Can Mods post as regular members in a PFI thread?

[thepd7]

I understand and agree with Mods being able to post as regular members, however I am wondering whether this goes for PFI as well.

To me, the setting of PFI and seeing a Mod tag under someones name makes me thing they are speaking/acting as a Mod and in turn representing the other Mods and forums.

What say you oh wise ones?

I even request the input of a certain non-Mod that I have a crush on (you know who you are).

 

[EagleKeeper]

Most times the tone of a post from a Moderator will indicate which hat is being worn.

If there is any potential for confusion, when I try to respond to anything as a Moderator, I will always place the Senior Anandtech moderator at the tail end of the post.

No matter where the thread I post it resides.

 

[esquared]

That is an interesting question. Are you concerned that you might not know when they are responding as a mod or as a member? Because again, mods are members, and they are allowed to post anywhere that you do.

If you have trouble distinguishing if a mod is posting as a member or a mod, you can certainly post that question in the thread.

My guess is that most times it would be easy to tell the difference. Most of the times, when a mod is posting in PFI as a mod, he/she is reciting rules or trying to settle a disagreement between members, or offering the alternatives to whatever issue is being asked in the PFI thread.

 

[SickBeast]

Is there a way that mods can post a disclaimer like:

***I created this post as a regular member***

I find this bizarre as well.

I still say mods shouldn't be allowed to flame. It's bad enough that they can win arguments by virtue of their power.

 

[Gillbot]

Originally posted by: SickBeast
Is there a way that mods can post a disclaimer like:

***I created this post as a regular member***

I find this bizarre as well.

I still say mods shouldn't be allowed to flame. It's bad enough that they can win arguments by virtue of their power.

We cannot win by default though. We are held to action by our peers and if you feel we are out of line, a PM to the Anandtech Moderator account will address the issue.

Trust me, if we step off the deep end, the other moderators on staff will let us know about it.

EDIT: And when we are posting as moderators, 99.9% of the time, the post would end like this,

Anandtech Moderator
Gillbot

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: SickBeast
Is there a way that mods can post a disclaimer like:

***I created this post as a regular member***

I find this bizarre as well.

I still say mods shouldn't be allowed to flame. It's bad enough that they can win arguments by virtue of their power.

Hardly, if your arguments had any validity it wouldn't matter that a member who happened to be a Moderator pointed out how foolish you were.

 

[SickBeast]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: SickBeast
Is there a way that mods can post a disclaimer like:

***I created this post as a regular member***

I find this bizarre as well.

I still say mods shouldn't be allowed to flame. It's bad enough that they can win arguments by virtue of their power.

Hardly, if your arguments had any validity it wouldn't matter that a member who happened to be a Moderator pointed out how foolish you were.

Are you referring to anything in particular or are you just trying to make a point?

Are you saying that it's ok to flame if someone says something inaccurate?

 

[SickBeast]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: SickBeast
Is there a way that mods can post a disclaimer like:

***I created this post as a regular member***

I find this bizarre as well.

I still say mods shouldn't be allowed to flame. It's bad enough that they can win arguments by virtue of their power.

Hardly, if your arguments had any validity it wouldn't matter that a member who happened to be a Moderator pointed out how foolish you were.

Are you referring to anything in particular or are you just trying to make a point?

Are you saying that it's ok to flame if someone says something inaccurate?

 

[Number1]

Originally posted by: SickBeast

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: SickBeast
Is there a way that mods can post a disclaimer like:

***I created this post as a regular member***

I find this bizarre as well.

I still say mods shouldn't be allowed to flame. It's bad enough that they can win arguments by virtue of their power.

Hardly, if your arguments had any validity it wouldn't matter that a member who happened to be a Moderator pointed out how foolish you were.

Are you referring to anything in particular or are you just trying to make a point?

Are you saying that it's ok to flame if someone says something inaccurate?

It's funny, I know EXACTLY what Red Dawn is talking about but YOU don't?

You don't get it do you? What is it going to take?

 

[SickBeast]

All this crap because I posted some negative things about watercooling.

I swear to God I will never post in Cases & Cooling again. It's more dangerous than P&N. :Q

 

[Oil]

Originally posted by: SickBeast
All this crap because I posted some negative things about watercooling.

