Author Topic: Ceres - get your butt back here gal! (Read 3781 times)

Ninnyscrops. · « **on:** October 20, 2009, 00:24:37 »

All your valuable input wasted - I don't think so!

Just put the little demon thread behind you - a learning curve ;)

Lots behind you here.

Linda
x

betula · « **Reply #1 on:** October 20, 2009, 00:27:46 »

Well said Ninnyscrops.

Come back ceres.............. ;D

Digeroo · « **Reply #2 on:** October 20, 2009, 00:36:41 »

And make it soon

asbean · « **Reply #3 on:** October 20, 2009, 00:46:54 »

Ceres has been a mod on this forum for a very short time. She's doing OK, at least she's keeping an eye on what's going on, often Dan had to be pm'd to alert him when things started getting nasty. Not his fault, but he's sorted that by appointing Ceres and Samlouise.

A mod can't please all of the people all of the time, so if anyone doesn't agree with their decision, that's tough. I never noticed anyone arguing with Dan or making snide comments about his posts or decisions.

And folks - DON'T FORGET THE IGNORE BUTTON - it is there for a reason.

plainleaf2 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 20, 2009, 00:54:11 »

what rude way to try to get someone to comeback.

Unwashed · « **Reply #5 on:** October 20, 2009, 09:51:00 »

Ceres, pleased don't be discouraged by the ignorant sniping of a couple of trolls. You did exactly what you should have done, and that a couple of members don't get it is the reason we need you to moderate the discussion. More power to your elbow.

OllieC · « **Reply #6 on:** October 20, 2009, 10:35:57 »

Sorry, I have a real issue with this last comment unwashed... Who exactly are these trolls? And what's this sniping? A couple of people (respected members of this forum) have said that they disagreed with one bit of modding, and suddenly this place is full of people shouting about what can & can't be said! Disagreeing is not trolling and should not be dismissed so carelessly.

There appears to be a couple of people who think that you should never question a moderator's actions. Anyone who becomes a mod knows (or at least should) that you'll get a bit of grief now & again for your actions, and they should make sense or you should be prepared to justify them. When someone comes along and deletes posts made with good intentions by normal adults of sound mind, and no explanation is given, it's going to ruffle feathers. So, feathers appropriately ruffled, people will have a moan.

If the intention is to change things on here to a less relaxed, more censored environment then we should be told. If it is to try to remain the way it has been for a long time, then moderators need to hear from the community when there is unrest. Otherwise, as has been said elsewhere, people will just leave.

"More power to your elbow"? What nonsense!

Flighty · « **Reply #7 on:** October 20, 2009, 11:04:39 »

I frankly don't blame Ceres for leaving!
I think that some offensive remarks have been made about her by members who clearly don't want the forum to moderated at all as they consider that to be censorship.
I certainly would not want to be a moderator here at the present time.

lushy86 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 20, 2009, 11:07:57 »

Ollie, I totally agree with you. There should not be censorship on here. I wasn't involved in the thread concerned but having read it I can't see why it was blocked. We should be able to have robust discussions without becoming personal, however, I have always valued the advice Ceres has given me in the past on threads and also via PM and I certainly hope this one incident will not result in losing her on this forum.

Lushy x

betula · « **Reply #9 on:** October 20, 2009, 11:18:33 »

What is happening here???

Every time a mod makes a decision all hell is let loose????

I do not know of another forum where the mod has to keep explaining him or her self.When Dan made a decision everybody just went with it.

The big problem on this board is Plainleaf2.Sorry but I do not think he has any other problem other than a huge desire to cause as much trouble as he can on as many boards as he can.Writing long threads taking the P out of him is not the answer.He should be banned and I hope when Dan picks up on this he will seriously consider that.

Ceres put a huge and useful input into this forum and I am very sad to see her go this way. >:(

Flighty · « **Reply #10 on:** October 20, 2009, 11:25:04 »

Do those of you who say that there should be no censorship also want no moderation?
I believe that both are needed here to a degree, and that without them this forum would all to quickly become a lost cause.

Betula well said!

lushy86 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 20, 2009, 11:32:21 »

Flighty, sorry if I didn't make it clear, my post was supposed to be in support of Ceres, of course we need moderation for inapropriate or offensive posts but I agree with previous comments, that a thread has run it's course when no one posts on it any more.

Lushy x

OllieC · « **Reply #12 on:** October 20, 2009, 11:45:27 »

I don't know about "no censorship", but I think it should be restricted to posts that are genuinely offensive and in clear breach of common sense and/or the rules (such as the time some idiot accused me of child abuse for taking the kids on a protest march!).

I also think an explanation should be given when a thread is locked and that repeat offenders should automatically be excluded.

It's been said that nobody ever criticises Dan. Well, I will... This forum is great because of the members, not Dan or any other single person. He made a decision to add new mods without anyone else being involved, and using what appears from the outside to be a rather arbitrary selection process. It's certainly not the fault of the new mods, both of whom I happen to like, but I don't think it's been well handled and I think that has contributed to some of the unrest.

