Should the mods get more strict on this board?

[Atreidin]

I always thought that if I moderated a forum like this, I'd have some rules, but if somebody was breaking the spirit of the rules but not necessarily the letter of them, I'd ban them anyway. I guess you could roll that into a "no jackasses" rule or something, to be decided by the benevolent dictator moderators. I have no problem with an internet forum being run like that, if people don't like it they will go somewhere else. Most likely the vast majority of the people who leave will be the jackasses.

Also I think subforums are a bad idea.

 

[BoFox]

Already started creating it. If you give me your email I'll send you a link when it's ready. I wont use Anandtech to promote it via PMs.
This goes for anyone.
keysplayr@yahoo.com

Isn't that what Poppin already did? What are your ideals regarding your own forum?

I just find this interesting (no disrespect or anything)!

BTW, Moderators - what do you think? Care to chime in with your two cents?

 

[HeXen]

I always thought that if I moderated a forum like this, I'd have some rules, but if somebody was breaking the spirit of the rules but not necessarily the letter of them, I'd ban them anyway. I guess you could roll that into a "no jackasses" rule or something, to be decided by the benevolent dictator moderators. I have no problem with an internet forum being run like that, if people don't like it they will go somewhere else. Most likely the vast majority of the people who leave will be the jackasses.

Also I think subforums are a bad idea.

The problem is this leads to dead forums. Not just the jackass's leaving, but gradually others tend to move somewhere else. Just look at PCpitstop, at one time years ago, it was much like this one, full of various, interesting threads and also some jackass posters here and there.
Then they got strict, within 2 years it went from 20+ threads a day of various topics to just a few that are most all "malware and virus' type stuff from noobies with single digit posts then never return. I left there not because it was the jackass's making the threads...though they sometimes made entertaining ones, but others couldn't really express themselves that much leading to boring posts...i left there, i check in now and then just to chuckle at the lame "i got a virus, check my Highjack logs".

The other posts are made by a few particular people who are Linux obsessed, talk trash about Windows and no one else there knows that much. If you disagree with a subject, often the thread dies as no one responds unless it's political in nature. One particular member there who's like the main one, i can't stand as ever response is pure sarcastic.
So it's a boring forum now. I have come across quite a few like that where i needed specific help and no replies and like 2 views and 2 threads created that week.

Frankly i've noticed most every current member here who posts often has some jackass posts, attacks and other distasteful remarks on occasion.

So no i think you have to let people express themselves #1, otherwise what's the point. Mods can filter out the repeat offenders but you have to have some tolerance, especially in heated debates where responses to posts get taken out of context as if always trying to 1up. A few rule breaks on rare occasion to an otherwise good member 99% of posts should have mild leeway and suspension, not outright ban over 1 particular abuse. I and many others members wouldn't likely be here if it was stricter, but once you remove a bulk of those who post often, you really do end up with a lot of dull reading material for the day until eventually others don't come everyday, then they don't log in but once a week, then a month...etc.

 

[Keysplayr]

The problem is this leads to dead forums. Not just the jackass's leaving, but gradually others tend to move somewhere else. Just look at PCpitstop, at one time years ago, it was much like this one, full of various, interesting threads and also some jackass posters here and there.
Then they got strict, within 2 years it went from 20+ threads a day of various topics to just a few that are most all "malware and virus' type stuff from noobies with single digit posts then never return. I left there not because it was the jackass's making the threads...though they sometimes made entertaining ones, but others couldn't really express themselves that much leading to boring posts...i left there, i check in now and then just to chuckle at the lame "i got a virus, check my Highjack logs".

The other posts are made by a few particular people who are Linux obsessed, talk trash about Windows and no one else there knows that much. If you disagree with a subject, often the thread dies as no one responds unless it's political in nature. One particular member there who's like the main one, i can't stand as ever response is pure sarcastic.
So it's a boring forum now. I have come across quite a few like that where i needed specific help and no replies and like 2 views and 2 threads created that week.

Frankly i've noticed most every current member here who posts often has some jackass posts, attacks and other distasteful remarks on occasion.

So no i think you have to let people express themselves #1, otherwise what's the point. Mods can filter out the repeat offenders but you have to have some tolerance, especially in heated debates where responses to posts get taken out of context as if always trying to 1up. A few rule breaks on rare occasion to an otherwise good member 99% of posts should have mild leeway and suspension, not outright ban over 1 particular abuse. I and many others members wouldn't likely be here if it was stricter, but once you remove a bulk of those who post often, you really do end up with a lot of dull reading material for the day until eventually others don't come everyday, then they don't log in but once a week, then a month...etc.

But, there cannot be a single thread (or it's of no interest to anyone or rare) in here that does not deteriorate within the first 10 posts into oblivion. It's a LOT worse than you make it sound. It's more than people expressing themselves.

 

[3DVagabond]

I'm not advocating changing the banning system. You have to be really pigheaded to get banned here. You get warnings first. Mostly just adhering closer to the rules. My real pet peeve is off topic. Besides derailing threads, it also tends to devolve into flame fests.