I swear to God I will never post in Cases & Cooling again. It's more dangerous than P&N. :Q

This is what you need: Text

 

[SickBeast]

Originally posted by: Oil

Originally posted by: SickBeast
All this crap because I posted some negative things about watercooling.

I swear to God I will never post in Cases & Cooling again. It's more dangerous than P&N. :Q

This is what you need: Text

Do you not see the Gorilla Avatar?

Thanks though. That gave me a good laugh. :beer:

 

[thepd7]

Originally posted by: esquared
That is an interesting question. Are you concerned that you might not know when they are responding as a mod or as a member? Because again, mods are members, and they are allowed to post anywhere that you do.

If you have trouble distinguishing if a mod is posting as a member or a mod, you can certainly post that question in the thread.

My guess is that most times it would be easy to tell the difference. Most of the times, when a mod is posting in PFI as a mod, he/she is reciting rules or trying to settle a disagreement between members, or offering the alternatives to whatever issue is being asked in the PFI thread.

I agree that if a mod posted "you moron" it's obvious they would be "posting as a member" and if they recited a rule they would be posting as a mod however in my mind it's not that simple.

My opinion is that due to the more business-like nature of PFI that ANYTIME a Mod posts it's taken seriously. Certainly when I look at a PFI thread and see that a Mod posted my mind immediately goes to thinking they are posting as a Mod, before even reading the post.

I only raise the question because this is how I feel and others might feel the same way.


SickBeast: Your thread getting locked does not require you to hijack mine. Please, if you have a question then post it in a new thread. Especially if you are going to try and slip in backhanded insults. I am asking a legitimate question and trying to talk through a good thought process.


edit: and why hasn't my crush weighed in yet?

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: SickBeast

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: SickBeast
Is there a way that mods can post a disclaimer like:

***I created this post as a regular member***

I find this bizarre as well.

I still say mods shouldn't be allowed to flame. It's bad enough that they can win arguments by virtue of their power.

Hardly, if your arguments had any validity it wouldn't matter that a member who happened to be a Moderator pointed out how foolish you were.

Are you referring to anything in particular or are you just trying to make a point?

Just refuting your assertion that a member who happens to be a Moderator wins the argument because of his position as a Moderator. As a seasoned veteran of P&N I know this from experience.

 

[esquared]

I agree with thepd7.

Please keep this discussion to the topic at hand. If there are other subjects or issues to discuss, start your own thread.

I do not want to lock this thread as it does have merit. It would be helpful to have a few more mods input their opinions on this.

 

[Sinsear]

Originally posted by: SickBeast
Is there a way that mods can post a disclaimer like:

***I created this post as a regular member***

I find this bizarre as well.

I still say mods shouldn't be allowed to flame. It's bad enough that they can win arguments by virtue of their power.

Troll, troll, troll your boat...




After what I just posted directly above you, you still find a need to attempt to hijack the thread.
Now you have 3 days off to go do something else.


esquared
Anandtech Senior Moderator

 

[rudeguy]

Originally posted by: Sinsear

Originally posted by: SickBeast
Is there a way that mods can post a disclaimer like:

***I created this post as a regular member***

I find this bizarre as well.

I still say mods shouldn't be allowed to flame. It's bad enough that they can win arguments by virtue of their power.

Troll, troll, troll your boat...




After what I just posted directly above you, you still find a need to attempt to hijack the thread.
Now you have 3 days off to go do something else.


esquared
Anandtech Senior Moderator

So does this prove that when a user that happens to be a Mod posts in PFI, it should be considered a Mod post? Esquared didn't exactly post as a Mod but Sinsear got a vacation for not listening to his warning. I agree with it fully, I just think the question answered itself.

IMHO, PFI is for business. Mods posting here are usually here on business. Us regular users are not allowed to nef in PFI, so I would assume the Mods aren't allowed to either.

 

[Gillbot]

IMHO, you can tell by the tone of Esquared's reply that he was speaking as a mod.

This reply has less of a tone and is more informative and therefore could be considered as a "member" post.

