helps us to understand where we are succeeding and how we are failing. Yes, we do want moderation to be as invisible as possible for everyone but the user being moderated. This hearkens to our stand on maintaining user privacy and it also serves to keep the threads on topic. As some of you know, ScubaBoard's popularity continues to grow, due in part to new servers but mostly due to the fact that you can find just about EVERYTHING you need to know about diving right here. There are many imitators, but really only one Scuba related forum that keeps attracting users in such record numbers. With your input, we aim to take ScubaBoard to the next level and help promote our passion/sport even more.

 

[SC_Hoaty]

Cave Diver - you have the "people skills" to work both with gentle guidance and strict discipline. I appreciate that.

Some others have very poor people skills, and seem to enjoy being bullies. We have both seen it.

 

[lv2dive]

Before recently, I would have voted "Just Right".... having now been "moderated" after participating in a thread that had me shaking my head the entire time, this will probably be my last post for while, because I am just not sure what is appropriate and what isn't... I am not saying that I shouldn't have been moderated, I am just saying that "the rules" aren't clear to me, that there are what appear (to me) to be shades of gray. On the one hand, disparaging/inciting comments about classes of people as a whole, couched as an inquiry in the green zone, are acceptable, while an observation on my part related to that behavior is not. Obviously there's more to it than that, but overall although I'm not an unintelligent person, I'm just at a loss to understand the philosophy behind (what I perceive to be) some of the recent direction in moderation. Of course it's possible there is no recent directional change in moderation and I am just seeing something that doesn't exist. And FWIW, on reflection, I think it's probably appropriate that my post was moderated for where it was, but the appropriateness of some of the other posts that preceded it - whether reported by others or not - I still question (ie, don't understand). And that's where the "shade's of gray" come in for me.

Either way that's ok, bc as i myself have stated in recent posts, this is a community that I just participate in (if I choose to). It took a long time for me to even register here after lurking, and longer still to post after registering. Mostly because I *did* want to follow the mores of the community... not to "fit in" but out of respect. Now I find either I misjudged or something has changed... not so much with respect with my post that was moderated but what led up to my post that was moderated...so I think it makes sense to go back to lurking mode to reassess. LOL - and this truly isn't me saying "I'm taking my toys and going home" it's me saying "I need to figure this thing out" - and hey, it's not like I post that much anyway!

So I didn't vote in the poll, because I am not sure if the issue is my perception or reality. If I were to vote, it would either be for less Moderation, or I think the current level of moderation is fine. Scratch that, I just noticed that there was an "another opinion" option - I voted for that one.

 

[Cave Diver]

So as I said... You tried to put another advisor on the defensive, and I, as another advisor, responded to you.

Thanks, but I think I've got it pretty well under control. I don't get defensive that easily.

 

[HowardE]

Some others have very poor people skills, and seem to enjoy being bullies. We have both seen it.

Some people also like to cause more trouble than its worth, and want to keep side tracks and hijacks alive even when all common sense says to just leave it alone

 

[Cave Diver]

Kate I will respond to your post later when I'm near a computer. Too difficult from phone.

 

[ScubaSteve]

You people.....just keep using the smilie and it will live in our hearts. I guess now the smilie needs to be deleted as well since it is not always used in a thoughtful manner.

 

[lv2dive]

Kate I will respond to your post later when I'm near a computer. Too difficult from phone.

My main point was - it's not about me! SB is bigger than me, and if it's different than what my perception of it is/was, I need to take a minute or two and change my perception! I mean, yes, I voted that way bc I have an opinion but I just want to take a moment and get my perspective balanced again.

 

[Buoyant1]

Cave Diver - you have the "people skills" to work both with gentle guidance and strict discipline. I appreciate that.

Some MOST others have very poor people skills, and seem to enjoy being bullies. We have both seen it.

Fixed that for ya....

CD is one of those that participates and doesn't turn into "robo-mod"...a few others that work here seem to have that "Hitler Youth" attitude, and jump into threads and become moderately annoying!

Reporting them up the line doesn't seem to help matters either!