Discussion about over clocking Kepler, voltage lock on Kepler is brought up, exploding 590's get mentioned, it's defended as a driver issue that was easily fixed, further defended by how AMD drivers really really suck, and away it goes. If when the 590 was first mentioned it was stopped the discussion could have continued about O/C'ing the GTX-680

 

[Keysplayr]

I'm not advocating changing the banning system. You have to be really pigheaded to get banned here. You get warnings first. Mostly just adhering closer to the rules. My real pet peeve is off topic. Besides derailing threads, it also tends to devolve into flame fests.

Discussion about over clocking Kepler, voltage lock on Kepler is brought up, exploding 590's get mentioned, it's defended as a driver issue that was easily fixed, further defended by how AMD drivers really really suck, and away it goes. If when the 590 was first mentioned it was stopped the discussion could have continued about O/C'ing the GTX-680

Agree with and have a problem with paragraph 1. I think banning system should be changed.

Completely agree with paragraph 2

 

[HeXen]

But, there cannot be a single thread (or it's of no interest to anyone or rare) in here that does not detiorate within the first 10 posts into oblivion. It's a LOT worse than you make it sound. It's more than people expressing themselves.

But less threads leads to less interest, less interest leads to members not spending as much time and gradually they get more interested elsewhere. But whatever it is, it can happen when stricter rules are in place or you get Hitler moderators. Also i don't think the majority of threads here are that bad at all, i actually read a crap ton most everday.

Speaking of Hitler mods, believe it or not, i was actually at a car audio forum, soundomain i think. One particular mod there must be like 15 yrs old with some issues....but i swear he literally edited my post and changed some words, which lead to another mod issuing me a warning...so i got into it with the latter moderator over PM and explained that i did not post that and my reasons for why i think it was this other particular mod, but since he acted all like "whatever" attitude, then he typed in some crap about me swinging on my sisters nuts?? lol, dunno, i left and never returned..way to filter out the mature crowd.

 

[3DVagabond]

But less threads leads to less interest, less interest leads to members not spending as much time and gradually they get more interested elsewhere. But whatever it is, it can happen when stricter rules are in place or you get Hitler moderators. Also i don't think the majority of threads here are that bad at all, i actually read a crap ton most everday.

Speaking of Hitler mods, believe it or not, i was actually at a car audio forum, soundomain i think. One particular mod there must be like 15 yrs old with some issues....but i swear he literally edited my post and changed some words, which lead to another mod issuing me a warning...so i got into it with the latter moderator over PM and explained that i did not post that and my reasons for why i think it was this other particular mod, but since he acted all like "whatever" attitude, then he typed in some crap about me swinging on my sisters nuts?? lol, dunno, i left and never returned..way to filter out the mature crowd.

I understand what you are saying about reducing interest by over moderating. I think there's room for moderation here that won't take us to that level.

As far as your experience at "Soundomain", I nobody's advocating that type of moderating happening here. Humorous story though.

 

[Keysplayr]

I understand what you are saying about reducing interest by over moderating. I think there's room for moderation here that won't take us to that level.

As far as your experience at "Soundomain", I nobody's advocating that type of moderating happening here. Humorous story though.

Yes. It isn't too much to ask to be able to participate in a discussion without being called out personally or called a fanboy or attacked or have a thread that somebody sets out to derail, derailed. Nobody is saying stifle opinions or anything like that. What I am saying is, and what 3DVagabond seems to agree with me on, is that more moderation is needed than what is there presently. There is next to none. Every thread is a freak show and there isn't much left here.

 

[3DVagabond]

Yes. It isn't too much to ask to be able to participate in a discussion without being called out personally or called a fanboy or attacked or have a thread that somebody sets out to derail, derailed. Nobody is saying stifle opinions or anything like that. What I am saying is, and what 3DVagabond seems to agree with me on, is that more moderation is needed than what is there presently. There is next to none. Every thread is a freak show and there isn't much left here.

I don't think things are as bad as you do, but yes, I agree that things could be better without ruining the forums. It could be done without stifling information. We have some posters who make a habit out of one line responses that are designed to do nothing except incite the person they are responding to. That's unnecessary. We have posters who seem to not be able to keep up with the topic and regress almost constantly. We do also have posters who "seem" to be trying to get some threads locked because they don't like the content. These things could go away without affecting the interest of the forums.

 

[3DVagabond]

Here's a thread that's ripe for moderating to remove the OT posts.

Someone asks for help and most of the posts are arguing whether or not AMD drivers suck, rather than addressing the OP's problem.

 

[BoFox]

The best thing is if the moderators are participating, like regularly active members would be. I think that moderators of each section should enjoy talking about it first and foremost - that way, they are happy with their jobs as they would have been doing it if they were not moderators in the first place.

And they could do the forums so much good if they are tolerant, and as unbiased as possible, while keeping moderation to a minimum but also stern with keeping the thread topic ON TOPIC. That would just be the basic rule of the thumb for serious topics if there is to be useful information, by deleting COMPLETELY OT posts most of the time.