 

[esquared]

Originally posted by: NSFW

Originally posted by: Sinsear

Originally posted by: SickBeast
Is there a way that mods can post a disclaimer like:

***I created this post as a regular member***

I find this bizarre as well.

I still say mods shouldn't be allowed to flame. It's bad enough that they can win arguments by virtue of their power.

Troll, troll, troll your boat...




After what I just posted directly above you, you still find a need to attempt to hijack the thread.
Now you have 3 days off to go do something else.


esquared
Anandtech Senior Moderator

So does this prove that when a user that happens to be a Mod posts in PFI, it should be considered a Mod post? Esquared didn't exactly post as a Mod but Sinsear got a vacation for not listening to his warning. I agree with it fully, I just think the question answered itself.

IMHO, PFI is for business. Mods posting here are usually here on business. Us regular users are not allowed to nef in PFI, so I would assume the Mods aren't allowed to either.

I think I was pretty clear I was posting as a mod since I gave the warning not to hijack the thread and said I really didn't want to lock it. I suppose I could have put it in bold but I didn't want to come across as a hardass with the ultimatum, that a post in bold might have elicited. I really was trying to be nice.

When a mod gives direction in a thread, which is what I did in my two posts, you can assume he is posting as a mod.

 

[thepd7]

Originally posted by: esquared

I think I was pretty clear I was posting as a mod since I gave the warning not to hijack the thread and said I really didn't want to lock it. I suppose I could have put it in bold but I didn't want to come across as a hardass with the ultimatum, that a post in bold might have elicited. I really was trying to be nice.

When a mod gives direction in a thread, which is what I did in my two posts, you can assume he is posting as a mod.

I agree, I saw posting as a Mod.

However, the sentiment here is exactly how I feel:

Originally posted by: NSFW
IMHO, PFI is for business. Mods posting here are usually here on business. Us regular users are not allowed to nef in PFI, so I would assume the Mods aren't allowed to either.

Thanks for your input NSFW, could some more Mods weigh in? If there is an overwhelming majority of Mods that feel like PFI is a business atmosphere or it's split I would love to ask Derrick at some point (via the Senior Mods).

 

[Born2bwire]

It's been repeated in the past that posting in PFI is meant to stay on topic and more or less serious lest you risk warnings, vacations, and the occasional bout of malaria. So I have always taken any post by a mod here as being with their little mod hats on, barring the obvious posts made in levity.

 

[EagleKeeper]

PFI was intended to allow some questioning of a Moderator action in another area without repercussion in questioning an action.

However, the sames rules should apply w/ respect to content.
Flaming, thread hijacking, neffing, etc is done at your own peril.

Keep it civilized, courteous and respectful and there are no problems with posts.
try to be a donkey and expect the appropriate treatment.

The first paragraph applies to PFI
The rest applies to the forums in general while I am on the prowl.


Senior Anandtech Moderator
Common Courtesy

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
PFI was intended to allow some questioning of a Moderator action in another area without repercussion in questioning an action.

However, the sames rules should apply w/ respect to content.
Flaming, thread hijacking, neffing, etc is done at your own peril.

Keep it civilized, courteous and respectful and there are no problems with posts.
try to be a donkey and expect the appropriate treatment.

The first paragraph applies to PFI
The rest applies to the forums in general while I am on the prowl.


Senior Anandtech Moderator
Common Courtesy

yet time after time members have been chastised for posting here about mod issues...

 

[Crusty]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
PFI was intended to allow some questioning of a Moderator action in another area without repercussion in questioning an action.

However, the sames rules should apply w/ respect to content.
Flaming, thread hijacking, neffing, etc is done at your own peril.

Keep it civilized, courteous and respectful and there are no problems with posts.
try to be a donkey and expect the appropriate treatment.

The first paragraph applies to PFI
The rest applies to the forums in general while I am on the prowl.


Senior Anandtech Moderator
Common Courtesy

yet time after time members have been chastised for posting here about mod issues...

That's because people question the mod as a person, and not the actions the mod took.

 

[EagleKeeper]

As Crusty stated above

questioning of a Moderator action

nothing was said about Moderator persona.

That is where people seem to have a hard time handling the difference.