Unwashed · « **Reply #13 on:** October 20, 2009, 12:05:54 »

Ollie, you'll know better than anyone how I was cross that my Legalise Cannabis thread was deleted because we were prevented from having a civilised, informed debate, and that's what I joined A4A for. But the discussion was suppressed not by an over-zealous moderator, but by the rabid frothings of several trolls who are now attacking Ceres because she stopped them humiliating another poster.

ceres · « **Reply #14 on:** October 20, 2009, 12:07:39 »

For those who have posted kind wishes, thanks.

I don’t mind anyone challenging a mod decision and I don’t mind answering questions about a decision. People care about the forum and they make the forum what it is so they’re entitled to ask. What I do mind are gratuitous personal attacks. I mind them more because mods are easy targets, we can’t answer back and get involved in a slanging match. I mind also because it’s disrespectful of Dan. Dan provides the facility of the forum, Dan decides whether it’s moderated or not, Dan decides who the moderators are and what level of moderating he wants. If you don’t like playing by Dan’s rules, then maybe this isn’t the forum for you.

I think some of you are mistaken about what we can actually do as mods. We can’t delete a user ID, block an email or IP address, edit a post or delete a post. The only actions that are available to us are to lock a thread or move it to admin. Both of these are very visible and affect everyone who posts in a thread rather than just the violator, which upsets people. Apart from locking ACE’s thread, I’ve moved a couple of spam threads to admin and done the same for a couple of threads for legal reasons. I don’t have the permission of the parties involved to discuss the matter publicly but those threads should come back once Dan has reviewed and edited them. The level of moderation hasn’t changed. It’s just that the moderation is now being done by someone that some other members don’t like and the same pack mentality bullying behaviour that’s used against the troll has come into play.

As far as ACE’s thread is concerned I didn’t lock it because personal information had been disclosed. Plainleaf2 had reported Baccy Man’s posts and I had rejected his complaints because the information is out there on the internet. I locked the thread because, in my judgement (which is what Dan pays me for – oops! forgot I’m an unpaid volunteer), someone who isn’t a doctor diagnosing someone they don’t know with a serious mental illness on the basis of a few forum posts is offensive. It doesn’t matter if the poster is well-intentioned. Turn it around and think how you would feel if that post was directed at someone on the forum that you like and respect.

As far as the resident troll is concerned, Baccy Man is right. It’s a long slow process to get rid of someone permanently. So, in the expectation that isn’t going to be any time soon, the forum has to learn how to rub along with him onboard. But sadly, I don’t see that happening. There are too many people who think that they’re entitled, as fine upstanding forum members, to ridicule, name-call and otherwise abuse one person. What about the entitlement of the GARDENERS who come to the forum to read and contribute about GARDENING? Should they have to tolerate sexually explicit insults in Edible Plants? If they pop into The Shed for a chat, should they have to tolerate the blow-by-blow character assassination?

What no-one in the baying pack seems to have twigged is that you’re giving him exactly what he wants. He came to this forum because a member had, in his opinion, offended one of his family on another forum in 2001. Since then he’s made it his mission to disrupt this forum because that member is well-liked and respected here. So everytime threads disintegrate into chaos, members set against each other and the focus turns off gardening and onto divisive squabbling, he’s sitting there with a big grin on his face – job done.

Happy gardening folks.

Slug_killer · « **Reply #15 on:** October 20, 2009, 12:11:33 »

Question -

1. How many treads has Dan blocked/moved/deleted in the past year.
2. How many treads blocked/moved/deleted since the new mods were appointed ?

Has the site policy changed ? You decided. (BB is watching).

If there is disagreement on how this site is run, surly its up to Dan to deliberate.

Nobody has criticised Dan ... because nobody has had the desire - all his actions have been reasoned and minimal.

The only way I can see that Dan has contributed to the unrest, is by not clarifying the terms of engagement by the mods. But this is his style - easy on the helm and a gentle nudge when required. I wouldn't be surprised to see Dan come on here and give us all a gentle nudge.

Flighty · « **Reply #16 on:** October 20, 2009, 12:18:50 »

Ceres thank you for commenting as you have.
You know my feelings on the subject which I'm not repeating here. As to the future of this forum I guess that's down to Dan and others.
Take care, Flighty. xx

Fork · « **Reply #17 on:** October 20, 2009, 12:19:39 »

Well said Ceres.

I moderate on another site and got grief from time to time but fortunately my services have not been required for some time.

You are never going to please everyone whatever you do.

OllieC · « **Reply #18 on:** October 20, 2009, 12:21:46 »

I think this thread has now run it's course! :-X

Haha, just a joke! Thanks for the posting Ceres!

betula · « **Reply #19 on:** October 20, 2009, 12:28:11 »

Take care ceres :)

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Author Topic: Ceres - get your butt back here gal! (Read 3781 times)