Simply actively participating as regular members in areas of interest would help the quality of the discussion much more than most moderators would think. They are not just "police" who act like anti-criminal robots. They're human! If they share the same inspiration as other humans participating in such area, the energy of the moderators will no longer drain any of the collective inspiration going on in the forums. They actually contribute to the forums just as much as a really active forum participant would.

Generally, when, after a forum grew with interested and contributing moderators, there are no longer actively participating moderators, the forum loses considerable steam, and goes on a decline. The moderators just become police, and if the police become too harsh, many people leave because they don't feel free expressing where too many police with itchy trigger fingers are at. Some forums rebound by relaxing the rules as much as possible, but as long as the moderators are not there to revive the forums, only the troublemakers who were masochistic with the police would still be there, keeping the place so crappy.

Just kidding, guys!!

 

[NIGELG]

Moderators should kick this thread into the 'Forum Issues' section.It has nothing to do with Video Cards and Graphics.

 

[Keysplayr]

Moderators should kick this thread into the 'Forum Issues' section.It has nothing to do with Video Cards and Graphics.

Yes it should. It just indicates the very low or near non-existent level of moderation in VC&G.
They might not even know it's here. But yes I think it should be moved.
I know how tiresome and monotonous and thankless the moderator position can be. I was there for a long time.
So, I'm not downing them. Just asking for moderation. Yes, they are volunteers, but they volunteered to do it.

 

[Ferzerp]

Potentially, but there is no way to poll the posters here on the other board, and as the poll appears to indicate, more people think something is wrong with the board than are happy with it as is.

 

[Majcric]

I don't think the mods should get more strict, however, I do think a few members should get some time off when they're involved in getting some of the better threads closed. No need to punish everyone for bad behavior on the behalf of a few.

 

[Ferzerp]

I don't think the mods should get more strict, however, I do think a few members should get some time off when they're involved in getting some of the better threads closed. No need to punish everyone for bad behavior on the behalf of a few.

That is sort of, by definition, more strict.

 

[Keysplayr]

I don't think the mods should get more strict, however, I do think a few members should get some time off when they're involved in getting some of the better threads closed. No need to punish everyone for bad behavior on the behalf of a few.

Heh, that is like saying:

"I don't think the mods should get more strict, but what I do think they should do, is get more strict."

^_^

 

[SickBeast]

LOL

 

[Majcric]

That is sort of, by definition, more strict.

Yeah a bit of a contradiction. What I meant was I don't think the mods should get more strict regarding, minor curse words, calling someone pro AMD/Nvidia, etc. Let the brawls happen as long as they're no personal attacks. IMHO, this keeps the forums fun.

Now, regarding the issue when threads get closed on the behalf of a few I suppose being stricter could actually come into play. More than anything the mods need to start editing out the unnecessary post and dealing with the poster/posters individually rather than a complete closing of the whole thread.

 

[Ferzerp]

More than anything the mods need to start editing out the unnecessary post and dealing with the poster/posters individually rather than a complete closing of the whole thread.

This I do agree with. It would be quite a bit of work for them though.

 

[Tfist]

Bad threads sink. Good threads float. Not everyone has the same idea of what a good thread is. If you don't like the thread, don't participate in it.

 

[Keysplayr]

Bad threads sink. Good threads float. Not everyone has the same idea of what a good thread is. If you don't like the thread, don't participate in it.

But you can't define a bad thread or a good thread.

Look at the poll. Look at the different opinions. Whats bad to one might be outstanding to another. All depends on the value that is being looked for. One person might be getting valuable information while another is leeching life force from the drama and personal attacks.

So, I don't agree with you.

The only thing I see (mostly) is the agreement that more moderation is needed. If only to prevent personal attacks and thread derailments.

 

[Rikard]

One forum I used to frequent was pretty well moderated. (I quit following it due to change of interests, not due to the forum per se.)

First of all, there were lots of moderators, super moderators, editors, forum directors etc that actively participated in the discussion. It sets an example for how discussions should be done, if done well, and the moderators moderated each other when needed! The moderators had a different color coding of their message when they moderated instead of just participating, and if you do not respect the red colored message you instantly get one or two weeks lock out.

Secondly, the moderators moved OT sub threads to their own threads, and sometimes to different sub forum. They added a link in the old thread to the new thread and vice versa, and the new thread title reflected that it was broken out of a different discussion. This thread would be a good candidate of such a move.

Third, once a week the moderators met and discussed past weeks moderation, and sometimes agreed on perma banning a member for repeated violations of rules.

It think that model would work well here too.

 

[Tweak155]

I find the title of the thread misleading. You're assuming moderating more would promote discussion. Interesting because if this thread was moderated I doubt we'd be at almost 100 replies.

Moderating can have the opposite affect. Some people might not care to post something in expectation it will be moderated. Sometimes it frustrates people when they can't express themselves, and what one person finds to not add to a discussion, another person might.

In other words, we are our own moderators. Shouldn't need anyone else to do it for us. Don't like someone's reply? Just don't even acknowledge it. Those complaining about the post or retorting a post are just adding to the problem.

Unfortunately not everyone is reasonable, so moderating is a necessity. But just adding moderation is not a good solution to the problem.